CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

paw · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1176 Location: Arvada, CO

With my surrounds, I'm going to have to use bare speaker wire. There's just not enough room for banana plugs.

Should I tin the wire? Should I just tin the very end to keep the strands together?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 1:50 am Post subject:

We just had this discussion on a Facebook audio install forum. The consensus was a solid NO, as the weak spot of the wire then is right where the wire goes into the jacket, but my argument is that if the wire isn't being flexed, then I'd tin it to prevent thin strands from shorting together. One guy also said that the tinning makes the copper less malleable, and that solder will shrink slightly over time, reducing connection of the compression fit as compared to the bare wire.

While his argument made sense, I personally will still at least solder the tip, to prevent fraying, leaving the rest of the wire untinned.

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Geez, they make it sound like it is some high powered connection.

Seriously, the wire gauge is generally substantially larger then the signal requires and any "supposed" loss from the claims made would be a non affect.

If they want to complain about something, tell them to look at the factory wiring and connections "inside" a speaker cabinet, LOL.

And when you are done with that, tell them to look at the factory wiring and connections of the speaker assembly itself. Then ask again if tinning affects anything, LOL LOL!

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Oh, and then you can add that every component connection (resistor, capacitor, transistor,diode, IC) in the signal path inside the amplifier is essentially "tinned", LOL.