Adding On Binding Posts To My A120's

pumpkinman

I have a pair of Boston Acoustics A120 speakers. These are the 2nd generation of the A120's. Always a problem for me was that they had the damn awful spring clips for attaching the speaker cables. I was going to buy new cups with binding posts. Then I thought I try to fit the existing cups with binding posts. The worst thing that could happen was I screw up and buy replacements. I had some older posts from my Polk 3.1 TL's that I just upgraded the posts on. Any voids left over from me bastardizing them was filled in with hot glue so it remains a sealed cabinet. I always liked A series Boston Acoustics speakers and regret getting rid of my 1st generation A70's. I've never owned or even heard the A400's but would love to. Who knows maybe someday I'll get lucky and find a set.

Well this is the finished product. Didn't have to spend any money and they're playing right now.



See F1nut and Westmassguy I sealed it up with "hot glue" LOL
Old pumpkins can still learn

cnh

Nice work! I have some A200s and even they have spring clips-inconveniently located, BTW?

I've also had A100s. The A series are decent vintage speakers. Also sound good on tubes!

Enjoy!

boston1450

Very nice job. Sure they connect better. I want to replace the housing on my Baby Advents so i can use pins too. I was looking at PE & i might just try it. I dont care for the clips either

teekay0007

They look much better, P-Man! Well done.

One thing I don't like about some of those binding posts though, is that they aren't long enough to accept the entire banana plug. Some of it is then hanging out, less stable/secure and the contacting area is reduced.

I'm curious if anyone here thinks that those shorter BPs are worth replacing (backs of speakers or power amps) or if there are shorter banana plugs that can and should be used.

pumpkinman

teekay0007 wrote: »

They look much better, P-Man! Well done.

One thing I don't like about some of those binding posts though, is that they aren't long enough to accept the entire banana plug. Some of it is then hanging out, less stable/secure and the contacting area is reduced.

I'm curious if anyone here thinks that those shorter BPs are worth replacing (backs of speakers or power amps) or if there are shorter banana plugs that can and should be used.

Back the binding post enough to cover the entire banana plug.

teekay0007

pumpkinman wrote: »

Back the binding post enough to cover the entire banana plug.

What does this mean? I don't follow.

Are you saying to back out the plastic "collar" that fits around the BP until it rests up against the "face" of the banana plug end? I could see where that might give the connection a little more stability, but it wouldn't add to the contact area for a better electrical connection.

pumpkinman

Yes that's what I mean.

westmassguy

A typical banana plug has 4 points that are expanded on the sides of the pin. When fully inserted, it makes contact at the tip, and four points on the sides. It does not make full contact the entire length of the pin. If your binding posts are short, you're still getting the same contact area as the deeper ones. For Stability, pumpkinan's advice is sound. Insert the plug fully, then back out the nut until it just touches the shoulder of the banana plug. This should keep it from sagging.

boston1450

^^^^ Thanks David. I had the same thing going on with the Monitor 11's binding post. I plugged them in & they stuck out some-with a tad bit of play. I did this & it seems to help. Maybe because they are Arrow Red cables