Originally Posted by Hector
terminations and decent switched sockets are the most important points to consider. Applying the correct torque to screw terminations is very important.

Agreed about terminations and torque - however, I wasn't suggesting you over-tighten, hence just 'nip up' because they actually work loose over time and lose the original torque, unless you use something like the Wattgate Permalock terminals, which have a self-locking mechanism to prevent this loosening of the original torque applied. I disagree about using switched sockets, I would always use unswitched unless I had a very pressing need to have switches on the actual sockets for some reason - personally I leave the system on 'standby' most of the time I'm not listening, and if I'm leaving it for any period, or in a storm, I just switch off the gear and physically pull the plug from the wall - it takes no more time to do this than switch it off at the wall, honestly.

Originally Posted by Hector
If you want the best results for termination of stranded copper wires in screw terminations without wire support use a crimp ferrule or at minimum solder dip the stripped wire.

I like the idea of a crimp ferrule, might give that a go on my non-Wattgate schuckos - WBT sell ferrules in various sizes for use with different gauges of speaker cable and they might work well? Again if you use the Wattgate connectors, they have this well thought out, and it's not just the screw which tightens down on the wire, separating/damaging the strands, they have a whole plate which tightens down to prevent this. Honestly, they really are well thought out and engineered, and not at all 'snake oil' IMO.

Last edited by 3dit0r; 2013-11-30 23:07. Reason: Added thoughts about switches
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