Speaker cables - an idle thought

[andrewM]

An idle thought whilst moving some speakers around. My current speakers have decent binding posts for connecting the cables (LS5) - the sort that you can both insert a banana plug into from the back but also have a screw-down collar and a decent sized hole at ninety degrees to trap a bare cable. Wouldn't it be better practice to remove the plugs, strip back 1/2in insulation, thread through the cross hole and tighten down - that way you have eliminated both a solder joint and a push fit connector from the signal path? Has anyone tried it and noticed a difference? Is there any reason why not?

Andrew

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Nope because you don't eliminate the bare cable oxidising. And if you leave the cable unterminated and unsealed that oxidation will spread up under the dielectric. This is another forum bullshit / fallacy. If you seal the cable end and hard wire (solder) then yes that is potentially better.

[andrewM]

Point taken, but I've always been wary of plugs/sockets generally (which is why I like the captive leads on your amps rather than those nasty IEC things) The actual contact area of a round pin in a round socket can be quite small unless its a *very* tight fit.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Hardwiring is soldering not screwing onto a terminal.