Chord Carnival SilverScreen Speaker Cable

[admin_exported]

I have just purchased the Chord Silverscreen speaker cable and was advised to get the AMP ends terminated (5 cables for £60). But when I tried to connect the banana plugs to my Yamaha AX863SE amplifier, they wouldn't fit in!

I have just found out that it is recommended that the writing on the side of the cable runs from Amp to Speaker. Now, the only way I could connect the cable to my system was the reverse to this. Is this ok or could it cause damage?

Thanks in advance

 

[professorhat]

No, it definitely won't cause any damage - a lot of people don't think it's possible for speaker cable to actually be directional. I don't really know the science of it, but the theory goes that after a cable has been burnt in (i.e. used for a while), it' supposed to be better to use it continually that way. Making sure the signal goes in the direction of the writing helps you to remember this. I'm not sure if it's true or not but I don't see any harm in following this advice. Some cables are specifically directional and have an arrow on them to indicate the direction of the signal flow.
As for the banana plugs, because of EU law, all amps sold in the EU have to have their banana plugs covered - this is because on the continent, the power socket is the same shape and some dim witted people got hurt(!). Anyway, there should be little black plugs in the holes which can be safely removed with either a screwdriver or some sniped nosed pliers. Once these are removed from the speaker terminals, the banana plugs should fit just fine.

 

[d4v3pum4]

Firstly, have you removed the plastic bungs from the rear of the speaker posts? Use a small screwdriver or screw to prize them out and your banana plugs should push straight in.

As for the direction of cables, hmm. Total balearics to me!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys,

So do you mean that the banana plugs go straight into the rear of the speaker connection (the small hole on the connection/plastic screwdown clamp) at the back of the amp, and not at the 45 degree angle then clamped down, as the manual shows?

Also if I have only used the cable in the wrong direction for say approx 12hrs, should I change them around?

Hope this all makes sense!

 

[professorhat]

Yes, the manual is only showing connections for bare wire as EU law doesn't permit them to show you how to use banana plugs - hence the bungs which prevent you from pushing the banana plugs in. Once the bungs are removed, the banana plugs fit straight into back of those screw down connectors.
As for the direction of the cable, I wouldn't worry too much - you can change them round if you like, but so long as you remember the cable goes in the other direction from standard, you can hook it back that way again should you ever move the equipment around. As said though, many people don't think it makes any difference at all given it's an alternating current going down the wire.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks,

Just removed one bung, all ok. working my way through the rest now!

 

[Anonymous]

Has anyone else got these large 10mm speaker cables for their rear speakers and if so how did you hide them, i.e trunking etc

I am kind of thinking now that I should have opted for the not so OTT insulated version for the rears speakers and just kept silverscreens for the front 3 speakers!!

Any advice on hiding them is appreciated?

 

[Anonymous]

Yep have the same speaker cable and I find its a bit on the thick side, a bit chunky and inflexable for my setup...sounds great but in hindsight I would have gone for the slimmer QED Silver anniversary XT..

 

[Anonymous]

forbes:Yep have the same speaker cable and I find its a bit on the thick side, a bit chunky and inflexable for my setup...sounds great but in hindsight I would have gone for the slimmer QED Silver anniversary XT..

But that would have been a bad choice. Better to force a banana in than live forever on the harsh side of purgatory.

 

[Anonymous]

SilentKnight - In my AV set up, I have the Silverscreen for my fronts and the lower range Carnival Classic for the surrounds...I was advised by Chord there wouldn't be much 'voicing' difference for rear/surround use, it's a bit cheaper (I needed long runs) and yes, a few mm thinner in diameter - useful ! All seems fine. I have personally found the Silverscreen a bit bright, although I'm sure it's no leaner than XT...It's probably more to do with the speakers I have.

 

[Anonymous]

SC:I have personally found the Silverscreen a bit bright, although I'm sure it's no leaner than XT...It's probably more to do with the speakers I have.

SC, this is entirely a query, I would like to hear your opinion. What speakers and amp did you compare the the Chord SS with the QED XT on?

I truly cannot understand how people would find them the same.

The only speaker cable available in my eyes today to achieve a well balanced, truly neutral sound within reasonable constraints are Chord Odyssey and Epic.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Octopo - I didn't compare. From the start I decided I was going to do all Chord with the AV stuff. I've simply read, more than once, references to the XT being a tad 'lean' to some.....

Steve.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Like I said, it was a query.

I started with my own manufactured cables - (about 4 years ago) and was very happy. Switched to the QED Blah Blah (around £5 a metre) and the sound could not have been worse over the cables I built myself, twitchy, self-implied and evocative.

Chord (and VDH for that matter) are the only cables I've found that truly reflect the opinion of the amp concerned.

 

[Anonymous]

lucky i moved in to a new gaff and routed the silver screens in to the floor

 

[Anonymous]

I have managed to hide the rear speaker cable in behind the dabbed wall, just (bit of a squeeze). I think I will have to go for the D-Line trunking 30mm x 30mm quadrant trunking to hide the rest around the room though.