Using speaker cable as jumpers


Hello, everyone
I'm kind of new in this forums, and I guess I will ask something already spoken here a couple of years ago.
I have a pair of Martin Logan's Ascent bought 2nd hand but the jumpers they "bring are 2 pieces of thick copper (pretty much oxidated). I'm wondering if I can/should replace them by Kimber 8TC (which are the cables I'm using with them).

Any suggestions / opinions will be pretty much apreciated.

Thanks
cordovox
I made jumpers out of 8TC by cutting off about four inches from the ends of my speaker cables. I heat shrinked 'em and bent them into a "U" shape-they're pretty stiff-to line up with the holes in the binding posts on my speakers. They work great and I don't have to worry about the jumpers changing the sound from the speaker cables.
First, I would clean the ones you have now. The jumpers will make a big difference and using what you are using for main cables is a safe choice. Silver is also a good choice for jumpers, much more affordable for them than for main cables. I just got some from Antipodes Audio and they are very good. I also use some 14 ga solid silver wire that works very well. I got it from Chris at VHA (?). All most anything is better than the jumpers that are usually supplied, I have several expensive older speakers that came with what looks like aluminum jumpers.
I also made my own jumpers made out of the same speaker cable that I'm using. This is a critical connection that is often over looked. I've tried a couple different options from using the stock bronze plates to a couple different speaker cables. All made a noticeable sonic difference in my rig.

If you are using the Kimber for your speaker cables and are happy with the synergy they are making, then by all means keep the jumpers Kimber too. But before I did that, I would clean the old jumpers with some caig deoxit and see how they sound cleaned up. Then do a shoot out between the old cleaned jumpers and the Kimbers.
The most important thing is a good clean tight connection. Check to post for corrosion too. You could use the same, or some wire, just as long as they can't short between plus and minus.
Cordovox - I use Audioquest biwire jumpers gold plated high purity copper. You can buy them in gold or silver plated version. Theoretically silver is much better conductor but we're talking about very thin layer of plating while gold is more practical (no oxidation). You can get them from any Audioquest dealer or Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/SET-4-GOLD-BIWIRE-JUMPERS/dp/B005A5Z758/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1313469919&sr=8-2

Lack of dielectric is a good thing too.
Why not just polish the copper jumpers you have now? The speakers were voiced with those jumpers and they are inserted at the crossover point.
Thank you all for the advise.

I'll try both cleaning the copper wire and also w/ the Kimber.

Also, I might try silver connections as I have a friend who works with jewelry, so ,it might be easy and cheap.

I'll let you all know the results.

Take care

Best regards
If you plan on keeping the Martin Logans, why not reterminate the Kimber to biwire configuration? Easy to do.
From my experience, silver is the best choice. I have made some comparisons between the original jumper with my speakers, the copper Nordost and 4 pcs of military silver plated jumpers. Only the silver can deliver a detailed treble
"Only the silver can deliver a detailed treble"

When everything else is copper?
Done

Just replaced the old jumpers (that don't even seem to be copper but some other sort of metal (no, not silver, absolutely) and replaced them with the Kimber 8TC and... Helas!!!
More focused bass, midrange and treble more detailed and open.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to try the silver ones.

Thank you all for all the advice.