Have your say & ask the experts!

Solder or screw?

7 replies [Last post]
marafunman
marafunman's picture
Offline
Joined: 19 Feb 2012
Posts: 20

Hi,

 

Recently change my speaker cable (Chord) and question whether there is any audible difference between connect via banana plugs with just the screw fitting- or whether I should solder.???

Is there any appreciative difference doing the latter

__________________

Paul.
Paul.'s picture
Offline
Joined: 26 Nov 2010
Posts: 2433
RE: Solder or screw?

Less chance of oxidisation of the exposed material in theory with solder.  Mine is screwed, more through laziness than anything.

__________________

Paul's BR/805 system thread

(where the photos live) Paul's Flickr page

Alears
Alears's picture
Offline
Joined: 23 Nov 2008
Posts: 1243
RE: Solder or screw?

No difference sonically. Just the knowledge that a decent solder job will be longer lasting, and you will be a bit stuck if you change cables again and want to re-use the plugs!

__________________

Origin Live Aurora Gold+Illustrious Mk2 arm+Zyx R100-02/Stello CDT200+Stello DA220 dac/Tom Evans Groove Anniversary phono amp/Tom Evans Vibe preamp/Linear A power amp/Acoustic Zen Adagios/Chord cables/Oppo 105EU.

chebby
chebby's picture
Online
Joined: 2 Jun 2008
Posts: 13417
RE: Solder or screw?

Solder.

__________________

Marantz M-CR603 + AirPlay • Rega R3 loudspeakers • iPhone 5 32GB • iMac • Apple Airport Extreme 802.11n • Apple iPad Mini • Panasonic TX-L32D25B • Sony BDP-S390 • Ruark Audio R1 Deluxe • Humax HDR-Fox T2

shafesk
shafesk's picture
Offline
Joined: 18 Sep 2010
Posts: 758
RE: Solder or screw?

I screw but only because I don't want to solder my cables. Mind you, my cables do oxidise after a few months so I have to trim them a little bit. If you can't live with that then bring on the soldering iron!  party time!

__________________

Hi-fi:

Denon DNP-720AE network streamer, Mordaunt Short Mezzo 6, Cayin A-55 T, Technics-SLQ210, Denon DP-29F turntable, 540p, Dac-magic, Marantz 5004CD and 6025 Turntable, Mac ,Pure AV interconnects, QED Revelation speaker cables, QED Performance interconnects.

Head-fi:

Akg K702, Grado SR60i, UE Triple-fi, Musical Fidelity X-cans, HRT Music Streamer 2+

Sospri
Sospri's picture
Online
Joined: 23 Mar 2011
Posts: 172
RE: Solder or screw?

Both, screw and solder, sorted....

__________________

Logitech Touch > digital input > Naim Supernait >Chord Silverscreen >Spendor SA1s.

Naim Stageline > Inspired Rega P7 Rega Exact.

 Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro

idc
idc's picture
Offline
Joined: 2 Jan 2008
Posts: 7783
RE: Solder or screw?

Screw is fine for domestic application swehere the cables will not be moved about. Solder is best for pro audio, especially where the cable will be moved regularly.

__________________

Internet - laptop - DAC - amp - lots of headphones.

http://idc1966.blogspot.co.uk/

"A music lover will stop what he's doing and stay glued to a favorite piece of music even if it's coming over a 3" speaker or a public-address system..." - Ken Rockwell

 

Dr Lodge
Dr Lodge's picture
Offline
Joined: 15 May 2008
Posts: 387
RE: Solder or screw?

Sospri wrote:

Both, screw and solder, sorted....

+1 on that. If you can do both, why not.

AFAIK, pretty much all internal wiring is soldered, therefore I don't see why speaker cable connections should be any different - where practical.

__________________

HiFi #1: Wadia 861 CD & digital i/o | Transparent Ultra MM Balanced | Muse Electronics Model Three Hundred Monoblocks | Townshend Isolda Biwire | ATC SCM40s | Partington AV Minim with granite shelves | Samsung PS50Q97HD | Humax FOX Sat HDR | Sony BDP-s470 | Cambridge Audio DAB500

HiFi #2 : Squeezebox Touch lossless FLAC | DNM Interconnect | Merdian 206B CD | Cable Talk Broadcast 2s | Denon DRM-600 deck | MF FM1 Tuner | AR EB101 TT w/Roksan Blue | MF P-100 pre | DNM Interconnect | MF X-A200 power | Nordost Flatline triwire | EPOS ES30