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In Reply to: Re: Wiring to internal drivers posted by Dawnrazor on March 12, 2007 at 20:21:46:
OK, here's what a highly competent technician is going to do.
Solder Cardas Litz onto the existing wire just before it hits the spades. So I bypass the spade connection and run the wire straight to crossover box or actively run amplifiers. This means I bypass the entire Magnepan spades with a straight wire. The wire will be fastened to the back of the speaker so that the run that goes out from it can't be yanked loose.
Follow Ups:
Can you clarify this statement (before is a relative (to direction) term)? "Solder Cardas Litz onto the existing wire just before it hits the spades."If this means soldering onto the actual panel runs, I sincerely question the "highly competent technician" assertion. I've been a technician for 35 years and there is absolutely NO way I'd even consider such an act.
If this means ANYthing else (soldering the Cardas wire to ANY other existing wire - why?), that assertion is similarly suspect. The aluminum wiring (assuming your fine speakers use the same wire I found in my MMGs) should all be replaced. Ditch the wires with the spades and solder (or crimp) new spades to the new wires.
I'm not sure what the plan is, but I hope you don't find yourself needing what PG mentioned - crying towels!
BTW I'm assuming the Litz wire in question already has tinned ends, or your technician has a solder pot and intends to cut them to length and tin them before trying to solder them to the wires in question. Remember, each strand of a Litz bundle is coated with enamel.
Good Luck.
Are you referring to he aluminum wire in the internal crossover that leads to the spades?
But, the wires really weren't the worst part - the crimp job which secured the spades to those wires was quite poor in my estimation. That's only my opinion about what I found in my speakers - maybe others would disagree(?).
He would have to use a solder pot. Why not avoid the spade connection and just solder the wires together--that is, in effect, extend the existing wire with Cardas all the way to the crossover box?
There are two problems with that suggestion as I see it.In the first place, why "extend" the wires? That isn't an ideal practice - much better to *replace* the wires (all the way to the connector block). It isn't difficult in the least to remove the push on spades and solder to the tabs as outlined by "ABliss". Just follow his suggestions to the letter and "lift" the panel runs off those tabs before soldering (see the photo in my first post of this thread). This is another concern with your proposal - wires conduct heat quite effectively, so if your technician solders extensions to the existing wires, he will likely damage some very expensive speakers.
Secondly, your post referenced Litz wire. In case you aren't aware of what makes it "Litz", each strand of wire is coated with enamel. You CANNOT solder that wire with conventional methods, hence the requirement of a solder pot. I didn't have one on hand when I made my speaker cables, so I went with the rig pictured above. It is a messy adventure (lots of skimming), but my results were excellent. I think I melted about $20-30 worth of WBT solder in the process. Remember, a bad solder joint is worse than a bad crimp, and Litz is "special".
You have received warnings from numerous individuals about being too cavilier with soldering inside those speakers. They are yours to do with as you see fit, but if you don't heed any of these warnings, I suggest you get yourself a big box of Kleenex.
Wazoo--no worries. I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize the speakers, am fully aware of your concerns. Let's say, worstcase scenario the speakers were damaged, despite precautions, then Magnepan could repair them. They don't charge a fortune to do so.
Does that include the spades for the tweeters?
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