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  #11  
Old 11-19-2016, 11:51 AM
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Yamaki Yamaki is offline
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Some models came with just the one top locking ring. I'm not sure what they are showing in my MC501 manual but it isn't how mine work. That may be an older connection type with the angled insert and locking screw.

Yeah, you don't have to crank them down too hard - just snug is good - and a good connection can make a difference in SQ.
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  #12  
Old 11-19-2016, 11:58 AM
joey_corleoni joey_corleoni is offline
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Yeah but you only really need to mess with one. The top hex nut loosens the bottom McIntosh branded cylinder looking thing that covers the speaker hole. So basically all you do is loosen the nut to the point where you can see the hole, insert the banana plug then tighten it back down.
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  #13  
Old 11-19-2016, 12:03 PM
joey_corleoni joey_corleoni is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yamaki View Post
Some models came with just the one top locking ring. I'm not sure what they are showing in my MC501 manual but it isn't how mine work. That may be an older connection type with the angled insert and locking screw.

Yeah, you don't have to crank them down too hard - just snug is good - and a good connection can make a difference in SQ.
Made a difference for sure! It is much more powerful sounding now. Makes sense as before the cables were stuck into the top hole on the nut vertically. That hole is not that deep so only about half the plug was making contact. The way they are hooked up now is way better and finally just feels right and secure. Now you the entire plug makes contact and as you would expect, probably better flow.
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  #14  
Old 11-19-2016, 05:15 PM
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salamander salamander is offline
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On US and Canadian MC452 amps, the correct way to insert banana plugs on the output terminals is the way you originally had them, inserted vertically into the hole on top of the lock nut (page 9 of manual). The banana plugs fit a little more than halfway into the output terminal. When you loosen the lock nut, the lower hole exposed below the McIntosh cylinder is for attaching bare wire, or a spade around the post the hole goes through. Although it may be a bit disconcerting to see some of the banana plug exposed when plugged into the top of the output terminal, quality plugs fit very snugly. I have tried both banana plugs and spades on my MC452 and both sounded great. I really could not distinguish a difference in sound quality and ultimately chose to use the banana plugs mainly for ease of connecting/disconnecting.

Last edited by salamander; 11-20-2016 at 06:47 AM.
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  #15  
Old 11-20-2016, 03:56 AM
joey_corleoni joey_corleoni is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by salamander View Post
On US and Canadian MC452 amps, the correct way to insert banana plugs on the output terminals is the way you originally had them, inserted vertically into the hole on top of the lock nut (page 16 of manual). The banana plugs fit a little more than halfway into the output terminal. When you loosen the lock nut, the lower hole exposed below the McIntosh cylinder is for attaching bare wire, or a spade around the post the hole goes through. Although it may be a bit disconcerting to see some of the banana plug exposed when plugged into the top of the output terminal, quality plugs fit very snugly. I have tried both banana plugs and spades on my MC452 and both sounded great. I really could not distinguish a difference in sound quality and ultimately chose to use the banana plugs mainly for ease of connecting/disconnecting.
Maybe we have different manuals? I am reading the MC452 owners manual on the McIntosh web site. Page 16 does not relate to connecting speakers. Page 9 shows some bizarre looking banana connection I don't understand. What they show is some sort of adapter plugged into the top of the nut. Then they have the speaker wire terminated into some kind of connector that looks almost like an rj11 phone jack. Then, the wire connected to the weird connector is somehow affixed to the side of the adapter going into the top hole at an angle

Don't know about you guys, but I have no idea what they are trying to show there, and have never seen anything like that. It makes no sense to me.

I do think my system sounds better using the method we discussed here, running the banana into the hole like you would bare wire

Last edited by joey_corleoni; 11-20-2016 at 03:59 AM.
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  #16  
Old 11-20-2016, 07:04 AM
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salamander salamander is offline
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Joey - Make that page 9 of the manual. Sorry for the typo. I have fixed it in the original post. Step 8 on that page states:

Referring to figure H, connect the Loudspeaker hookup cables with banana plugs into the hole at the top of the terminal to the MC452 Negative Output Terminal and Positive Output Terminal identified as 2Ω (ohms), 4Ω (ohms) or 8Ω (ohms).

I agree the image of the angled banana plug in figure H looks a bit unusual, but as stated in the manual text, it is shown plugged into the hole at the top of the output terminal. Conversely, figures 7 and 8 on page 9 show bare wire and spade lugs connected using the terminal side access hole (i.e. the hole below the McIntosh-branded cylinder component of the output terminal).

As you described, using the banana plug in the lower side access hole definitely increases the risk of crushing it when tightening the hex nut.

Last edited by salamander; 11-20-2016 at 07:46 AM.
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  #17  
Old 11-28-2016, 03:43 PM
joey_corleoni joey_corleoni is offline
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Thanks guys. I am trying to figure out what to do here actually. The new speaker wires I ordered are really nice, and expensive (Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Ovals), but have banana plugs. Dealer said they will gladly re-terminate them if I want spades.

I thought it would be an easy question for the likes of McIntosh support, but they absolutely refuse to give me a straight answer for some reason. I ask straight forward questions and get vague responses as per usual. I asked directly several times what the recommended connector is. No straight answer.

I said "I am replacing the speaker wire between my speakers and MC452. Can you please provide the recommended speaker cable connector and size? I have previously had banana connectors, but it seems they only go about halfway into the hole on the top of the MC452 binding posts. I want to make sure I have the recommended and best connection. Thanks."

The only response I get is "The SLOT in the spade must be at least 3/10’ across, it can be any overall width.". Great, thanks for not answering my question at all. 6 emails later, deliberately asking that he be more specific and I have nothing more than when I started.

What is a slot and what am I missing? Isn't the spade just supposed to essentially wrap around the binding post. This is not a confusing question. I don't understand why McIntosh support *always* has to give me a short response and never answer the question. Sad.

I'm sorry for venting. All I want to know is what kind of connector to use to connect my speakers.

Option 1 - Banana plug into the top hole of the terminal. They don't fit all the way

Option 2 - Banana plug into the 3/10" hole normally used for bare wire. This fits good but doesn't seem "right" in that you have to tighten down the nut and potentially crush your banana plug

Option 3 - Spade. Again, I still don't know the right size or what a spade "slot" is supposed to mean.

What would you do?
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  #18  
Old 11-28-2016, 03:45 PM
Randy Myers Randy Myers is offline
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I personally like bananas better....
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  #19  
Old 11-28-2016, 04:16 PM
joey_corleoni joey_corleoni is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Randy Myers View Post
I personally like bananas better....
How do you have them connected to your MC452 Randy?
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  #20  
Old 11-28-2016, 04:23 PM
Randy Myers Randy Myers is offline
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I don't have a MC452 , was just saying I always prefer using banana plugs. I did have a MX-A70 about a year ago. It came with spades on it's speaker wires but when I upgraded the wires I used bananas and they seemed to work just fine on the McIntosh connectors.
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