haastyle said:
also should i get something like this for the connections or just do a raw one?
http://cgi.ebay.com/10-PAIR-ATLONA-QUALITY-SPEAKER-BANANA-PLUGS-CONNECTOR_W0QQitemZ5796755537QQcategoryZ32838QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem#picture
also how exactly do u put together a banana plug? do you have to solder it?
I agree with Brian -- Westlake is a great source for bulk speaker wire -- Belden 5000UE either 12 gauge or 14 gauge. jaxvon is also a very strong proponent of Belden cable from Westlake. I just got 200' of the 12 ga at $0.19 per foot plus $9.52 shipping -- $48.03 delivered. It's a little stiff, but very durable. 14 ga would probably be just as good for short runs, but you would probably want the 12 ga for longer runs to minimize line attenuation of the signal.
I also searched pretty hard for reasonably priced banana plugs and ended up at whoesaleaudioaccessories.com -- here's the link --
http://www.wholesaleaudioaccessories.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BSC20&Category_Code=Homeaudio
I got 2 packs of 20 of these babies and am very pleased with the quality for about $1 each. A 7.1 system requires 28 (4 per cable) so 40 is more than I needed, but wasactually less expensive than other sources for a lower quantity -- and now I have plenty of spare for other projects. 2 packs @ $22.95 = $45.90 + 10.75 shipping -- $56.65 delivered.
No soldering needed, just strip off about 1/4" of the wire insulation, insert into the end of the plug and screw down tightly - being sure you screw down on the bare wire and not the insulation -- i.e. don't put the wire in to far. Note: you will need a good screwdriver with a narrow bit (<=1/8") to fit in the counter sunk screw hole.
After making all 4 connections on each cable use a contintuity tester to be sure the connections are good. Check red to red and black to black for continuity. Also check black to red to be sure there is no short between the lines (the continuity checker should show open).
One last thought -- be sure to get enough cable. At $0.19 per foot it's pretty cheap, so don't scrimp. You're bound to make a mistake or two (I did) and you may run into problems with the routing. Where you may have thought there was a clear path -- you may need to reroute when you least expect it. Don't end up short -- needing to run down to your local Home Depot and pay full price. You can always use the extra cable in other projects or to decorate the Xmas tree.
Good luck with your project.
