Hi All.
After a little reading, I'm learning that the landscape is filled with lots of cheap quality and perhaps sub standard accessories which I'm trying to avoid.
As a new DIYer I'm looking for best bang for buck performance and don't want to spend a million bucks to squeeze out an extra 10% of performance.
Initially, I'm thinking Banana Plugs and Binding Posts are a staple spare part to have around for new Loudspeaker builds and for upgrading existing ones.
I picked up some inexpensive Banana Plugs from EBay, some being branded Nakamichi and other sturdier units with no brand.
All were touted as being gold plated copper.
After reading some threads suggesting that cheap terminals maybe made from either plated iron core, or plated alloys, both not as conductive as copper.
I tried the magnet test but neither were drawn to it, so I'm thinking maybe some composite alloy??
Does anyone have a Banana Plug/Binding Post source/brand/product which is made from acceptable materials and performance but won't break the bank?
Also, a Youtube personality has been extolling tube speaker cable connectors (also known as Z Connectors), instead of the Banana system.
Benefits:
Hollow copper male connector accepts the speaker wire internally for the length of the connector.
Also connection to the female Binding Post connector is for the entire surface area, rather than just the spring bars on the Banana Plugs.
Thirdly external speaker cable is inline with the internal Loudspeaker cable.
Lastly there is less bulk, just the male and female tubes.
Does anyone have experience on affordable tube connectors with acceptable price point?
thanks
C
After a little reading, I'm learning that the landscape is filled with lots of cheap quality and perhaps sub standard accessories which I'm trying to avoid.
As a new DIYer I'm looking for best bang for buck performance and don't want to spend a million bucks to squeeze out an extra 10% of performance.
Initially, I'm thinking Banana Plugs and Binding Posts are a staple spare part to have around for new Loudspeaker builds and for upgrading existing ones.
I picked up some inexpensive Banana Plugs from EBay, some being branded Nakamichi and other sturdier units with no brand.
All were touted as being gold plated copper.
After reading some threads suggesting that cheap terminals maybe made from either plated iron core, or plated alloys, both not as conductive as copper.
I tried the magnet test but neither were drawn to it, so I'm thinking maybe some composite alloy??
Does anyone have a Banana Plug/Binding Post source/brand/product which is made from acceptable materials and performance but won't break the bank?
Also, a Youtube personality has been extolling tube speaker cable connectors (also known as Z Connectors), instead of the Banana system.
Benefits:
Hollow copper male connector accepts the speaker wire internally for the length of the connector.
Also connection to the female Binding Post connector is for the entire surface area, rather than just the spring bars on the Banana Plugs.
Thirdly external speaker cable is inline with the internal Loudspeaker cable.
Lastly there is less bulk, just the male and female tubes.
Does anyone have experience on affordable tube connectors with acceptable price point?
thanks
C
Z-plugs, not Z-connectors (that's a shower fitting apparently!)
I don't know much about them, other than many types have bare metal exposed. Not a fan of that, far too easy to accidentally short, or get a shock (high power audio amps have high voltage).
There are a number of high current RC model connectors that might be worth considering, 40A or more in small form-factor, but usually wire-to-wire rather than wire-to-chassis style.
And of course SpeakON's are an obvious obvious choice these days.
As for squeezing out performance, they just have not to be ferromagnetic and able to handle the current and not corrode over time. Those are the only measurable imperfections, distortion from non-linear magnetics, or poor connection resistance issues.
I don't know much about them, other than many types have bare metal exposed. Not a fan of that, far too easy to accidentally short, or get a shock (high power audio amps have high voltage).
There are a number of high current RC model connectors that might be worth considering, 40A or more in small form-factor, but usually wire-to-wire rather than wire-to-chassis style.
And of course SpeakON's are an obvious obvious choice these days.
As for squeezing out performance, they just have not to be ferromagnetic and able to handle the current and not corrode over time. Those are the only measurable imperfections, distortion from non-linear magnetics, or poor connection resistance issues.
I made some leads up using the Nakamichi plugs and was satisfied with the result.
They are better than the cheapo standard ebay ones in the way they assemble and clamp the wire and do the job perfectly fine for me.
They are better than the cheapo standard ebay ones in the way they assemble and clamp the wire and do the job perfectly fine for me.
Keep in mind that these are not Nakamichi, but they may still be good. 😉
The Nackamichi plug webshop is set up in China.
They say:
100% Brand new, ULTRA , top quality.
Made in Japan.
Not sure about the last line! 🙂
YouTube
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Very few Chinese parts labelled "copper" are. I generally file the end of one and examine them. So far they have all been brass. I inherited some Cardas sockets which actually are copper, but they are not Chinese.
Where can you buy or source quality copper connectors at an affordable price.
Western hifi retailers price gouge for anything labelled hifi.
What we need is an accommodating supplier rather than a retailer.
If we could source a Chinese supplier with quality items then this would be the jackpot.
Try CMC connectors. CMC -Charming Music Conductor. Various suppliers, usually including Vintage Audio Lab (Valab) on ebay.
How about AECO or Furez?
AECO:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=aeco+banana+plugs&ref=nb_sb_noss
Furez:
Furez Products – Douglas Connection
I've not used either, but these look really nice.
Wolf
AECO:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=aeco+banana+plugs&ref=nb_sb_noss
Furez:
Furez Products – Douglas Connection
I've not used either, but these look really nice.
Wolf