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10agw +10agw=7agw? need some big Banana's

just put new banana terminals on my 10 year old Acoustic Zen Santori shotguns. went with Audiquest 500 series connectors for the speaker/bi-wired ends. the problem is they won't fit/work on the amp side where the wires are doubled up. pretty beefy wires at 10agw per shotgun/bi-wire. looks like i'll be needing banana plugs that can accommodate 7agw? (10agw+10agw?)

my local shop who installed the Audioquest 500's on the speaker/bi-wire side doesn't offer anything that will work for the doubled up amp side. been looking online and see very few option for something this size.

two questions.....

1) can anyone confirm my math for the required size needed?? 10agw+10agw=7agw?

2) then possibly point me in the right direction to find some high quality banana's that will fit/work?

(not looking for replacement spades. just interested in banana terminals)

thank you!
levy03
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
mitch, I didn't even bother to look at the connectors; just having fun. :) 

levy03 OP
442 posts
 
quick follow up......things did NOT turn out well. got my Furutech banana terminal and tried to have them installed. no go. the wires did fit into the connector (barely) but would not allow for the screws to set far enough in for the sleeve to slide down/over. really bummed!!
my local shop ended up getting/installing some more AQ banana's that did fit/work (again, barely). so i now have new AQ 500 series plugs all around. 

ordered the Furutech's above based on the 5mm spec they advertised. according to my math, that shoulda worked. it didn't. with the various types/shapes of wires AZ use's in the Santori shotguns, it was impossible to get them bundled up tight enough to allow the screw to set properly.  spent almost $500 in total to replace all the terminals/12 total, including professional install..... on 10 year old cables,??!.   don't even know for sure i'm gonna like them with the new setup?.

starting off by comparing them to some new, comparatively simple pure copper bi-wire cables from Schmitt (10 agw). will move on from there depending on what i hear.

no one told me there would math involved when i got into this hobby!! =)
mitch2
3,680 posts
 
That is too bad.  The Douglas folks are pretty good so maybe ask if you can return the Furutech connectors.  The 5mm ID specification clearly should have worked with your 7 awg wire, which would have a diameter of only about 3.7mm based on an awg chart.  The maximum specified diameter should have allowed for the set screws to be inserted far enough for the barrel to slide over the assembly.  I have personally used the copper Furez connectors I recommended (same as on the ebay link) with two runs of Western Electric NOS 10 awg wires, also a total of 7 awg, but they do not have an outer barrel so the covering is just heat shrink.
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