Wiring Speakon and Banana plugs

[RichB]

I switched to Speakon connectors for the Benchmark amps and use Angled Banana Compression bananas at the other.

The fronts and center have Canare 4S11 and it was a bear getting the combined cables into the Neutrik NL2FXX-W-S speakOn ports.
The rears use Belkin 10 Gauge and they were about as bad.

It seems like 12 gauge is the limit, so I lost some strands.
@restorer-john has recommended ferrules for SpeakOn and bananas.
Can these be used to squish down these cables to fit?

I am willing to rework them.

- Rich

 

[Doodski]

I switched to Speakon connectors for the Benchmark amps and use Angled Banana Compression bananas at the other.

The fronts and center have Canare 4S11 and it was a bear getting the combined cables into the Neutrik NL2FXX-W-S speakOn ports.
The rears use Belkin 10 Gauge and they were about as bad.

It seems like 12 gauge is the limit, so I lost some strands.
@restorer-john has recommended ferrules for SpeakOn and bananas.
Can these be used to squish down these cables to fit?

I am willing to rework them.

- Rich

To use ferrules requires a ferrule crimper. They can get pretty large.

 

[RichB]

To use ferrules requires a ferrule crimper. They can get pretty large.

Good to know.
If I go that route, can it help fit a 10-gauge cable into a 12-gauge hole?

- Rich

 

[Doodski]

Good to know.
If I go that route, can it help fit a 10-gauge cable into a 12-gauge hole?

- Rich

Does a woodpecker peck the woods<?> If it fits and or but if too large then it's a no go unless you surgically alter it.

 

[DonH56]

Neutrik makes SpeakON connectors that handle 10 AWG wire, I'd probably just look for the larger versions of SpeakONs. I am not up on the latest line but have had to switch models in the past to fit a set of 10 AWG cables after buying without realizing all the different flavors they make.

 

[restorer-john]

I don't think you can squish down 10 gauge into a 12 gauge hole and with a crimped ferrule.

Ferrules themselves are remarkably thin, depending on the size and really make your life easier. If you go that path, consider the hex die crimper, not the square.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

The fronts and center have Canare 4S11 and it was a bear getting the combined cables into the Neutrik NL2FXX-W-S speakOn ports.

I remove the SpeakOn internal screws and the associated compression part. Then I tightly twist the individual leads separately, tin them in a solder pot and insert the 2 pairs of wires individually into the 2 pairs of metal receptacles. A few seconds with the soldering iron anchors the wires to the fixture.

 

[denydog]

I don't know why the different experience with 10 gauge, but I used the Neutrik NL2FXX-W-S (brown band) a couple months ago with Blue Jeans Cable 10 awg speaker wire (Belden 5T00UP, grey jacket) with no problem. I was nervous because the specification looked iffy, but the bare wires slipped in nicely.

I'm pretty sure Blue Jeans didn't mistakenly send me 12 gauge. I'll be double checking tomorrow because I just got a second set of the same Blue Jeans, Beldon 10 awg with the ultrasonic welded spades at one end, unterminated at the other. Should have a pair of NL2FXX-W-S from Sweetwater, due tomorrow. The first pair of speaKons were off ebay.

I'm going to try vertical bi-amping the AHB2s.

 

[wwenze]

"So I lost some strands" - That's exactly how to fit an oversized cable into an undersized connector

Untwist the wires, cut around 33% of it, twist it back and viola, a 12AWG cable end.

 

[jhaider]

I switched to Speakon connectors for the Benchmark amps and use Angled Banana Compression bananas at the other.

The fronts and center have Canare 4S11 and it was a bear getting the combined cables into the Neutrik NL2FXX-W-S speakOn ports.
The rears use Belkin 10 Gauge and they were about as bad.

It seems like 12 gauge is the limit, so I lost some strands.
@restorer-john has recommended ferrules for SpeakOn and bananas.
Can these be used to squish down these cables to fit?

I am willing to rework them.

- Rich

I agree with @Kal Rubinson that you need to take out the set screw and remove the compression lever. That will give you the extra diameter you need. However, rather than soldering (not because there's anything wrong with it; I just don't like doing it) I then grab an appropriately sized ferrule and crimp it down. Then screw in the set screw, so it clamps down on the ferrule.

You probably don't need a Knipex/Rennsteig or Pressmaster grade tool for this kind of job, though it doesn't hurt either.

Also, note this only works with the OG Speakons (PZ1 - note pozidrive not Philips! - set screws). The newer ones (T8 Torx grub screws) don't seem to have a way to easily remove the compression levers.

 

[Speedskater]

Don't solder-tin stranded wire to be used in a compression (screw) fitting. With time and temperature, it will slowly cold-flow and the connection will loosen. It's not permitted in industrial or military equipment. That's the reason for ferrules

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Don't solder-tin stranded wire to be used in a compression (screw) fitting. With time and temperature, it will slowly cold-flow and the connection will loosen. It's not permitted in industrial or military equipment. That's the reason for ferrules

Yup. I don't believe that anyone has suggested otherwise.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

Don't solder-tin stranded wire to be used in a compression (screw) fitting. With time and temperature, it will slowly cold-flow and the connection will loosen. It's not permitted in industrial or military equipment. That's the reason for ferrules

This thread got me intrigued since I never heard of ferrules before. Googled the topic, started reading first relevant article, only to came across @Speedskater providing information on ferrules in the first article I started reading... https://forums.audioholics.com/foru...-the-end-of-speaker-wires.122067/post-1479035

 

[restorer-john]

This thread got me intrigued since I never heard of ferrules before.

Get into ferrules. Seriously, once you've terminated with them, there's no looking back...

ask @jhaider He's a ferrule Jedi I believe.

 

[RichB]

Get into ferrules. Seriously, once you've terminated with them, there's no looking back...

ask @jhaider He's a ferrule Jedi I believe.

I ordered these:

Hex Crimper:

Amazon.com

Ferrules:

Amazon.com

There were also available:
https://www.amazon.com/mankk-Ferru...ix=copper+ferrule+for+wire,aps,76&sr=8-2&th=1


These are for amp connections to SpeakOn and Banana plugs, any recommendations for copper or copper/tinned?

- Rich

 

[restorer-john]

The smaller non-insulated ferrules often/mostly have a flared end for easy wire insertion. The insulated ones guide the stranded wire in, due to their molded flare.

 

[poopy]

I ordered these:

Hex Crimper:

Amazon.com

Ferrules:

Amazon.com

There were also available:
https://www.amazon.com/mankk-Ferrules-Connector-Terminals-Insulated/dp/B097ZNCKMZ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=I2HFPTX7LPNH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V0VNeHKAeRrZ74v5yibEzY76L1WsAGvB9cskPWihQY0FzCHjCJKq3Zr7jYkv57fXSK5v4Al-TJdpx6NVd8cx8Wz_m_Zeh4QCUZHYdy4iG9xtqgqEglDRy___q01rBBCqENSlrl-MNkh7JvqdA4nfG-d06tHJkNPNIOfxL8mnFTkqmC99P6KYpwbDRm_I4bIXFX6-xQyWpRsGjruU388tEEHdnbZVpthzr8aQlEkuUHw.nu4Mwjv8yzAroqHyYEuWZhUvK0cGpjr7NWZuzpP7Xc8&dib_tag=se&keywords=copper+ferrule+for+wire&qid=1713798724&sprefix=copper+ferrule+for+wire,aps,76&sr=8-2&th=1


These are for amp connections to SpeakOn and Banana plugs, any recommendations for copper or copper/tinned?

- Rich

I like the quality of the WBT ferrules: https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/crimp-sleeves-c-239.html?p=2

 

[jhaider]

I ordered these:

Hex Crimper:

Amazon.com

Ferrules:

Amazon.com

There were also available:
https://www.amazon.com/mankk-Ferrules-Connector-Terminals-Insulated/dp/B097ZNCKMZ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=I2HFPTX7LPNH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V0VNeHKAeRrZ74v5yibEzY76L1WsAGvB9cskPWihQY0FzCHjCJKq3Zr7jYkv57fXSK5v4Al-TJdpx6NVd8cx8Wz_m_Zeh4QCUZHYdy4iG9xtqgqEglDRy___q01rBBCqENSlrl-MNkh7JvqdA4nfG-d06tHJkNPNIOfxL8mnFTkqmC99P6KYpwbDRm_I4bIXFX6-xQyWpRsGjruU388tEEHdnbZVpthzr8aQlEkuUHw.nu4Mwjv8yzAroqHyYEuWZhUvK0cGpjr7NWZuzpP7Xc8&dib_tag=se&keywords=copper+ferrule+for+wire&qid=1713798724&sprefix=copper+ferrule+for+wire,aps,76&sr=8-2&th=1


These are for amp connections to SpeakOn and Banana plugs, any recommendations for copper or copper/tinned?

- Rich

All the ones I have are tinned. Probably tin not silver.

The ones I use are mostly German brands, which I like because they come in neat little round boxes with rotating tops. Also they were sold for a pittance on amazon.de, and shipping was de minimis as well (bundled with orders for German tools - often much cheaper to grey market from azon.de than buy here.)

The WBT ones are way too expensive for me to consider, personally.

 

[rcstevensonaz]

I like the quality of the WBT ferrules: https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/crimp-sleeves-c-239.html?p=2

Why are they using perfectly sensible measurements of mm2, when they could instead be using the arcane AWG measurement system?

But for those of us who don't live on a perfectly sensible continent, here is a translation guide for WBT: http://www.wbtusa.com/pages/CrimpSleeveSelector.html

 

[poopy]

I use same type as the one on the picture above for everything, except for speaker and interconnect cables.

From Audiophonics, I also used the Elecaudio, Furutech, Viablue ones and the cheap silver plated ones. The Viablue ones are thin so could help if tight space. The sizes of the Furutech ones were odd I recall and they were too thick.