Speaker Cables?

September 11, 2009 9:00 AM

I have a Sonic Impact T-Amp 2 that works really well but I'm wondering what kind of cables I'm supposed to get for it.

I don't know much about sound systems, so I don't know exactly what kind of cables I need to plug into the amp. Right now I have a pair of banana-plug cables that plug fine into my speakers, but on the amp end I had to cut off the plugs and basically shove the raw exposed copper cable into the amp. The problem is the cable is too thick to fit in properly and I have a lot of connection problems with the sound cutting out. It frequently requires me messing around with cables until the sound starts working again (which is really frustrating in the middle of a party). So what sort of cables should I be looking for?

Here's what the back looks like.

posted by god particle to Technology (5 answers total)

You've done pretty much the right thing. You may want to buy some appropriately-sized speaker cable, which will fix the "the cable doesn't fit quite right" issue. You can attach the banana plugs to the new cable pretty easily. I think any consumer electronics shop should have cheap speaker cable. You don't really need anything other than cheap cable.

Do not, whatever you do, spend money on Monster or whatever dreck. IANAEE/SE (I am not an electrical engineer or sound engineer), but I do work with both and I've never heard anything but contempt for the unnecessarily expensive cables.
posted by Alterscape at 9:08 AM on September 11, 2009

You can put pin connectors on the ends of the cables you already have.
posted by zsazsa at 9:16 AM on September 11, 2009

You can get flex-pin plugs (Monoprice, PartsExpress) that sometimes make do on those spring mounts.

The standard approach for lots of T-amp modders has been to crack the case, disconnect the spring connects, and wire in some proper speaker posts.
posted by holgate at 9:21 AM on September 11, 2009

Pin connectors work, or you can simply solder a smaller-gauge piece of solid copper wire to the end of your existing speaker wire. Some audiophiles may shriek at the suggestion. Ignore them. This is the technique my dad* uses, and he builds tube amps and custom speakers for audiophiles.

*I KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE.
posted by lekvar at 12:10 PM on September 11, 2009

Go to Radio Shack and get some connectors that will fit the amp. They are dead simple to install on your wires, just crimp them into place. Supposedly they sound better when not soldered. I don't know about that but it is at least good enough for me to take the easy route and simply crimp.
posted by caddis at 12:13 PM on September 11, 2009