Thread: Speaker Wire??

Ok I'm getting my surround sound speakers installed this Thursday.. I was wanting to know where I could by like 3ft to 6ft speaker wire. I would like to find some wire that is already pre made where I can plug it into my wall plate then to the back of my audio receiver..

Check monoprice. I think they carry premade. If not, I know you can get the wire and Banana plugs cheap. I just ordered ten Banana plugs to attatch to some monster cable speaker wire.

Yeah mono has the speaker wire but I'm looking for something that already has the ends on it to plug into the wall then on back of the receiver..

Originally Posted by Poke

Yeah mono has the speaker wire but I'm looking for something that already has the ends on it to plug into the wall then on back of the receiver..

What kind of ends?

Wall plates go from bare wire spring/screw terminals to RCA and banana plugs. I'm sure that GE or someone offers something that only they sell cabling for.

Most flexible systems don't use special connectors so you can make the cable any length you want.

I think they are screw ends..

Then you don't need connectors at all.

Go to a hardware store, buy #12 or #14 zip cord (lamp cord), strip the ends and slip 'em in. Cheap, works just as well. And you can buy the exact # of feet you need.

Originally Posted by navychop

Then you don't need connectors at all.

Go to a hardware store, buy #12 or #14 zip cord (lamp cord), strip the ends and slip 'em in. Cheap, works just as well. And you can buy the exact # of feet you need.

Poke probably thought you were talking dirty there.

As has been mentioned, there are several kinds of connectors used. I doubt if you will find much with the connectors already made for what You likely have.

The most common is banana plugs. These are round plugs, about 1/4 inch in diameter that have springy reliefs on the plug. You can buy these at Radio shack or an electronics supplier. You can either get them solder in, or with a set screw. If you have banana plugs, this is the easiest. The female end is generally what we call a 5-way socket. You can plug the banana plug in directly, unscrew them to insert either a pin plug (more later), a spade terminal (ditto) or just bare wire. When you unscrew them there is a hole in the screw part for bare wire or pin plug.

One nice thing about banana plugs is that the females tend to be at a common spacing. You can buy a 2 pin banana plug with screw terminals that works like gangbusters. These were used a lot in engineering labs for voltmeters and such.

Low end stuff tends to use spring clips. This has a small lever and a hole to put bare wire into. No plugs work here. They are designed for bare wire only.

next is screw terminals These look like two screws on a bakelite panel. Not used very often anymore. Most people just wrap the wire around the screw, but you can buy a spade lug. Spade lugs look like this =C
The bad news here is that you will need to get out your soldering iron and crimper to use them. Radio shack still has them.

Pin plugs are like banana plugs except thinner and don't have the springy tensioner. Think 1/16 inch diameter. The plugs for these are generally solder in as well. They don't hold very well, and are very fragile for in wall installations.

There is a large spade connector that works with the 5 way sockets. Looks the same, only bigger. Monster used to sell cables with these ends on them. There were also banana to spade adapters available. Don't know if they are still available.

Don't most late model screw plugs have a hole in the end so one can plug a banana plug in? This is how I wired my speakers to my Onkyo.

Originally Posted by Dirtydan

Don't most late model screw plugs have a hole in the end so one can plug a banana plug in? This is how I wired my speakers to my Onkyo.

Yeah, that's the 5 way socket I described above.