Confused about 8 stereo, phoenix connector to speaker wire

R

rjxox

Audioholic Intern
Hi,
We are in process of building a new house and we are considering using a Control 4 system with EA3 and a Triad 8 zone amp. I'm a little confused with the amp. It has 8 stereo, phoenix connectors for the output. They look like RCA jacks. How do these connect up to my speakers which have regular speaker wire posts? I have spent all morning searching the web and some sites show splicing a regular RCA jack to speaker wire however they are using a something like an 18 or 24 gauge wire where as I prefer 12 gauge. it just doesn't seem right to hook up to such a flimsy connector. I have an Axiom audio system with M80's for fronts. Thank you.
 
Verdinut

Verdinut

Audioholic Spartan
Hi,
We are in process of building a new house and we are considering using a Control 4 system with EA3 and a Triad 8 zone amp. I'm a little confused with the amp. It has 8 stereo, phoenix connectors for the output. They look like RCA jacks. How do these connect up to my speakers which have regular speaker wire posts? I have spent all morning searching the web and some sites show splicing a regular RCA jack to speaker wire however they are using a something like an 18 or 24 gauge wire where as I prefer 12 gauge. it just doesn't seem right to hook up to such a flimsy connector. I have an Axiom audio system with M80's for fronts. Thank you.
How about contacting the manufacturer for info?
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Just takes a little more work to wire up with 12g, perhaps use the smaller gauge just to connect to the amp and then splice into larger gauge for the longer run. What I plan to do if I ever use my Crest amp that also has phoenix output connectors (as well as input).
 
BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
Most phoenix connectors on amplifiers can handle 12 gauge cabling just fine. Any amplifier which can't handle 12 gauge wiring on the output terminals indicates that they didn't properly engineer the product, which I consider a VERY bad sign for what the build quality will probably be.

I've used a ton of amps over the years, and the ones with smaller phoenix connectors are the ones I have had to replace because the amp has failed.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Most phoenix connectors on amplifiers can handle 12 gauge cabling just fine. Any amplifier which can't handle 12 gauge wiring on the output terminals indicates that they didn't properly engineer the product, which I consider a VERY bad sign for what the build quality will probably be.

I've used a ton of amps over the years, and the ones with smaller phoenix connectors are the ones I have had to replace because the amp has failed.
Made me double check, yep the phoenix connectors on my Crest just barely take 12g. I think I used some handy 14g when I tested the amp on my workbench and thought that a tight fit....
 

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