Binding Post To X Over Wire Replacement
Has anyone replaced the wire from the binding post to the x over. In my LSI speakers the factory wire looks to be about 18 guage & stranded. I use better speaker wire, replace jumpers with better wire & that improves the sound, so why not upgrade the wire from the binding post to x over. Is there a reason why the x over has small wire when built, or is it for cost puropses?
Post edited by ezc on
Comments
-
Some people have done this and claim to hear a difference. Personally, I dont think it is worth the effort and possibly voiding the warranty. I think some one here did it on the LSi9s or LCi, try a search.Graham
-
I replaced my LSiC x over with a LSi9 & Im pleased with the preformance, but if I can just improve it a little more! I have decided to go for it & already starting to replace the wires. Ill post some pics when I have some time. Need to mod the board contact slightly. Im going to use Monster Z1 speaker cable for this. Hell I figure doing this cant hurt! If this works my 15's will come apart next!
-
-
Yes it does! But Better Sound (dailoug) is what Im after! Worst case I fry the X over! Just buy another & try again! Anyway Im using this as a test, if this works well, Ill do the LSi9 x over that Im using in my LSiC. If that works well Ill do My 15's! I dont mind taking a chance if it will improve! If I think an improvment can be had Ill take the chance & do a mod. I look at the xover as a tweak that needs trying! I have seen very high end speakers & they use good speaker wire in the speaker x overs. My thinking is run good speaker wire to the speakers & replace jumpers with good jumpers but at the binding post to the x over just 18 awg wire? Seems like the signal bottelnecks there. Why not run good wire from the post to the x over! At one point the forum members thaught the jumpers wouldnt make a difference beacuse of the short run but now most feel better jumpers is the way to go. I Have replaced the wires on the post but cant connect to the board, I need to mod the board to fit the much larger wire ( monster Z1) Need to bring some tools from home tomorow. Hopefully this will be done by sunday! & if it works well do the 9 xover next week. In search of better pic & sound!
-
completed the x over wire upgrade for my LSiC. The Wire used from the binding post is 18 awg. I replaced it with monster z1 speaker cable. had to do some minor mods to get the new cable to fit correctly! Got to watch a few movies that I watched before and there is a small but noticable improvment. Was the upgrade worth it? My opinion is yes! The improvment was small but all improvments add up! The cost for the upgrade was less than $5.00. Time was aboout 1.5 hrs for the one x over. Soldering is necessary & all connections was desoldered & resoldered. When time permits Ill upgrade my 15's also. Heres a few pics.
First pic new cable on the left & oem on the right. Second pic is the finished x over -
Few more Pics. First pic cable replaced on binding post & one of our custom Z1 jumpers, Seccond pic LSi binding post with oem wire next is monster Z1 which was used in the upgrade & last monster xp cable on the right. Always in search of Better Pic, Better Sound!
-
hmm seems like trouble....for a slight improvement....maybe if I had some crap speakers lying around I would try but not on my main system....hmmm sounds like sally-ann might come in handy ... but I do get what you are saying about every replaces all other wire but leaves the inside alone
-
All improvements even small one add up to a better preformance. Im willing to try & get better preformance from upgrades. Better jumpers improve sound & the jumpers is a short run, so why not replace the wire from the binding post to the x over. I use good speaker wire from the receiver or amp to the speaker than 18 awg from the post to the x over seems like a bottelneck there. I have done this to my main system beacuse this is what we use most of the time, I do have smaller systems with ok speakers but to do this to those speakers may not be worth the time. If I did this to crap speakers Id end up with speakers that still sound like crap, it would be a bigger improvement to sell the crap speakers & get better ones! Im trying to get speakers that sound great to sound even better! Cost for this is minimal & to me worth the time! Always in search of better picture & better sound!
-
what I was saying was if I were to try that I would first on a cheap pair bought at Sally-ann
-
Willow,
Sorry I miss understood you! Yes I did try it on another x over first to see if it was possible. Once I figured out it was possible It was time to do the main system speakers. I didnt listen to the trial x over, figured the larger wire could only be an improvment or at worst no improvment at all.The Center was the first that I did & the 15's will be done at a later time, Id need about 1/2 a day without the wife & kid to complete it. Yah I know friends in out av club call me crazy too, But I have seen some of the 2 ch guys replace the wire in thier amps from the board to the binding post with better wire, & even some of the internal wiring with better wire & claim to make a noticible diffrence. Always in search of better pic & sound! -
were you nervous at all with your good pair ??
-
No I wasnt nervous. As long I know it could be done & I knew what need to be don it was easy. I do soldering almost every day for work so soldering was not a problem. If anyone doing somthing like this has little experience soldering or working with electronics it may be a challange. I do all my work on a esd mat on a esd safe bench using esd safe tools. Im more concerned about esd damaging the item me making a mistake. This upgrade is not hard to do, all it is is just changing wires! Removing what was there & replacing with new wire. The hardest part is desoldering & re soldering. I did have to enlarge the hole for larger wire which was done by using a hand drill very slowly. WBT solder was used for all solder joints.
-
looks like I will have to pass for now I have never soldered before
