Power Amp Terminal Strips

[Zooberwerx]

I'm doing a permanent install and of the impression that the "screw-down" terminals are best suited for bare wire applications. Would there be any advantage to using fork-type terminal ends or am I just making more work for myself?

Riis

[Wes Whitmore]

I would just use bare wire, unless you tend to move things around a lot. It's one more thing to fail.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Unless You have "no-stress" screw posts (which I have never seen outside vintage pro amps), crimp-on forks on the leads are the only way to ensure long, trouble free service.

Another is to use quality banana plugs if the posts accept those as well. A definitive + side of bananas is that You can reverse phase or do bridged connections fast.

There's nothing as non-permanent than permanent I've discovered .

If the installation is indeed a permanent one, please do take a look at my thread about non-maintained amps in a permanent installation:

Do clean Your amps every once and a while. NOT for the faint at heart.

Regards
Sam

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by T-Bird

Hi.

Unless You have "no-stress" screw posts (which I have never seen outside vintage pro amps), crimp-on forks on the leads are the only way to ensure long, trouble free service.

Another is to use quality banana plugs if the posts accept those as well. A definitive + side of bananas is that You can reverse phase or do bridged connections fast.

There's nothing as non-permanent than permanent I've discovered .

If the installation is indeed a permanent one, please do take a look at my thread about non-maintained amps in a permanent installation:

Do clean Your amps every once and a while. NOT for the faint at heart.

Regards
Sam

Just wanted to be clear....I'm addressing only the terminal strip, not the binding posts (which are banana plug compatible). I'm not sure what a "no stress" screw post is. The terminal strip has individual PH screws with squarish washers for each lead.

Riis

[TimmyP]

The only time I don't use bananas is when the amp does not accept them. And I use only Mouser 174-5791 (black) and 174-5795 (red). http://www.padrick.net/Hi-Fi/Deltron1.jpg

[WayneP]

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

I'm doing a permanent install and of the impression that the "screw-down" terminals are best suited for bare wire applications. Would there be any advantage to using fork-type terminal ends or am I just making more work for myself?

For screw-down terminals, you definitely want crimped spade terminals, NOT bare wire. If you’re doing the job right, you should be using 12-ga. speaker wire, or at the very least 14 ga. That wire’s way too thick to try to wrap around a screw. The wire will “splay” out when you tighten the screw, and you might even end up with some of the strands shorting across other terminals – which will shut down the amp.

For 12-ga wire, you’ll be using a yellow spade lug; 14-ga. requires a blue. And be sure you use a terminal for the correct stud size, #6, #8 or #10. No need for a fancy or high-priced crimper; as a former installer, I’ve never had any problems using a cheap crimper like this. Just be sure an use the correct jaw:





Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt



Pedulla Club #45
Administrator, Tobias Club
Big Cabs Club #23
My Rig: Stage and FOH Friendly

[TL5]

I use the spade terminals on the line input connections of those as well.
It's not just the speaker wire.

Example:

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

Just wanted to be clear....I'm addressing only the terminal strip, not the binding posts (which are banana plug compatible). I'm not sure what a "no stress" screw post is. The terminal strip has individual PH screws with squarish washers for each lead.

Riis

On a "no stress" screw post the wire is given just the pressure, without any possibility of twisting or rotating. So if the washer has a tab that's locked into a groove to prevent rotation, a bare wire can be used. A correctly made crimp-on connector will be superior in any case.

Regards
Sam