Bi-Wires for the Masses. IE: The Poor.
Polk&Beans
Posts: 94
It has been awhile since I bought this stuff so, I may not have everything correct. Since I am farting around with 2 pair of front speakers right now, I made another set of bi-wires to match the ones I made 4-5 years ago.
The spades are Radio Shack 10-12awg spades. (Better hurry, they might not be around much longer) I believe the larger silicone covers, on the banana plugs, came with the spades. The banana plugs are “dual” bananas from PE that I just cut them out of the plastic casing. Had to drill them out a little to accommodate the dual-12awg cables. The smaller covers on the spades came from some PE “closeout” of cheap speaker pins. A couple of bucks, I think… They were bought somewhere down the line from PE. Bought the pins just for the covers. Sometimes you can get the pins/covers from PE with cheap speaker cable packages. They also have gold plate, dual nanners also. I bought a 500ft spool of Phoenix Gold 12awg, 5-6 years ago? for wiring the house. As you can see the jacket has not discolored much over the years or gone green or gooey. I got another spool from Cables Plus? maybe. Same results. So, got lucky and both ARE quality cables. All connections soldered with WBT 4% silver solder. If you do something like this slip the spade jackets over the cable first. Mineral spirits works good as a lube. NO oils or spit please. Put some latex gloves on when handling the bare wire. You have oils and salts on your fingertips. Keeps the copper from oxidating and corroding.
Shop around, think outside the box. It can save you some bucks.
The spades are Radio Shack 10-12awg spades. (Better hurry, they might not be around much longer) I believe the larger silicone covers, on the banana plugs, came with the spades. The banana plugs are “dual” bananas from PE that I just cut them out of the plastic casing. Had to drill them out a little to accommodate the dual-12awg cables. The smaller covers on the spades came from some PE “closeout” of cheap speaker pins. A couple of bucks, I think… They were bought somewhere down the line from PE. Bought the pins just for the covers. Sometimes you can get the pins/covers from PE with cheap speaker cable packages. They also have gold plate, dual nanners also. I bought a 500ft spool of Phoenix Gold 12awg, 5-6 years ago? for wiring the house. As you can see the jacket has not discolored much over the years or gone green or gooey. I got another spool from Cables Plus? maybe. Same results. So, got lucky and both ARE quality cables. All connections soldered with WBT 4% silver solder. If you do something like this slip the spade jackets over the cable first. Mineral spirits works good as a lube. NO oils or spit please. Put some latex gloves on when handling the bare wire. You have oils and salts on your fingertips. Keeps the copper from oxidating and corroding.
Shop around, think outside the box. It can save you some bucks.
Post edited by Polk&Beans on
Comments
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Nice looking bulk wire and clean work on the spades and bananas. Any audible differences with the bi-wire?Carl
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Mr beans, where to you live?
DFW-Closer to W. Hint: the Bermuda triangle. Whats up? You got cables? No Soldering Iron? -
Nice looking bulk wire and clean work on the spades and bananas. Any audible differences with the bi-wire?
Thanks Man. I think it sounds better. Albeit minor. Seems to smooth things out. From reading debates on it so, it's subjective. It's supposed to help with interactions between the HP and LP voice coils...
Got a little aggressive with the solder on one... You can see it wicked past the cover on 1 lead and looks like a discoloration of the cable. In person it's silver, not greenish looking.
When I bought the cable 12awg was still 12awg. Not the Far Easts' interpretation... -
Wanted to invite you out to my place as it might be a good place for you to hear different cables in a rig if you haven't before. Jan 25 isn't too far away, and neither is my place.
You having a Texas cable shoot out?
Shoot me an e mail or PM? If I figure that out. We can swap phone numbers and addys.
