Replacing binding posts on an Amp. Help

Ceruleance

Kids,
I need some help. I have carver amps that were apparently made before the days that 5-way binding posts were standard on any piece of decent equipment. My next project is to upgrade the posts to higher quality. I will try first the M-200t, and then the M-500t, because the 200t has funkier connections and needs it more. My problem is, if I order new posts, do I just swap them in? I will be including a few pictures to show you what I am talking about, but basically the connectors now goto a small green cap. that has a resistor piggy backed onto it. I am assuming that I need to include this part of the circuit when I get my new posts, yes? The problem is, its all sodered to a solid piece of metal, not a wire, so I am assuming I either have to unsolder it all from the old piece of metal, and onto the piece, or cut the metal off the old posts and somehow find a way to connect the solid back of the new posts to the solid piece of metal.

Basically, I don't know what I am doing, and I would like someone who has done stuff like this to walk me through it. This would be appreciated immensely.

Here come the pictures:

Ceruleance

2.

Ceruleance

3. If you need more pictures, I can take them. What you are looking at is the green capacitor, the brown resistor, and the white lead, all soldered together to a piece that feeds into those nasty spring clip connections

gidrah

The first thing I wanted to do is change out those dang clips. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any that would be a direct replacement so you'd also be looking at modifying the back of the case to make the hole bigger. I haven't actively searched in awhile, but I keep an eye out anytime I see connectors. I never opened mine though. Thanks for letting me know what I have to look forward to.

I got a couple of other amps around the same time and have switched this one out for now. I do that from time to time. When I put this one back in the rotation or get a pare time windfall I'll look into it again. On the positive side, I bare wire when feasible, if you trim your cables you can end up with a clean fit and the holes are relatively large for sping clips. I've got speakers that barely accept pins.

Good luck. I know it's been done. Whether or not it's been done by somebody that still visits this site we'll see. I hope so.

Ceruleance

OK disregard those other pictures, I finally unscrewed the connector, pulled it out, and took a good picture:

tonyv1

I had the same issues on my friend's NAD 2700 amp. First, check the depth of where the new binding posts will hit the metal piece of the old post. I ended up cutting the old binding posts, but left enough room to bend it towards the new posts position. For new binding posts, use the short ones for amps not the long ones for speaker cabinets. This will save you some manuvering space. Looks like your toughest question is how to mount the new posts. Once you solve that everything will fall into place.
Take your time and good luck.

Ceruleance

The holes are pretty large for spring clips, but I can BARELY fit the Original Monster Cable that I own in there, with the inner dielectric removed and the conductors very tightly twisted, plus I move around and switch amps all the time, and I really want something that makes a good, quick connection. I know what you mean about the direct replacement, but I think if I mount the 4 posts to a metal piece large enough to cover the hole that it will look nice.

Here's another angle

Ceruleance

I think i am going to leave that resistor-capacitor network intact and cut the solid piece that is closer to the the spring clips. But:

Can anyone comment on the feasibility of making a connection (most likely solder from an inexperience solder-er (myself)) between that little metal strip and the back of a binding post? (if you dont know what metal strip I am referring to, let me know and I can draw circles and clear it up.)

Thanks for the tip about the short binding posts, I was going to use the long ones, just because of the models I saw the longer ones happened to look higher quality.

gidrah

If you are gonna fabricate a backplate individual jacks would probably be better than paired. If you have dual banana plugs you might want to use these to align them. I picked up some from (you guessed it) Radio Shack and they should work well.

Use a desoldering gun or wick and you should be alright. Go ahead draw a circle around it.

Ceruleance

I have individual banana plugs and I am planning on using individual posts. although in the future I may switch to dual, or sell the amp, so I will certainly follow your advice and space them correctly.

I have drawn a circle around the area, and dotted a line where I would sever the connection to the old spring clips, and then solder on the new posts. I dont have a de-soldering gun, nor a wick, will I get a decent connection with just a soldering gun? I want to keep project costs low, and I dont really envision a need for a desoldering gun in projects in the future. Yes, I know they are only 10 bucks or less, but I paid 100 for the amp, and I dont want to pay a third of the cost of the amp just upgrading the posts.

tonyv1

Looks like you can unsolder the RC networks, wires and reattach it to the new posts. As far soldering help, I'd use solder flux (liquid or paste, ROSIN not acid) to help the solder flow onto the new post. Watch out for the smoke!
I used Cardas binding posts, they come short and long same quality, price depending on finish.