Soldering Push on Connectors
Moderator: bclaire
-
- Orange Master
- Posts: 1560
- Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2006 5:03 am
- Location: USA
Soldering Push on Connectors
My speaker push on connectors (spade type) were getting loose due to the many speakers I've demo's over the past 4 yrs. So, last night before rehearsal, I actually soldered the speakers in. Whoa, what a difference. At practice, my RV50 sounded better than it had in a while. Louder, a little more punch and low end - which honestly had tapered off to where I had been thinking of taking it in to get checked out. I gotta say though, believe it or not, soldering in the speakers really did make a difference. Not a different amp, and the tone didn't drasticvally change, just the output more or less. I was even getting some nice feedback which I have been missing for a while now.
All of that to get to this: Has anyone thought about or actually soldered all of the push on connectors inside the amp. PCB points, grounds, etc?? I've seen this mentioned somewhere before, maybe here or another forum about amps in general. I can't imagine this doing anthing but improving signal flow and contact.
Thoughts?
All of that to get to this: Has anyone thought about or actually soldered all of the push on connectors inside the amp. PCB points, grounds, etc?? I've seen this mentioned somewhere before, maybe here or another forum about amps in general. I can't imagine this doing anthing but improving signal flow and contact.
Thoughts?
-
- Duke of Orange
- Posts: 9765
- Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2002 1:05 am
- Location: Amsterdam, Hollandland.nl
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
Try a forum search for 'spade' (as in 'spade connector') and my name. I've been going on about them for ages. Not that I particularly like them or anything...jamison162 wrote:Thoughts?
Damn right. Apart from any reliability issues (especially on speaker outputs) the sonic difference with hard soldering can be really dramatic.
Just one example:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39999&p=482850&hili ... de#p482850" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Just solder it = the way it should be.
Andy.
aNDyH.
Ever tried to outstare a mirror?
In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!
Ever tried to outstare a mirror?
In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!
-
- Orange Master
- Posts: 2432
- Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:53 am
- Location: PA, USA
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
I've thought about soldering spade connecters inside my amp as well. I think all the ones in the RV50 are easy to get to. I never did it though so I can't tell you how it would work out. If you do it update us.
-Joe
My mother wears army boots.
RV50 mkI
AC30 combo
Hot tamale.
http://lifereformatted.wordpress.com/
Check out my blog - adventure, travel, and the meaning of life.
My mother wears army boots.
RV50 mkI
AC30 combo
Hot tamale.
http://lifereformatted.wordpress.com/
Check out my blog - adventure, travel, and the meaning of life.
-
- Duke of Orange
- Posts: 9765
- Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2002 1:05 am
- Location: Amsterdam, Hollandland.nl
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
Don't bother soldering the spades. Just clip them off and solder the bare wires!
Lose those spades!
Andy.
Lose those spades!
Andy.
aNDyH.
Ever tried to outstare a mirror?
In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!
Ever tried to outstare a mirror?
In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!
-
- Orange Master
- Posts: 2785
- Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 12:21 am
- Location: UK
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
Sound connections (no pun intended) are just as important (if not more so) as cable quality I've found in my experience.
I rewired my Marshall 1x12 cabs years ago and yes I'd lose the connections altogether as the spade crimp onto the wire wont be doing much for the sound either.
Taking my old vintage orange 4x12 cab apart recently I wasn't surprised to find that already had point to point wired Rola Celestions
I rewired my Marshall 1x12 cabs years ago and yes I'd lose the connections altogether as the spade crimp onto the wire wont be doing much for the sound either.
Taking my old vintage orange 4x12 cab apart recently I wasn't surprised to find that already had point to point wired Rola Celestions
-
- Orange Master
- Posts: 1560
- Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2006 5:03 am
- Location: USA
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
I didn't say it, but that's exactly what I meant. Getting rid of them altogether and soldering the wire itself (ala point to point).a.hun wrote:Don't bother soldering the spades. Just clip them off and solder the bare wires!
Lose those spades!
Andy.
-
- Orange Master
- Posts: 3809
- Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 5:11 am
- Location: USA
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
Ist thing that I did when I had my rv50c was to solder the speaker wires and route the reverb cables away from the speakers. Same with my ppc 212. Be careful not to unsolder the braided coil wires, and also not to drip solder on the speaker cones..
http://www.myspace.com/fragilexrock
www.reverbnation.com/fragilex
"I Wanted To Be A Rock Star, But I Must of Been Standing In The Wrong Line"
www.reverbnation.com/fragilex
"I Wanted To Be A Rock Star, But I Must of Been Standing In The Wrong Line"
-
- Orange Master
- Posts: 2432
- Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:53 am
- Location: PA, USA
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
Jamison, have you ever done this? I was looking at my RV50's guts and there are a TON of connectors in there that would be getting soldered. I don't know if I feel like doing all that work
-Joe
My mother wears army boots.
RV50 mkI
AC30 combo
Hot tamale.
http://lifereformatted.wordpress.com/
Check out my blog - adventure, travel, and the meaning of life.
My mother wears army boots.
RV50 mkI
AC30 combo
Hot tamale.
http://lifereformatted.wordpress.com/
Check out my blog - adventure, travel, and the meaning of life.
-
- Duke of Orange
- Posts: 9765
- Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2002 1:05 am
- Location: Amsterdam, Hollandland.nl
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
I know. It is a pity, but that is one of the main sorts of assembly technique where a modern Orange differs from an older amp or from something like Matchless / Bad Cat / other hand soldered 'boutique' amps.misterMagoo wrote:Jamison, have you ever done this? I was looking at my RV50's guts and there are a TON of connectors in there that would be getting soldered. I don't know if I feel like doing all that work
Luckily it isn't quite so vital for most connections as it is for speaker ones, but soldering them all would still likely improve things both sonically and in terms of long term reliability.
Up to you really. A tech could advise if any were better left alone or if they should just all be blitzed. Personally I wish Orange would go the extra mile and stop using them. But it would inevitably put up the price and to be honest apart from speaker crimp connections, (which can and sometimes do cause problems), I don't think I've heard of too many actual Orange reliability problems due to them yet. Probably be a different story in 20 years though. I have no problem at all with high quality PCB construction (which non Custom Shop Oranges have always used over the years), but yeah, those connector clips could definitely go.
Andy.
aNDyH.
Ever tried to outstare a mirror?
In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!
Ever tried to outstare a mirror?
In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!
-
- Duke of Orange
- Posts: 9765
- Joined: Sat Jun 15, 2002 1:05 am
- Location: Amsterdam, Hollandland.nl
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
Hah, I spoke too soon. From the very next thread I just opened this morning...a.hun wrote:I don't think I've heard of too many actual Orange reliability problems due to them yet. Probably be a different story in 20 years though.
Andy.
Nuff said really...misterMagoo (http://forum.orangeamps.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=44004 wrote:I had a similar problem in my amp when I first got it. The reverb worked sometimes but not all the time. When your reverb is on but not working, pound your head with a closed fist. (The amp, don't knock yourself out now!) Can you hear the springs rattle? If you can hear the reverb when you slam on the head, that means the input is problematic, but the reverb output is fine. My RV50 had a loose connection at the input. One of the spade connectors was just hanging there! Once I reattached that I never had a problem again.
Andy
aNDyH.
Ever tried to outstare a mirror?
In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!
Ever tried to outstare a mirror?
In the bathtub of history the truth is harder to hold than the soap, and much more difficult to find!
-
- Orange Master
- Posts: 2432
- Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:53 am
- Location: PA, USA
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
Yeah, haha, way to miss that one!
But seriously, that is one of the reasons I'd like to do it. I don't know if the connector was never clipped on properly or if it vibrated loose, I'm guessing the former, but it still plays a role in my consideration.
But seriously, that is one of the reasons I'd like to do it. I don't know if the connector was never clipped on properly or if it vibrated loose, I'm guessing the former, but it still plays a role in my consideration.
-Joe
My mother wears army boots.
RV50 mkI
AC30 combo
Hot tamale.
http://lifereformatted.wordpress.com/
Check out my blog - adventure, travel, and the meaning of life.
My mother wears army boots.
RV50 mkI
AC30 combo
Hot tamale.
http://lifereformatted.wordpress.com/
Check out my blog - adventure, travel, and the meaning of life.
-
- Tiny Terror
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2011 10:21 pm
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
Bumping an old thread, but I thought I'd share my experiences. I've had two cabs that initially came with these connectors and they caused me major grief until I figured out what the problem was (the spade connectors!). I thought my amps were broken in both cases, first a 1964 Tremolux and most recently my Retro 50. Symptoms included weak signal, harsh distortion, and brittle, thin tone. I cannot recommend soldering your speaker wire enough!
-
- Duke of Orange
- Posts: 5295
- Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2010 10:23 pm
- Location: Chicago
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
My cab is all soldered. I have old Rola Celestions and the don't even have the tabs for spade connectors, so I guess it forced me to do it right!
-
- Forum Moderator
- Posts: 17905
- Joined: Thu May 02, 2002 9:19 pm
- Location: Outside Boston MA, USA
- Contact:
Re: Soldering Push on Connectors
I would recommend this as well. I don't think that push-on connectors have any right being in speaker cabs...dreamdistortion wrote:Bumping an old thread, but I thought I'd share my experiences. I've had two cabs that initially came with these connectors and they caused me major grief until I figured out what the problem was (the spade connectors!). I thought my amps were broken in both cases, first a 1964 Tremolux and most recently my Retro 50. Symptoms included weak signal, harsh distortion, and brittle, thin tone. I cannot recommend soldering your speaker wire enough!
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 218 guests