Wires into banana plugs

CAvolleyballguy
CAvolleyballguy Posts: 156
edited January 2008 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Got the new bananas with the expanding tip. Never used these before...always just bare wire.

anyway..so i stripped the end of the wire (14 gauge), twisted it, inserted and found the little screw downs didnt appear tight enough, the front one was ok but the back one the circumference of the hole is bigger and the little screw kept going through and falling out...so...

I exposed double the length needed. twisted the wire then folded back on itself and twisted it...essentially doubling the gauge at the tip....screws are nice and tight....

does doing this degrade the signal or anything...is it "ok" or is it considered bad form...ps... I do not believe in directional wires...but i was curious if there was anything to degrading the signal at the very end by doubling the wires up...????
Rti10 front, csi5, Rti6 surrounds, PSW505, B&K200.7s2, Onkyo705.
Post edited by CAvolleyballguy on
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Comments

  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited January 2008
    or a drop or two of solder might be in order.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • CAvolleyballguy
    CAvolleyballguy Posts: 156
    edited January 2008
    Thank you for the replies.

    I do have 12awg for the surrounds, but the fronts and center I used 14awg.
    solder is out...since i have zero tools or experience pertaining to it.

    14awg for the fronts should be more than ample...no?
    Rti10 front, csi5, Rti6 surrounds, PSW505, B&K200.7s2, Onkyo705.
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited January 2008
    Easy way to compare, if you hook your fronts up with the 12 guage wire from your rear speakers, do you hear any difference? (will have to compare 2 channel listening while doing this test of course)

    And no - folding the 14ga. is fine. It is what they recommended with my banana plugs if I needed to. (I didn't)
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • ShinAce
    ShinAce Posts: 1,194
    edited January 2008
    Length of the wire is the other factor.

    For 8 ohm speakers, 14 ga is fine. If the length of the wire goes beyond 20 feet, consider 12 gauge. Likewise, if the power from the amp passes 1400 watts, consider an upgrade.

    You'll be fine. Personally, I only use 12 gauge for subs.
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  • raull1
    raull1 Posts: 21
    edited January 2008
    I used 16 gauge wire for my setup i'm running about 25 feet for each surround. 20 feet for each front speaker and about 10 for the center.

    I'm using Rti8 fronts, Csi3 center, Fxia4 surrounds and a bic h-100 subwoofer.
    (Onkyo 605)

    It sounds good to me, should I upgrade to a higher gauge wire? I just got this system put together like two days ago and I'm worried when all I hear here is 14 and 12 gauge being recommended.
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  • ShinAce
    ShinAce Posts: 1,194
    edited January 2008
    You're fine.

    I remember installing a car audio sub for a friend last year and we used 4 gauge for the power for the simple reason this allows him to upgrade his amp up to 1000 watts. Now I look at it and shake my head cuz the cable is so oversized(250 watt amp).
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,724
    edited January 2008
    I recommend 28 gauge solid core coat hanger wire, nothing better.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,055
    edited January 2008
    F1nut wrote: »
    I recommend 28 gauge solid core coat hanger wire, nothing better.

    I can only imagine the WAF :(
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,724
    edited January 2008
    The WAF is excellent. Being 28 gauge, you can hardly see it. After all, wire is just wire. :rolleyes:
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited January 2008
    F1nut wrote: »
    I recommend 28 gauge solid core coat hanger wire, nothing better.

    If your coat hangers are made out of 28 guage wire, speakers may be all they are good for. They certainly wont work for crap to hang a coat with....

    ;)
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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