To solder or clamp?

[DavidR]

I'll be recapping my AR91s this autumn and ran across some interesting pictures of people who used lugs instead of soldering. I see a few benefits to going this route: better conductivity than lead/tin solder, no heat subjected on the caps and easier removal/replacement if needed. The cons: possible oxidation issues and loosening of the screws (both can be prevented at the time of installation).

What are your thoughts on this non-soldering approach in a crossover rebuild?

[JKent]

I've admired the neatness of some crossover rebuilds such as those you've shown, but usually those rehabbers used ridiculously large (IMHO) gauge wiring. A few random thoughts:

• Just about everything else in the signal path, from the source through the amp and speakers is soldered
• One non-solder approach, used successfully by KLH, is wire nuts
• Sta-Kon crimp connectors work very well

-Kent

[DavidR]

Thanks for your input Kent.

Although my soldering skills are pretty good my eyesight is the pits (I almost always wear a magnifying visor) and was just looking at a possible alternative.

Your suggestions reminded me of some crimp sleeves I saw on Madisound >

http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/copper-crimps/wbt-0433-16-awg-1.5-mm-copper-crimp-sleeve/