To terminate or not to terminate speaker cable

[Sliced Bread]

Logic tells me that a cable will sound best if it is unterminated, as you have a direct contact with the speaker. Does anyone disagree with this? I was thinking of ordering some new better speaker cable, but I would rather avoid the expense of terminating the cable unless there is a sonic advantage...and definitely not if there is a sonic disadvantage.

Thanks

 

[Messiah]

Personally I cannot hear a difference. Terminating the cables just makes things a lot easier!!

 

[Dave_]

agree with messiah, couldn't hear any difference, just more convenient with plugs

 

[Anonymous]

The big benefit with termination is you don't suffer from oxidation on the multistranded wire.
It is this that gives higher resistance and signal loss. Plus you are less likely to short across the terminals and blow your speakers if you use connectors!

 

[timwileman]

get some plugs a soldering kit and some solder.....

set it all up and you too can be a 'TERMINATOR'....

 

[Andy Grange]

Could someone give me a dumbos guide to terminated / non terminated, as in what they both are? Sorry, I need to buy some speaker cable today for my new KEF 2005.3's today and am not sure of the differences / pro's and con's.

Just for info, I'll be having the front 2 speakers on some shelves and will be wall mounting the back two. I've heard that by mounting you don't have much room for banana plugs (again something I have NO IDEA about!)

Help would be very useful, thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Worth going for (airlock) plugs where you can. The rears however you might have to leave due to space considerations.

It is all down to getting a good contact between the cable and the post, and it not deteriorating over time due to oxidisation. The same holds true for mains connections /earth. Clean them to a polished finish.

 

[Andy Grange]

So I'm running cables from a 2400ES to my KEF2005.3's, but have ordered a straight 35m of QED micro. There's not much point in terminating it then, as I'll need to cut it down myself. I take it airlocks are the same as banana plugs then? And that you need to solder these onto the bare wire at the end?

 

[bigblue235]

I agree with the idea that unterminated should give a better signal path.

My dealer is fairly vocal about it, and having run it past a mate who's an electrical scientist (among other things) he confirmed the techie stuff! I didn't really understand much of what he said mind you, but he's far more intelligent than I am, so I trust him

I don't know how much difference it makes in the 'real world', but I don't see why people would spend £10+ on a metre of speaker cable and then terminate it with plugs that are often made of brass. It just doesn't make sense to me to use the best possible cable for conducting the signal, then make it pass though a poorly conducting plug.

I do re-cut mine from time to time, probably more than technically necessary, but it keeps me amused!

 

[Dave_]

airlocks are crimped on using a special machine, so need to be done by the dealer,

 

[Ravey Gravey Davy]

Andy Grange:Could someone give me a dumbos guide to terminated / non terminated, as in what they both are? Sorry, I need to buy some speaker cable today for my new KEF 2005.3's today and am not sure of the differences / pro's and con's. Just for info, I'll be having the front 2 speakers on some shelves and will be wall mounting the back two. I've heard that by mounting you don't have much room for banana plugs (again something I have NO IDEA about!) Help would be very useful, thanks.

I've got the 2005.2 version and although the .3 is supposed to be an improvement, I still do not believe there is enough room for wall mounting and banana plugs.All my surrounds are on the wall and you barely have room to tighten the retaining screws,no way can bananas fit.Best is to insert the mounting screws ,line the speaker up unconnected, and then remove and connect the cable ,and refit.Leave a spare couple of inches extra in case you have to recut and fit (see Trevors comments on signal loss.)

 

[Andy Grange]

Thanks Ravey Gravey Davy, something to take into account when I get round to it this weekend

 

[Sliced Bread]

bigblue235:
I agree with the idea that unterminated should give a better signal path.

My dealer is fairly vocal about it, and having run it past a mate who's an electrical scientist (among other things) he confirmed the techie stuff! I didn't really understand much of what he said mind you, but he's far more intelligent than I am, so I trust him

I don't know how much difference it makes in the 'real world', but I don't see why people would spend £10+ on a metre of speaker cable and then terminate it with plugs that are often made of brass. It just doesn't make sense to me to use the best possible cable for conducting the signal, then make it pass though a poorly conducting plug.

I do re-cut mine from time to time, probably more than technically necessary, but it keeps me amused!

Yep. Makes perfect sense to me. Better signal path...neater and cheaper. I think I'll go un-terminated and just keep it clean / cut it down from time to time.