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Binding posts vs spring clips? Keeping vintage speakers "pure" or upgrade to modern?

Justin87

Justin87

New Member
Hello everyone!

This is my first official thread post since joining AK. I tried to do my due diligence before writing a thread to avoid reinventing the wheel but wasn't really able to find much on my topic. My topic is binding posts vs spring clips and keep true quality vintage speakers "pure" or upgrading spring clips to binding posts.

I have pairs of vintage speakers that are in top original condition (aside from new foam around the drivers). They range from Infinity RS series, to DLK 1 1/2s and 2s (Gen 1s!) to the hard to find Optimus T300. I'm wondering what members thoughts are about upgrading these speakers to binding posts and doing away with the spring clips. I like to run heavy cable with banana plugs or bare wire (to my DCM KX12 S2s and my Cerwin Vega Re 30s) - generally 10 or 12awg is my preference but I cant fit anything heavier than 14awg into the spring clips of the older speakers. I've tried to remove a few strands of copper to make the wire fit but I really don't prefer this method. I like the heavier cable and like knowing that I'm potentially lowering the resistance in the process between the amp/receiver and the speaker while delivering the "whole right foot." Would I be committing treason by doing this? Is there any proven sound quality difference? Does this upgrade decrease the value of the vintage speakers? Will the purists show up at my front door step with pitch forks? I'm all for keeping pure pure and not just upgrading for the heck of it if the reasons are there.

Thanks in advance for any information and insight you're willing to give me. I've received so much valuable knowledge and perspective from reading other posts on AK so I'm excited to see what this topic brings up.
 
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I don't like the sound of anything bigger than 14 GA so I keep them.

If its going to bug you buy good ones and do a good job and I doubt next owner will care they have been changed.
 
Hoytis said:
It's a lot easier to just buy some deadbolt flex pin plugs. Works like a charm...also for spring loaded outputs on amps.

BTW, I also have DLK 1 1/2s...love them!
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And you have a very valid point and to be honest I just ordered a set of these to try out. I'm concerned about the age of the spring clips too, but I'm still going to try them out! Thanks for the input!
 
the spring clips fall apart. converting to binding posts has to be done right or they loosen after awhile. like the idea of the deadbolt flex pin plugs. but, still required to open the spring clips to insert them into the tiny hole. with binding posts, using banana plugs makes insertion easier, for me; they're large and easy to see. problem with banana plugs is they have to be outwardly insulated, or they'll short your amp if they touch each other! saw this almost happen and threw them in the trash.
 
I replaced the external, round binding post jack/assembly on my Spica TC-50's many years ago. Why? One of the assemblies had cracked (made of plastic) so I bought slightly more robust ones with nicer, gold plated bananas from, I think, Parts-Express. They were an exact replacement, size-wise, dropping right in to the old mounting holes. In my office system, I replaced the thin phenolic (?) speaker jacks on my Stereo Cost Cutters Dyna Stereo 70 (circa 1988) with military grade bakelite barrier posts that were a drop in fit. Much more robust, too. I have absolutely no qualms replacing what I may consider substandard parts with better quality parts that will last longer and maybe, sound better, too. If I was using a vintage say, silver faced Pioneer from the late 1970's-1980's as my daily driver, I would replace what I refer to as the old "guillotine" style speaker terminals (spring clips) with high quality 5-way binding posts. That would allow me to use spade, banana, bare wire or pin-type connectors, providing a far superior contact than the flimsy spring-type or guillotine-type connectors.
 
Hoytis said:
It's a lot easier to just buy some deadbolt flex pin plugs. Works like a charm...also for spring loaded outputs on amps.

BTW, I also have DLK 1 1/2s...love them!
Click to expand...
I use that type with my STRANDED Monster cable. They can spread out the strands as the "nut" is tightened. Not sure how well they would work with my solid core AQ Type 4's.
I'm probably in the minority but I happen to like pins.

If the speakers are rare or are fairly valuable I'd keep them as produced and let the next owner make any changes they want.
If run of the mill or "keepers" go ahead and change them out.
Just my 2 cents and probably only worth 1 cent if that.
 
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F1nut said:
Upgrade them and don't think twice about it.

That said, if you don't know what you're doing have it done by someone that does.
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F1 that's exactly my plan actually. I know enough and can do enough (successfully) to be dangerous but I know when I'm venturing out of my wheelhouse. Thank you for your input!
 
tuberadios69 said:
I replaced the external, round binding post jack/assembly on my Spica TC-50's many years ago. Why? One of the assemblies had cracked (made of plastic) so I bought slightly more robust ones with nicer, gold plated bananas from, I think, Parts-Express. They were an exact replacement, size-wise, dropping right in to the old mounting holes. In my office system, I replaced the thin phenolic (?) speaker jacks on my Stereo Cost Cutters Dyna Stereo 70 (circa 1988) with military grade bakelite barrier posts that were a drop in fit. Much more robust, too. I have absolutely no qualms replacing what I may consider substandard parts with better quality parts that will last longer and maybe, sound better, too. If I was using a vintage say, silver faced Pioneer from the late 1970's-1980's as my daily driver, I would replace what I refer to as the old "guillotine" style speaker terminals (spring clips) with high quality 5-way binding posts. That would allow me to use spade, banana, bare wire or pin-type connectors, providing a far superior contact than the flimsy spring-type or guillotine-type connectors.
Click to expand...
Tube thank you for your detailed and in-depth explanation I really appreciate it. I like your logic and reasoning behind what you did and why you did it and the parts you used. Extremely helpful!
 
upgrade to new binding post to accept banana plugs.

I can’t think of any vintage speaker where it would hurt the value to upgrade the binding posts.

None…. Most folks who are doing the upgrade want to use better cables as is.
 
A relatively large number of the old speakers I come across have at least one broken spring clip. IMAHO they are crap.
Those deadbolt flex pin plugs seem like an expensive way to tip your speaker wires with desoldering braid. They do look nicer though (personally I don't hear with my eyes).
 
Well if you're going to upgrade the crossover with new components or upgrade the speaker in other areas, it doesn't make sense to stop there. Of course those cheapie spring clips should be replaced with real binding posts.
 
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