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Get familiar with the reaction system: Introducing the Reaction System
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I'm using 14 gauge along with the speakON Faston quick connects: https://www.parts-express.com/Neutrik-NLFASTON-100-pcs.-Faston-Non-insulated-Quick-Disconnects-0.187-for-speakON-powerCO-092-2438
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/flat-connectors/
Thanks, I'll get some of those fast connects! The other side has tiny screws for the wires, so that's good!
Those are Posidrive screws, not Phillips, just so you know. The neck on all panel mount D series is 23mm or 24mm too, IIRC, so not a full inch.
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I was just wondering this myself (quick connects).
Good to know!
And anything special for wire?
Definitely quick disconnect. Those tabs aren't meant for soldering, it'll melt the plastic and possibly shift the contacts internally.
Glad I asked before ruining a few! Need to look up positive, just saw they were screws, didn't look too closely. Need to order a set of posidrive drivers now.
If you have the screw down type, DO NOT solder/tin the wires your inserting into the contacts. Just twist the bare wire strands and insert.
Agreed.
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Don't usually tin the wires, but what is the issue?
Clamping down on a tinned wire you might only make wire to connector contact at 3 small surface points. With normal stranded wire you clamp down and make the maximum possible contact as the stranded wire strands conform to the clamping space available in the connector's cavity.
I use ferrules whenever possible, they are worht the exta step.
I also do not twist wires on anytrhing getting crimped as this creates a way for the wire to be crushed against wire in a way that can damage the wire. If I can get the wire in a screw block of any kind without twisting I do (only twisting to avoid birdnesting), this helps the screw terminal clamp better. I think of it like a bundle of sticks, if they are all straight and paralell I can crush them without the sticks movingor breaking. If a stick is crossed over another stick it will break or shift before I can fully compress the bundle.
I have that same crimping tool and have used tons of ferrules when wiring industrial panels with 120 VAC and some 24 VDC control, but never signal level wiring. I don't the see a benefit with DIY speakers. In fact I see a slight drawback:
Bare copper wire - ferrule plating ID - ferrule material - ferrule plating OD - compression connector plating - connector material - etc
That's a lot of metal to metal interfaces.
"signal level wiring" is a VERY broad term. I have run countles CAN bus services with ferrels and they are opperating at 500k baud rate and never had an issue. At a certain point we do need to leave metal to metal connections as much as possible and go to better terminations for signals like BNC but that is FAR out of the audio band.
In these Speakon connections with screw terminals I would raw dog it with bare wire (untwisted if possible) and secure the strain releif. Some audio jacks have Phenox terminals and for those I would use a ferrule.
Have I and would I use ferrules in audio applications 100%. They lock in tight and never bird nest. It just comes down to what is the most solid connection I can make for that situation.
FYI-never a ferrule under a turning screw and never on solid wire.
As for tinned wire, there's also a condition call cold flow. Under pressure of the set screw the solder will actually slowly move over time and the connection can become loose.