Newbie question about vintage tube amps.

[Dan C]

This is probably a stupid question, but I need color coding for the speakers and my Fisher X-100B has a '1' and a '2' instead.

So which connection is 'red' and which is 'black'. And should I get some bananna plug adapters or should I just connect the speaker wire to the screw?

I got this nice integrated cheap off of Ebay and a great guy in town is restoring it. I'm pretty excited to be dipping my toes in the tube waters!:)
Thanks,
Dan C

[Dave]

Dan,

I would go with Banana plugs, unless it is some sort of high end screw down post. If your lines are inverted you can usually tell from bass response. Woofer moving out on drum hits is correct. It's not really a biggy Dan as you won't damage anything in the experimental mode.

Congrats. on the new tube system. One of these days it will be my turn.:D

[Metralla]

Connect them straight to the screw. They were like that for years. What's on the end of your speaker cables at the moment? If you have spades, that's good. If you have banana plugs, cut 'em off.

Just try one way (both left and right the same), and listen to a disc that you know has the polarity correct. Then swap them over and listen again. If you can hear a difference, go with the orientation you prefer. If you can't, then it doesn't matter.

Do you have a picture you could upload here?

Regards,
Metralla

[Dan C]

Thanks for the help guys. I'll post an update and a photo when I get the Fisher back home. Should be a week or two before the restoration's done, maybe less. Don't know if I can wait!
Dan C

[Dave]

Originally posted by Metralla
If you have spades, that's good. If you have banana plugs, cut 'em off.
And what if you have a speaker, like I do, that will only accept a banana plug? Hmmm...

From my own experiences, limited as they may be, I've heard no sonic benefit to using spade/open wire vs. banana plugs. Seems like one of those tweak wives tales to me. (shrug)

Have you definately heard a difference Metralla? I'd really like to hear your opinion.

[Metralla]

Dave,

I have a good friend with Epos speakers, and these only accept banana plugs, so I am familiar with this concept; it's mainly a UK thing.

But you have misinterpreted my statement. I was referring only to the amplifier end. Do you know the sort of screw terminals you see on vintage valve amps? Small spades will fit, and so will bare wire, but it better not be too thick, or more than a couple of strands.

I admit to preferring spade connectors. There is something about them that appeals to me more than banana plugs. I haven't done any comparisons though. In fact, I've never owned a banana plug.

You have no choice on the speaker end, but you do have a choice on the amp end - you have a Classe amp, don't you? Normal binding posts? What do you have at that end Dave?


Regards,
Metralla

[Dave]

On the Classe' I have the choice of spades or bananas. I tried both and no difference.

[Dan C]

Originally posted by Metralla
Dave,

I have a good friend with Epos speakers, and these only accept banana plugs, so I am familiar with this concept; it's mainly a UK thing.

But you have misinterpreted my statement. I was referring only to the amplifier end. Do you know the sort of screw terminals you see on vintage valve amps? Small spades will fit, and so will bare wire, but it better not be too thick, or more than a couple of strands.


Regards,
Metralla

I have Tannoy's, and they accept bananna and bare wire. I've been using bare wire on some basic Monster cables because my current amplification, a Marantz 1090 integrated, only accepts bare wire as well.
The Monster is pretty thick though, so I might have to search out something else for the Fisher.

Didn't Steve suggest not to use the 'best' wire on vintage amps once? They might bring out the buzzes and hisses that you don't want to hear. Basic Monster might still be the way to go then.
Thanks,
Dan

[Metralla]

Originally posted by Dan C
Didn't Steve suggest not to use the 'best' wire on vintage amps once?
I didn't read that and would have disagreed (of course). I'm not fond of multi-stranded cables like Monster Cable. I had something similar in the mid-eighties (Vampire Wire) but I would not use multi-stranded speaker cables again.

Regards,
Metralla

[Sckott]

The more elaborite the wire, the most senstitive the amp will be in picking up strange and undesireable RF. True, true.

You can go for a simple (yet strong) monster cable, but you're better off using a higher gague Radio Shack wire and gold interconnects. Some simple and cheap tweeks are more effective than upping the girth of your wire.