JC is back! ...wiring issues!!! Help guys!

[Johnny Canuck]

Hey guys...I am back after a hiatus...I moved, went on a trip to the Dominican Republic, got a new job etc so i haven't had the time to post. Great to be back!

As I said I moved..before I did, I ordered 200 feet of 12 AWG cable from Westlake electronics...it's made by Belden. I wired my system and decided to use bananas on the receiver end (wire is too thick to barewire there) , and barewire on the speaker end. My issue is this stuff is VERY coarse...very hard wire (is this a bad thing??). When I screw it down on the posts, they loosen after awhile..I also notice the wire has oxodized, or changed colour slightly, after only a month!! Because of this, should I use bananas on the speaker end too? Does speaker wire have to be really tightened down on the posts or is it OK being a little loose? Or, am I over reacting and if they are producing sound, they are fine? I had to pay a carpet layer $150 to lift all my carpet to hide them and do not want to rewire this.

On another note, my HSU STF 3 is getting me in trouble at the new place. The old bag next door complains when it's very very low and I am not happy. I told her, very politely, to pound sand before 10pm as the strata rules state. I have had to get used to listening to it at lower levels. And I am limited where I can place it here too...no corners anywhere.

Thanks...

 

[jaxvon]

Well, if it has started to oxidize, it might be goot to get some bananas on it. While it isn't a big issue now, down the road it might become an issue. I would assume you have a little extra, so I'd say take off the oxidized part and put a banana plug on it. Other than the coarseness, are you happy with your purchase? I think I was the one who suggested the Belden wire from Westlake...

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Hey guys...I am back after a hiatus...I moved, went on a trip to the Dominican Republic, got a new job etc so i haven't had the time to post. Great to be back!

Great to have you back.  Tell us about the trip.

As I said I moved..before I did, I ordered 200 feet of 12 AWG cable from Westlake electronics...it's made by Belden. I wired my system and decided to use bananas on the receiver end (wire is too thick to barewire there) , and barewire on the speaker end. My issue is this stuff is VERY coarse...very hard wire (is this a bad thing??). When I screw it down on the posts, they loosen after awhile..I also notice the wire has oxodized, or changed colour slightly, after only a month!! Because of this, should I use bananas on the speaker end too?

Do you now live in a humid environment?  It shouldn't oxidize that quickly.  Either put bananas on the speaker ends, or solder the ends.  That will keep them from oxidizing.  Also check your rca connections at your receiver.  They may also oxidize.  Use some dielectric grease on all your connections if this is the case, which is seems like it is.  That will prevent tight rca's from fusing together.  Not a good thing if you should move again.

Does speaker wire have to be really tightened down on the posts or is it OK being a little loose? Or, am I over reacting and if they are producing sound, they are fine? I had to pay a carpet layer $150 to lift all my carpet to hide them and do not want to rewire this.

I've read where you don't want a super tight connection with bare wire.  With bananas, they should be more snug.

On another note, my HSU STF 3 is getting me in trouble at the new place. The old bag next door complains when it's very very low and I am not happy. I told her, very politely, to pound sand before 10pm as the strata rules state. I have had to get used to listening to it at lower levels. And I am limited where I can place it here too...no corners anywhere.

Invite her in, and blow whats left of her old eardrums to some 2LiveCrew.  She won't bother you anymore.   ;)

Thanks...

So how far from your old place did you move?  Do you have a larger HT room now?

 

[mtrycrafts]

As was posted above, use the banana but I would recommend cleaning it up and soldering it, then you won't have anything to worry about, both ends.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

Thanks guys.

don't laugh, but I have never used a soldering gun. Might have to invest in one. Any pointers?

I moved about 2 miles from my old place to a townhouse..right on the ocean....the room now is narrow, about the same distance from my speakers (against a wall) to my seating area (couch against the other wall) as my old place unfortunately, about 8 feet. The room is much longer though and the speakers are much further apart than at my old place. It's also carpeted compared to hardwood and I have found that to be a huge difference..also no sliding glass door in my living room like the old place.

It is not humid where I live but my place is on the warm side. Air does not seem to circulate very well. Could that cause oxidization? I wanted to bare wire as my research told me it is better to have one less connection compared to using bananas. When I used the bananas on the receiver end, I had to loosen off the screw and put the wire through and tighten it, compared to threading it through the top and folding the wire over and screwing the top back on. The wire was way too coarse and hard. Does this matter? Is coarse wire a bad thing?

I don't know if the new wire made a difference in SQ as I moved and didn't use the old stuff, went straight to the Westlake stuff. My speakers don't sound as bright now but that could be the new environment/ room acoustics. I also can't crank it here like i used to in my old place. Pisses me off.

As for my trip, it poured rain every day and we were disappointed. Our travel agent didn't tell us May was the worst month for rain in the DR...we also got sick from the food/water and had the runs almost all week and had to go on antibiotics when we got back...we also got mosquito bites the size of quarters all over us..My girlfriend recently had some "modifications" done and due to the bad weather, couldn't really show the girls off..LOL...so we enjoyed lots of indoor activities

 

[JohnA]

I moved about 2 miles from my old place to a townhouse..right on the ocean....

That will be one of your main problems...salt sea air is the worst for electronics. It causes very fast corrosion. That is why the cable oxidized in only a month. Like the others said, tin the ends of the speaker cables and that will help. Also FYI...keep an eye on your house electrical, esp. outside electrical boxes. Make sure they are sealed up good and tight...it is one thing to have speaker cables go bad...but when electrical lines start to corrode, it is not a good thing.

 

[Johnny Canuck]

I spoke to a few so-called stereo experts in town today and here is what they told me:

-the wire I bought from Westlake (Belden 5000 UE) is garbage. It is VERY hard and coarse and good wire is soft, almost like a brush..the guy showed me what $1.00 a foot wire looked and felt like. and there is NO WAY wire should be going black, or discolored in anyway, after only 1 month of use....humid conditions or not.

-called Westlake. They said that this particular wire is used in "in wall" applications. It is also used by Microsoft in Seattle so it is excellent, according to them. They said it is pure 99.9% copper and of the highest quality. That said, they had softer, flatter wire for twice as much as I paid...wasn't told that when I ordered.

-one shop told me barewiring is only better for approximately 2 days compared to bananas (???) ...oxidization kicks in, albe so slight, but nevertheless, it does, and bananas stop this.

-silver solder is much better

-one guy said you should ALWAYS use bananas as this eliminates the chance of wires touching each other as the posts on the speakers and receiver are very close together (makes sense I guess)

-guys with $50,000 stereos use bananas (probably the most expensive ones you can get)

-big difference on cheap and expensive bananas.

I have to state this point however: This shop, Sound Hounds, in Victoria, BC, has never heard of Hsu, or SVS, although they sell Rotel, B & W, Denon, Paradigm, NAD, etc..all high end stuff... They have also told me in the past to NEVER believe anything on the internet. I am questioning their credibility based on these facts.

 

[mtrycrafts]

don't laugh, but I have never used a soldering gun.

We all have been there A first time for everything. Practice a few times on scrap wire, then go for it.

 

[Privateer]

-silver solder is much better

No.

-big difference on cheap and expensive bananas.

Also wrong.

 

[jaxvon]

Coarse wire just means it's not as easy to work with. It won't make your sound bad. But, because of the way it is, tinning or bananas would be a good idea. The only good thing you get out of expensive bananas is less money in your pocket and perhaps a bigger *BLING* factor.