Rilands.......There are two schools of thought on terminations. One group believes a low heat silver solder makes the best terminations, and the other group believes a mechanical termination, either crimp or set screw, makes the best termination. Personally, I embrace both.
On my speaker cables, Kimber 8TC, I have installed the WBT TopLine locking banana plugs. The first thing that goes on the wire is a gold plated crimp sleeve, sized for the gauge wire in use. After the sleeves are crimped on the bare copper ends, they are inserted into the WBT connector, where two gold plated torx set screws tighten down on the crimp sleeve. This method makes a very tight, and secure termination of the wire into the connector without the use of solder.
I would not be disappointed that Audioquest uses set screw terminations, although without the crimp sleeves the set screws have a tendency to mash and spread the stranded wire, which may not be the most desirable of mechanical connections. To help stop the stranded wire from spreading out under the set screw you can silver solder the ends on each wire before inserting them into the connector and tightening the set screws.
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Dan
STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A
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