Proper Size Speaker spade Lugs: The Definitive Answer!
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If, like me, you are ALWAYS swapping speakers around, you have no-doubt grown tired of constantly soldering and re-soldering the connections. Properly done, a solder connection is an awesome thing, but man, what a pain! The fumes, the hassle, ugg. Not to mention that most speaker companies will only accept a speaker return if the lugs have not been soldered on.
And so it is that I have begun to put lug connectors (female spade disconnects) on all my amps & cabinets that don’t already have them. There seems to be a bit of confusion on just what size the connectors should ideally be. I aim to put an end to that confusion once and for all.
The most common size available at your local auto parts or hardware store is .250" (1/4"), and so many folks use them; but the spade (male) on almost all speakers is .187", and so a .250 mate ends up being quite loosy-goosy ... not a good thing. But wait! That does NOT mean that .187 is the proper size, either. If you choose the .187 size, you will be working like mad to get those buggers on and off; more than a few speaker terminals have been broken off as a result ... also not good. So, the definitive answer: choose .205". This size will be tight, but not so tight as to make getting them on and off a battle. A final word, I’d recommend soldering the wires in the disconnects, not crimping them.
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My outside site recommendation this week is MCM electronics. MCM is a great source for the .205 speaker spade terminals. And, theyre cheap, too, a bag of 100 is under ten bucks! check em out.
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Are the push-ons from MTM made for the right thickness?
I've been using those from Parts Express, but they're meant for thicker tabs, so they need to be crimped across the receptacle part or they fall off.
Anyway, you're right about .205s working well. I prefer to crimp them, but it takes the right tool (like a Klien or Amp) to do it properly.
BTW, there are huge differences in quality between connectors from legit electrical suppliers and local chain stores. Since a bag is likely a life-time supply, get the good ones. A loose wire in a speaker cab can be very expensive amp problem. :(
Hi Jef ... yep, forgot to even mention tab thickness! The two commonly available tab thickness dimensions are 0.2 & 0.3 ... and the 0.2 thickness is what you want. Like you point out, the 0.3s need to be tightened to work well.
MCM only carries two versions in the .205 width, both are 0.2 thickness:
28-6006 - Red 22-16 AWG .205 Female Disconnects
28-6012 - Blue 16-14 AWG .205 Female Disconnects
Hi,i ordered some of these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005GDFKM4/ref=pe_385040_30332190_TE_M3T1_ST1_dp_1
Anyway i cant even get these thing started on the speaker so im not even gona try..
The green berets i just got have identical tabs to my 20 year old vintage 30 speaker cabinet.So i put a digital caliper on
it and im getting .200 to .208 inches so i dont know.I have the old wiring and tabs out of my marshall cab and it looks
like they are .250 and measured from the inside point to point about .220 and they are pretty darn snug the both the
30,s and the green berets..But these tabs on the green beret look different from the ones you have pictured so oh well.
Yea, Amazon is so hit & miss on all things technical! I continue to use the ones I linked to from MCM with good success :-)