The role of audio wire connectors cannot be underestimated. Bare wire connection between amplifiers and speakers poses a few challenges, of which some may end up costing you a significant amount of money. Bare wires get eroded easily and with time, degrade the connection. Also, there are high chances of short circuits occurring when bare positive and negative strands connect. This may lead to temporary shutdown or permanent damage to your audio amplifier. Connectors improve the quality of connection and prevent potential short circuits. Moreover, they ease the connection process. Let’s take a look at a few essentials about speaker wire connectors.
Types of Connectors
The type of connectors you ought to buy depends on the terminals present in the audio equipment. The major versions are:
• Spade connectors: they are U-shaped and are suited for binding post terminals. They maintain contact with the base of the terminal, similar to the bare wire connection, once you tighten the binding post screws.
• Banana plugs: they are designed to work with binding posts. The plugs are broader at the middle and narrower at the ends, akin to the shape of a banana.
• Spring connectors: they are designed to be used with spring-loaded terminals to create a compression connection. They can also be connected to binding post terminals. Spring terminal connection has a limited connection surface and may not be as tight as the alternatives.
How to connect speaker wires to plugs
Identify the polarity of the cables
Speaker wires have two sides, and commonly with different appearances. Red color denotes the positive (+) wire, whereas black color denotes the negative (-). If your cables are similar in color, identify the positive one with small writings on its insulation.
Strip the wires
For safety reasons, consider using a wire stripper. You should remove about 2.2 cm of insulation, leaving a bare section enough for a stable connection. Insert the positive wire into the stripper’s notch, apply gentle pressure, and pull the tool outward or upwards to remove the insulation. Repeat the process for the negative cable. Twist the ends of the wires to bind the strands together. You might consider soldering the ends.
Attach the connectors
First and foremost, identify the positive and negative plugs. Conventionally, a positive connector has a red mark or ring, whereas the negative one has a black ring or none. Unscrew the bottom of each connector and insert the wire’s bare section into the connector until you can’t push anymore. Then, screw down the plug to twist the exposed wire snugly into the connector for a reliable connection. Some connectors have a screw-locking mechanism that will require you to utilize a screwdriver.
Before connecting wires to your audio equipment, check the available terminals, and acquire the appropriate audio wire connectors to ease and improve the connection and prevent short circuits. With the above information, you are sure to buy the correct plugs and connect them the right way to the speaker wires.
