Speaker Jumpers
mantis
Posts: 17,408
What's up everyone,
So Lets talk about speaker factory jumpers. Most people throw them right in the trash and use speaker wire terminated in Spade or Banana jacks right? Hardly no one is buying I wiring or bi amping there speakers, maybe some but mostly not.
Ok so if the jumpers are copper built with a gold plating , what is the actual difference with the jumpers compared to the speaker cable and spade or banana jacks? Have anyone thought about this? Think about IF your banana jack or spade connector is built from gold plate copper what is the actual difference here?
Is it a visual thing? I can see if the jumpers are built out of lesser quality material like tin or brass , makes sense to replace them with something better but if the manufacturer made them out of copper and plated them with gold to protect them, then what are you actually gaining?
I never thought about this up until now. I always just did what everyone else usually does , throw those jumpers in the box or trash and replace with a custom built or bought jumper.
So Lets talk about speaker factory jumpers. Most people throw them right in the trash and use speaker wire terminated in Spade or Banana jacks right? Hardly no one is buying I wiring or bi amping there speakers, maybe some but mostly not.
Ok so if the jumpers are copper built with a gold plating , what is the actual difference with the jumpers compared to the speaker cable and spade or banana jacks? Have anyone thought about this? Think about IF your banana jack or spade connector is built from gold plate copper what is the actual difference here?
Is it a visual thing? I can see if the jumpers are built out of lesser quality material like tin or brass , makes sense to replace them with something better but if the manufacturer made them out of copper and plated them with gold to protect them, then what are you actually gaining?
I never thought about this up until now. I always just did what everyone else usually does , throw those jumpers in the box or trash and replace with a custom built or bought jumper.
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
Comments
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I use biwired speaker cables with speakers that have two sets of binding posts to avoid the jumper issue altogether. At least that's what I say.
I've always thought it a gimmick to have two sets of binding posts on run of the mill home speakers. They're not needed in almost all cases. -
I use biwired speaker cables with speakers that have two sets of binding posts to avoid the jumper issue altogether. At least that's what I say.
I've always thought it a gimmick to have two sets of binding posts on run of the mill home speakers. They're not needed in almost all cases.
Same, I have biwired speaker cables in my 2 channel set-up, my HT I just leave the jumpers, because I don’t care there..🤣
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Most played jumpers from the factory are gold plated brass, not copper- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Also biwire cables are just really long jumpers, just saying- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Also biwire cables are just really long jumpers, just saying
Depends how they were made...I made a custom DIY set of bi-wire shotgun cables with Nanotec Golden Strada and I essentially made them with a built in jumpers that were soldered together inside of the first pair of spades.
Not the best aesthetically, but they sound great. I used this set with my SS-M9 for about 10 years. I went with something different when I brought the Revels home.
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Eh maybe if there's different wire top and bottom maybe... Maybe. It all goes thru a few inches of whatever is in the amp.
I am a firm believer in quality cables but cables have Very large level of diminishing returns.
- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
I had a couple pairs of the old PS Audio Statement speaker cables (bought cheap!) that had the different metal composition for the top and bottom. I remember they were kind of rich and smooth sounding, definitely not neutral, but that's what I needed back then with bright RTi series speakers. They turned out to be way too inflexible for long term use.
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Eh maybe if there's different wire top and bottom maybe... Maybe. It all goes thru a few inches of whatever is in the amp.
I am a firm believer in quality cables but cables have Very large level of diminishing returns.
I replaced my jumpers on my new speakers and I didn't hear any differences at all. I put them back in and still no change sonically. I guess because it's such a short distance that electrically with the surface contact of the jumpers , there isn't any sonic improvements to be had. Not to mention they are gold plated, I have no idea the quality , materials used but it doesn't seem to help or hurt when they are in or out replaced with copper 14g wire. I even did bare wire to remove the connectors and still no difference I can hear.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
Eh maybe if there's different wire top and bottom maybe... Maybe. It all goes thru a few inches of whatever is in the amp.
I am a firm believer in quality cables but cables have Very large level of diminishing returns.
I replaced my jumpers on my new speakers and I didn't hear any differences at all. I put them back in and still no change sonically. I guess because it's such a short distance that electrically with the surface contact of the jumpers , there isn't any sonic improvements to be had. Not to mention they are gold plated, I have no idea the quality , materials used but it doesn't seem to help or hurt when they are in or out replaced with copper 14g wire. I even did bare wire to remove the connectors and still no difference I can hear.
I agree a set of jumpers is not going to make a drastic improvement. But even a slight improvement can compound as they are made.
This is a very common item discussed in Facebook groups. Some seem to hear a difference, others can not. The naysayers generally get buutt hurt when questions are asked about the system and quality of the setup.
Tell us about the system you tried this on. Speakers/amp/receiver/source/cables?
2 Channel Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II, 2 REL Carbon Limited, Norma Revo IPA-140B, Norma Revo DAC-2, Lumin U2 Mini, VPI Prime w/SoundSmith Zephyr MIMC, Modwright PH 150, Denon DP-59l w/Denon DL-301MKII, WAY Silver 3 Ana+ Speaker Cables, WAY Interconnect Cables, AudioQuest Niagara 7000 w/Dragon, WAY power cables for all other sources. -
Eh maybe if there's different wire top and bottom maybe... Maybe. It all goes thru a few inches of whatever is in the amp.
I am a firm believer in quality cables but cables have Very large level of diminishing returns.
I replaced my jumpers on my new speakers and I didn't hear any differences at all. I put them back in and still no change sonically. I guess because it's such a short distance that electrically with the surface contact of the jumpers , there isn't any sonic improvements to be had. Not to mention they are gold plated, I have no idea the quality , materials used but it doesn't seem to help or hurt when they are in or out replaced with copper 14g wire. I even did bare wire to remove the connectors and still no difference I can hear.
I agree a set of jumpers is not going to make a drastic improvement. But even a slight improvement can compound as they are made.
This is a very common item discussed in Facebook groups. Some seem to hear a difference, others can not. The naysayers generally get buutt hurt when questions are asked about the system and quality of the setup.
Tell us about the system you tried this on. Speakers/amp/receiver/source/cables?
Ok,
The system is as follows
Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7g Speakers
Sunfire HRS8 Subwoofer
Audioquest HD6 Subwoofer custom built
Parasound A52+ amp
Tried also
Niles SI125 amp
Also
Sonos AMP
Audioquest 14-2 Slip Speaker cables connected bare wire, Banana and tried Audioquest spades.
Sonos Connect and Bluesound Node Sources.
I've been fooling around with these new Bookshelf speakers I have.
Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
Kept the original jumpers on my SDA SRS's. Just cleaned the contact points really well.
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skipshot12 wrote: »Kept the original jumpers on my SDA SRS's. Just cleaned the contact points really well.
I would toss those, and make new ones..
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^THIS^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 -
And consider changing the binding posts for a better type than the original too.
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*Make and model?And consider changing the binding posts* for a better type than the original too.
The factory “jumpers” can net just two connection points versus 3 or more. OTOH I like Billbillw’s idea very much in his pic above
Samsung 60" QN65Q7FAMFXZA QLED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro, Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer
Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside
BJC 10 ga - LCR mids “Foamed” & “Plugged**”, inside* & out
8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
*soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop)
LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels*. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - RB981*
Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981* -> Bi-amped CSi A6
Surrounds: Rotel 981* -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3
*all connected w/Premiere ICs
5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”
Power Conditioning & Distribution:
4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s -
Cardas or WBT are popular binding post upgrades on this forum and come in a wide range of prices. There are other brands that others have used as well. They may or may not have an audible effect depending on the system but they do tend to be able to provide a more secure connection for high quality speaker cables. The originals were only really designed for standard speaker wires that were used by most people back when the original SDA speakers were new.
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Shameless plug...I've got some really nice WBT binding posts listed here.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 -
At first I used Harmonic Technology Pro-9+ on the low and HT Pro-11+ on the high. I had them from the active xover bi-amped InnerSound ESL days. Then I sold the 11+ and put the Salk supplied Cardas jumper on.
My Harmonic Technology Pro-9+ are internal bi-wire. I considered making them bi-wire but HT changed hands and supplied different connectors so they wouldn't match. That could affect resale value if I check out first and the wife has to sell them.
Then I purchased some AudioQuest Jupiter's here and retired the Cardas jumpers.
Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 * -
skipshot12 wrote: »Kept the original jumpers on my SDA SRS's. Just cleaned the contact points really well.
I would toss those, and make new ones..
^Gonna have to try this^
Any recommends?
