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Speaker Connections to the HCA-2003
Refer to Figure #1
Use Good Speaker Wire
For best results, use 16 gauge or thicker speaker wire and keep its length short as possible. This will
help maintain a high damping factor and avoid deteriorating bass response. Also, each channel should
be connected with the same length speaker wire. You may wish to experiment with audiophile-grade
speaker wire.
Polarity
It is important to observe correct speaker connection polarity to prevent phase cancellation. One side of
each speaker wire will have some sort of mark on one conductor: either printing, a raised ridge on the
insulation or a different color of conductor. This permits you to know which wire you had connected to
the + and which to the — speaker terminals so you can do the same at the power amplifier terminals.
Five-Way Binding Posts
The five-way binding posts on the rear panel of your HCA-2003 will accept banana or dual banana
plugs, most high-quality 1/4" spade lugs, or up to AWG 12 bare solid or stranded wire.
Banana Plugs
Banana plugs offer the most convenient connection to the speaker terminals. They also have a large
amount of surface to make contact with the speaker terminal. For these reasons, we recommend the use
of banana plugs in most applications. However, you may want to use the “gas tight” connection
provided by spade lugs or bare wire.
Spade Lugs
If you prefer to use speaker cable with spade lugs, make sure you do not permit the lug to rotate as the
terminal is tightened. Do not overtighten the speaker terminal onto the spade lug. The Parasound
limited warranty excludes terminals that are sheared off as a result of overtightening.
Bare Wire
If you use bare speaker wire without plugs, make sure you strip off only enough insulation so the
exposed bare wire fits into the hole that runs sideways through the terminal’s metal shaft. Before
inserting the wire, twist all its strands tightly to prevent strays that could cause a short circuit. If you
have a soldering iron, it is a good idea to “tin” the bare wire with solder to keep it from unraveling and
to prevent oxidation.