Speaker cable binding posts

[Manoet]

Great choice on the binding posts quality and looks-wise. They're beautiful and will be right at home on the 200!

[kenreau]

Finally got the D200 opened up last night for the first time.  Made the binding posts swap for the WBTs and applied a thin film of Quicksilver contact enhancer.  Also applied the WA Quantum chip stickers to the DAC, DSP chips, Main Capacitors and one inside the metal molded housing of the PFC Power Supply.  Currently running it in with the internal brown noise break in signal.

I also got a good look at what it may take to swap out the IEC PEM module.  Looks like a p.i.t.a. as the F'tech blades are completely different that the Shurter. Both location and orientation are off (as Manoet warned...) I did get an idea on a potential way to make it work. The existing Shurter blades mount low (and are vertically oriented) and the power entry circuit board (with fuses, etc.) overlays on to it and snaps down onto the PEM blade/tangs.  The F'tech Line and Neutral tangs are up high and horizontally oriented.  My theory is to to install the F'tech, mount the power entry circuit board and just solder a connection to the top of it where the current female connecting tangs are soldered (but facing below).   The F'tech IEC PEM would connect to the top side for Line and Neutral.

I'll have to work on posting some photos later.   Back to work...

[Manoet]

WTG!!! Where there's a will, there's a way! Really curious about the WAQ chips too. Right now I only use them on equipment I have SR Red Quantum fuses in. Those big caps in the Dev look so naked without em. But at $80-a-pop for a cap chip that size and 6 being required I'll likely wait till & if some other more pressing work is done in an area I understand better. While I do know those chips work on my fuses, I just don't know how or why they do. And calling something a 'quantum chip' to me is like calling em pineapple soup. Means nothing. 7 bucks a pop for fuses is palatable. $79 x 6 is a pretty big hit for a definite maybe.

Please try to resist the temptation of doing everything at once while inside so people get a better idea of what individual changes are like rather than a full internal assault on changes. The case is so fast & easy to get into there's no real advantage to changing more than one thing at a time. Respectfully requested of course for the benefit of all.

[Rufus McDufus]

A slight worry for me is how good the connection of the 'tongue' connector of the binding post will be. It looks like it presses into a receiving rectangular 'socket' on the Devialet circuit board. This is designed to not be a 'once-only' fit isn't it?

[Manoet]

    **EDIT** Rufus I apologize suggesting this pic might be in a previous post. Turns out it was never posted. But in it you can see the tell-tale wipe pattern made by the Devialet female terminal via the two marks 'center-scribed' directly above the small hole near tip. The entire spade head was later removed to be the correct length for the Devialet female connecting terminal.

Essentially the Devialet provision is a variance of the classic quick-disconnect male spade/female terminals. On the traditional 6.3mm/.250" terminals contact is made on the outsides of the spade where the female terminal edges are rolled. On Devialet that two-point contact is made on the center of the spade insert top & bottom rather than the outside edges bottom only as with traditional quick-disconnects. Both configurations of that female receiver can conceivably loosen a smidgen over repeated spade insertions/removals. But both can also be refreshed with a slight squeeze from top/bottom of the female clip. Accomplished on the Devialet via inserting the crimp tool (needle nose pliars etc) thru the rear access panel binding post bore. I re-snugged mine upon initial swap. Not that it needed it but seemed a good idea at the time to maximize contact tension and treated the terminal with a very slight film of Caig ProGold on both sides before inserting. And since my WBT terminals are silver and very soft the contact point made a great 2-point contact tell-tale centered in the spade. As an aside the provision is identical for OEM or aftermarket binding posts. Also I "believe" you can see the tell-tale contact grooves in an earlier pic in this thread showing the contact 'wipe marks' directly above a small hole centered in the spade terminal on a test-fitting I did before the terminal was shortened to fit.

[kenreau]

I'm heading out of town for a long weekend in the morning, but wanted to post a progress update for the mods I just completed last night. I have +\- 24 hours on the new WBT posts and Quantum chips, etc noted above, with running the brown noise break in signal during this time.

The sound quality improvements are nothing short of stupid good! I'm thrilled to hear the obvious improvements. More transparent sound stage, distinctive instruments, vocals, layering, etc. the proverbial clearer window. I have been playing old Fleetwood Mac blues, Fleet Foxes harmonies, Morph the Cat, Fu Manchu, etc and am in amazement of the SQ improvements. Highly recommended!

[Antoine]

Interesting stuff! Thanks for the pioneering Kenreau and Manoet!

@Manoet, can you tell me how much of the WBT terminals you had to cut off? Was it all of the wider part with the small hole in it or just a part of it?

I may order some WBT's too, they're also in my VR-5's. A whopping 12 Signature WBT-0702.12's in total (I only use 8, four per speaker). Although I assume the Nextgens are better so will then order those.

[Manoet]

Antoine-

In the case of the WBT 0710's I'm using it was EXACTLY the length of the wider terminal tip I removed. However I/we cannot presume that to be case for every model # in the Nextgen lineup... esp this early in the game. You can always remove more if needed but can't add any back if you remove too much. So definitely measure twice, cut once. Easy to test-fit for length once you have the OEM's removed. Just match the Nextgen length of the OEM post from inside plastic washer with locking centering lug that sits against rear access panel to spade tip of the OEM. Nextgen is certainly the flagship of the WBT line. For me one of those "if we're gonna be a dog, why intentionally choose Chihuahua" choices ;-)

[Antoine]

Thank you Manoet for your answer!

(PS: I believe the Nextgens didn't exist yet when my speakers were built.)

[warpeon]

Anyone considering furutech binding post? Would rhodium or gold produce even more benefit over silver (wbt)?