Pin Plugs - How ?

[EdT]

Are pin plug connectors to be use with spring clip speakers for easier install and removal or is there a seperate system of jacks for them ? I know of banana and spades, but pin plugs I have never seen pin jacks on a speaker.

[FastEddy]

In the absense of modifications to your speakers like installation of 5-way binding posts / recepticals ... then yes, these are almost as good a "tinning" your leads with silver solder.

The only use for these, really (without mods), is on the other end, the multi-channel receiver outputs = the "surround" outputs on many Panasonic, et al, receivers being spring clip type connectors.

If possible, mod 'em with binding posts for better results. If not, then strip and tin the leads and silver solder 'em for somewhat better results. In other words, these pin connectors are not much good = contact area is not as good as hand made tinned leads.

[Geoff H]

OMG, the return of the pin plug. I first saw one of these (as a lad) on my first crystal set. Later in life, I found them on 1940s vintage headphones used by "wireless" (never did accept that description - there were wires everywhere) operators and telegraphists.

Also used on cheap multimeters. Superseded by the banana plug.

If you must use spring type terminals, just tin the ends of the speaker cables with whatever solder you prefer.

BTW, Silver plated contacts were used on telephone equipment many moons ago. And scrapped due to the regular cleaning required.

[EdT]

Originally posted by FastEddy
... then yes, these are almost as good a "tinning" your leads with silver solder.

If not, then strip and tin the leads and silver solder 'em for somewhat better results. In other words, these pin connectors are not much good = contact area is not as good as hand made tinned leads.

I read somewhere that tinning stranded speaker wires is not recommend for spring clip connection as they provide less contact and can produce solder scrapings when in contact with the spring clip blade. What are the thoughts of people here on diyAudio about tinning wires ?

[FastEddy]

" ... tinning stranded speaker wires is not recommend for spring clip connection as they provide less contact and can produce solder scrapings when in contact with the spring clip blade. ..."

Well, yes this can be true in many cases. As a matter of practically, I have found that tinning with silver solder is still best = fewer of those fine wires getting unconnected and possibllity of shorting across connectors or to chassis ... and those stray wires can actually act as receving antenna for EMF interference, etc.

IMOP: With spring clip connectors on speakers of amp outputs: tinned leads are best, no tinning is second best as long as there are no strays, and those pins are third best and "better than nuttin' " ... The very best speaker connectors and amp connectors are of course replacements of the spring clips with decent binding posts and banana plugs.

[FastEddy]

Geoff H: " ... Silver plated contacts were used on telephone equipment many moons ago. And scrapped due to the regular cleaning required. .."

Yes indeedie ... but there were cost considerations as well = silver being about 3X as costly as copper back then. I have found that the tarnishing of silver over time does not seem to affect conductivity nearly as much as is commonly believed.

Check this out:
" ... It has the highest electrical conductivity of all metals, even higher than copper, but its greater cost and tarnishability has prevented it from being widely used in place of copper for electrical purposes ... does tarnish when it is exposed to ozone, hydrogen sulfide, or air containing sulfur. ..." From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver

BUT, when silver solder (silver / tin / etc. plus the flux) is applied to copper conductors, the actual resistance of a connection or in the wires is not deminished significantly because of the presence of the tin and copper ... meaning that overall, silver soldered "tinning" of connectors is generally better than no "tinning" at all. And that's why they have military specifications for this calling for the use of silver wire and silver plated copper wire and silver soldered connections on g'ment hardware for use in the field ...