Soldering vs connectors

bionicmushroom

Maybe Im just a noob but wouldnt soldering your ends on your speaker cables be better than connectors? I work midnights and I must admit that I do alot of pondering but if the wire ends are in connectors wouldnt they still be exposed to the air for the most part which causes the corrosion? I had never thought of soldering my ends but I have noticed that a few of you do and after alot of pondering it just seems to make since to me. Wouldnt it give a better connection? What type of solder would you use? Maybe I just think too much...Just thought I would ask.

george daniel

Yep, I use cardas solder,,only because I happen to have a large surplus:eek:

polrbehr

One other solution instead of (or in addition to) soldering is to use a product
such as an anti-oxidizing compound made exclusively for the electrical trade,
of which I count myself a member. It is available through most supply houses and goes under the name Penetrox. It was/is widely used to prevent the dangerous oxidation that could build up on aluminum wire, the cause of many
house fires over the years. It also works on copper and other metals, and I also use it on car battery terminals and posts. The small bottles it's available in should last the average person a lifetime, unless you're into house wiring as a hobby! Just use some care when applying it... it can be quite nasty to get out of clothes.

bionicmushroom

I may have to try this, have any of you noticed any type of sound difference? I know that connectors like banana plugs are great for being easy to connect and disconnect, so is it just more for convience?

Polk65

Bananas are more for convenience. If you have the pair of speakers that you've decided to make your mains, they will stay there awhile. Bare wire is fine, just treat it with something (like Caig ProGold) so it will not oxidate.

Some will say that soldering is a better electrical connection. Others will state that (double) crimping gives a more direct connection. Some hear differences with silver, gold and copper. Read as much as you can and try different methods over time.

Use the search link up top for "blind test", "banana" and other relevant keywords. You will find a cornucopia of reading.

BobMcG

Solder is a good way to wrap up a connector job but when using specifically made high quality cable crimping tools the end result is better than solder alone. What happens is the conductors are squeezed together so tightly you achieve a bond that is called a cold weld. You can then seal the ends of the connector with silver solder to finish the job.

polrbehr

BTW, I notice no sound difference, nor would I expect to. I was merely suggesting a way to keep your connections clean no matter which type you select. Solder or banana plugs or whatever else you decide will benefit from some anti-oxidant.

vipari

cool

bionicmushroom

hey thanx for all the good info! its always good to hear from people that have experience in things rather than tral and error ya know. as always its a learning experience!! Thanx!!

ESavinon

I prefer solder. It's more secure than crimping. My .2

PolkThug

You could just use some Caigs deoxit every now and then on the wires.

BobMcG

ESAVINON wrote:

I prefer solder. It's more secure than crimping. My .2

You've no experience with any of the professional grade ratcheting type crimpers then?

ESavinon

I actually have a couple of ratcheting type crimpers.
I prefer to solder after crimping. I believe no matter how tight you crimp,you still leave space in between.Solder on the other hand fills any gap left by crimping and merges the two metal into one.

BobMcG

ESAVINON wrote:

I actually have a couple of ratcheting type crimpers.
I prefer to solder after crimping. I believe no matter how tight you crimp,you still leave space in between.Solder on the other hand fills any gap left by crimping and merges the two metal into one.

Oh well, different takes on something audio related? Go figure.:p

I crimp and then sometimes seal with solder. I don't feel that solder alone is a poor way to go I just feel that even silver solder isn't a "great" conductor. At least not as good as the (quality) wire and connector that are being mated. Done properly, the "cold weld" principle merges (deforms and squeezes) the metals together tighter and then solder dresses it up. The only problem I can see with getting a really good crimp would be with if the connector and the wire size weren't a proper match.

I guess it boils down to one must use (and do) what they feel is best for them. What they have the most confidence in. I mean face it, if we all used the same everything, including speakers, sources, amps, preamps, cables, techniques and so on, what would we have to talk about?;)