Another speaker cable question thread

[TheFactor]

Are you related to my wife, by any chance?

LOL No but I think my X might of rubbed off on me a little over the years

 

[Jack Hammer]

Thats a good idea and looks classy, was wondering though because I think I ended up with locking banana plugs because I beleive thats all they put on there terminated wires now. Can I Still heat shrink locking ones ?

You could, but you'd have to leave them open/unlocked and heat shrink over that. That would leave them permantly, at least til you cut the heat shrink off, unlocked. I'm not sure how it would look with the extra stuff on the locking plugs. But if you don't like it you can always cut the heat shrink off.

Personally I really like the way the locking ones look. for an exposed connector I think it looks much nicer than the regular ones.

Actually if you wanted a locking plug that was colored you could try heat shrinking them while unlocked. Then take an exacto knife or razor blade and cut around the base of the locking cylinder. That would allow it to spin. Play around with one and see how it looks. Let us know what you do and how it works out.

Jack

 

[TheFactor]

You could, but you'd have to leave them open/unlocked and heat shrink over that. That would leave them permantly, at least til you cut the heat shrink off, unlocked. I'm not sure how it would look with the extra stuff on the locking plugs. But if you don't like it you can always cut the heat shrink off.

Personally I really like the way the locking ones look. for an exposed connector I think it looks much nicer than the regular ones.

Actually if you wanted a locking plug that was colored you could try heat shrinking them while unlocked. Then take an exacto knife or razor blade and cut around the base of the locking cylinder. That would allow it to spin. Play around with one and see how it looks. Let us know what you do and how it works out.

Jack

Wow thanks thats a very good idea and sounds like it should work great. I'll definately let ya know I should have them by next week. Thanks again

 

[TheFactor]

You could, but you'd have to leave them open/unlocked and heat shrink over that. That would leave them permantly, at least til you cut the heat shrink off, unlocked. I'm not sure how it would look with the extra stuff on the locking plugs. But if you don't like it you can always cut the heat shrink off.

Personally I really like the way the locking ones look. for an exposed connector I think it looks much nicer than the regular ones.

Actually if you wanted a locking plug that was colored you could try heat shrinking them while unlocked. Then take an exacto knife or razor blade and cut around the base of the locking cylinder. That would allow it to spin. Play around with one and see how it looks. Let us know what you do and how it works out.

Jack

Well I just got my cables in from blue jeans and I must say the locking banana plugs look pretty sweet , there kind of a smoked color in the center with the gold color on the plug itself and on the base. It looks pretty trick I hate to cover them now with heat shrink plus I was wondering if you guys really think I need to heat shrink them because there locking and appear that there going to be pretty solid even though I havnt hooked them up yet. Now I have to decide to wrap or not to wrap ?

 

[MDS]

My opinion is that heat shrinki tubing or tech flex is for aesthetic purposes only. If the banana plugs were the flimsy type with a tiny set screw to hold the wire then heat shrink tubing would help to make the connection more solid so the wire doesn't easily pull out from the plug, but other than that it is just for appearance sake.

If you are happy with the looks of the wire, then there is no real need to use heat shrink tubing or any other kind of decorative covering.

 

[TheFactor]

Thanks for the input and yes they do look pretty solid they did a great job on terminating them and the set screws seem really tight along with locking plugs they should be good but its definately something I didnt want to chance just because they look good. Sounds like I probably will just let them be and enjoy the looks along with the sound

 

[Jack Hammer]

I'll say it again, I really like the way the locking banana plugs look. I think they look much nicer than the regular plugs. One of the reasons I chose to not use them was they are longer than the nonlocking plugs. At the time, I didn't have room behind my reciever to use longer plugs without forcing the front feet of the avr over the edge. Then, while playing with different speakers I dropped a cable and the contacts touched each other (Yes, everything was off), so I decided to heat shrink the entire connector body.

Jack

 

[TheFactor]

I'll say it again, I really like the way the locking banana plugs look. I think they look much nicer than the regular plugs. One of the reasons I chose to not use them was they are longer than the nonlocking plugs. At the time, I didn't have room behind my reciever to use longer plugs without forcing the front feet of the avr over the edge. Then, while playing with different speakers I dropped a cable and the contacts touched each other (Yes, everything was off), so I decided to heat shrink the entire connector body.

Jack

Yes I remember you saying that you liked the way they look and now I know why.I would have power off to when connecting or disconnecting my speaker wires to so I should be ok without the wrap. But if they werent locked I'd definately would wrap them like yours because it looks very professional. You did a good job on them , do you mind if I ask were you got the wire cover for the cable? thats definately something i'd like to do and cover up the plain jane grey jacket . Thanks again for all your hellp Jack. Ed

 

[Jack Hammer]

Yes I remember you saying that you liked the way they look and now I know why.I would have power off to when connecting or disconnecting my speaker wires to so I should be ok without the wrap. But if they werent locked I'd definately would wrap them like yours because it looks very professional. You did a good job on them , do you mind if I ask were you got the wire cover for the cable? thats definately something i'd like to do and cover up the plain jane grey jacket . Thanks again for all your hellp Jack. Ed

I bought it from wirecare.com. I used nylon multistrand sleeving in black, looks kinda like a heavy cloth, then I put some black w/beige PET over that for decoration. The nylon looks and feels great. The PET is like a plastic threaded sleeve. It doesn't feel good like the nylon, but I liked how it looked.

I originally got the PET but could see my white cables through it so I orderd the nylon multi. That covered them completely. Get 3:1 heat shrink, it works better with different sized items. There used to be a thread that showed step by step how to make your own cables, but I couldn't seem to find it. That was where I got the original ideas for mine.

Jack

 

[TheFactor]

Thankyou for all the info, you did such a nice job on your wires. I want my speaker wires to grow up to look just like yours

 

[jamie2112]

You have a nice setup there Factor......looks sweet

 

[TheFactor]

You have a nice setup there Factor......looks sweet

Thanks im really enjoying it After looking at your sig im liking yours too, good taste

 

[TheFactor]

I bought it from wirecare.com. I used nylon multistrand sleeving in black, looks kinda like a heavy cloth, then I put some black w/beige PET over that for decoration. The nylon looks and feels great. The PET is like a plastic threaded sleeve. It doesn't feel good like the nylon, but I liked how it looked.

I originally got the PET but could see my white cables through it so I orderd the nylon multi. That covered them completely. Get 3:1 heat shrink, it works better with different sized items. There used to be a thread that showed step by step how to make your own cables, but I couldn't seem to find it. That was where I got the original ideas for mine. I guess the 3:1 fits all so is that what you were talking about for heat shrink and theres only one size in that?

Jack

OOPS I forgot to ask you too what size sleeving and heat shrink did you you use. I just went to there site and theres a lot of different sizes. I was thinking half inch on the sleeving but im not sure and havnt got the sightest idea for heat shrink because it has to slide over the banana plugs .I guess the 3:1 fits all so is that what you were talking about for heat shrink and theres only one size in that?

 

[Jack Hammer]

OOPS I forgot to ask you too what size sleeving and heat shrink did you you use. I just went to there site and theres a lot of different sizes. I was thinking half inch on the sleeving but im not sure and havnt got the sightest idea for heat shrink because it has to slide over the banana plugs .I guess the 3:1 fits all so is that what you were talking about for heat shrink and theres only one size in that?

I really don't recall what size i used. I just measured with some dial calipers the diameter of the cable and ordered a little bigger to match. The heat shrink was 3:1 and I went one size under what it would shrink to for the smallest part I planned to shrink it to. So if something measured ~1/4" at the smallest point, I would have used 3:1 5/8 or 3/4." Basically heat shrink is pretty cheap, so I ordered a few different sizes and just used what looked best after some trial and error.

Jack

 

[TheFactor]

I really don't recall what size i used. I just measured with some dial calipers the diameter of the cable and ordered a little bigger to match. The heat shrink was 3:1 and I went one size under what it would shrink to for the smallest part I planned to shrink it to. So if something measured ~1/4" at the smallest point, I would have used 3:1 5/8 or 3/4." Basically heat shrink is pretty cheap, so I ordered a few different sizes and just used what looked best after some trial and error.

Jack

Ya i'll have to see if I can borrow some calipers from a friend , im guessing probably 3/8 or so on the cable and like you said its probably best to go with multiple sizes on the shrink wrap. I might try some of that techflex because its stretchable and comes in almost every color. I'm probaby going to hook my speaker wire up this weekend when my BJC HDMI cables come in and do everything at once. Then figure out what color and style cable sleaving to use since with the banana plugs it wont be as much of hassle now to unhook them. Looks like almost all MY HT Cables now will be BJC except for my rear channel speakers and my cd player will still have the monster cable.

 

[TheFactor]

Heres a link to my new BJC PICS http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?p=416067#post416067

 

[cubbie5150]

Heres a link to my new BJC PICS http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?p=416067#post416067

I use the exact same BJC speaker cable (2 sets) w/ the same locking bananas.. BJC does rock!!

 

[TheFactor]

Ya they do