spades vs. bananas

Hi Swampwalker. Dekay may very well be right. And the method to terminate speaker cables can differ depending on their construction. I actually use a local guy who knows his stuff and has thousands of dollars of gear to do the job right and so I don't have the full answer. In the case of Audioquest cables, most use several solid core cables that are easily stripped - unlike cables like Cardas, Wireworld and Straightwire where very expensive termination equipment is needed. The key thing with the Audioquest is to crimp the cable into the connector with sufficient pressure to "cold weld" the joint. Failure to do this will lead to oxidisation IMO, and is the most critical step. The next precaution is to use a suitable fluid like Dekay's suggestion of De-Oxit, but my guy uses something else that is meant to last a long time - I will ask him about it. Then heat shrink the connector and cable to leave none of the bare wire exposed. I guess Dekay's method allows you to continuously de-oxidise the cable whereas what I am suggesting will potentially degrade over time depending on how well you do it.

Trelja had mentioned a super duper hand operated wire crimper that was designed for use in the aircraft industry (I have been unable to source one). This might be what you are looking for if you would like to make solder less connections. His cost for the item was not very much. I had wanted one to make my own extension cords with solder less connections (just stock Belden cords with better connectors).

Redkiwi- thanks, I guess that should have been obvious if I thought about it. Anyone out there know about this super duper crimper. sounds like just what I need.

I just got my ZuCable Julian Speaker cables with UNPLATED COPPER spades. They recommend once or twice a year to clean them with Brasso. The cables first impression is amazing! Very detailed, smooth, and clean.

I recently sent some 8TC to kimber to terminate with post master spades. I was using bare wire and also copper spades I cold soldered myself years ago. What a difference! Big improvement, noise floor dropped, better detail, just more information. I'm using these with Thiel 3.6's which are so tonally accurate and nuetral that any change at all in my chain comes out the other end. I think surface conductivity and the gas tight connection you are able to get makes the difference. Worth it IMHO.