"Flat metal jumpers" -- LSi7

[alan850]

Bought a new pair of LSi7 speakers on the web. I'm a novice and want to do a basic single wire connection to each speaker. There do not appear to be any "flat metal jumpers" as described in the owner's manual connecting the two positive and the two negative terminals on each speaker. Could someone smarter than me on this forum explain to me what these look like, whether they are readily apparent (I guess they are clearly visible and easily removed by completely removing lug nuts), and the best place for me to obtain four of these (2 per speaker)? Is there a home-made alternative that works equally well? Thanks in advance.

[RuSsMaN]

Polk customer service will probably send you a pair gratis, if you ask nicely. 'New' speakers, from an authorized reseller would have included the stock jumpers.

The easy (and better sounding to some) alternative is simply make a set of jumpers with small lengths of speaker wire. Connect the top red post to the bottom red post, top black post to bottom black post - and connect your speaker wire (from amplifier) to either the top or bottom set of posts.

Cheers,
Russ

[wingnut4772]

.

The easy (and better sounding to some) alternative is simply make a set of jumpers with small lengths of speaker wire. Connect the top red post to the bottom red post, top black post to bottom black post - and connect your speaker wire (from amplifier) to either the top or bottom set of posts.

Yep. Definite improvement over jumpers.

[John K.]

Alan, welcome. They're simply little gold-plated metal strips around 3" long that connect the two sets of terminals and are readily apparent when present. If not, the seller should be contacted to send them if he can find them. He may have removed them to "biwire"(also sarcastically referred to as "buywire"). As Russ pointed out, Polk might also send them to you.

Any sort of metal, such as speaker wire, or even pieces of steel coat hanger, can be used to bridge the gap without any significant effect over the 3" or so distance. One of the more bizarre tweaks, apparently arising out of the desire to tweak in an increasingly untweakable audio world, is to install "quality" jumpers in place of the originals, sometimes buying them at outrageous prices. Both basic audio technology and plain common sense should tell us that after designing and building a fine speaker that Polk or other companies aren't going to sabotage their own creation with an inferior connection.

[F1nut]

Anti Audio HiFi Insurgent sighting.

[RuSsMaN]

Alan850 - don't get caught up in a cable debate right now. (the hottest audio topic going, break in/ burn in pulling a close second, followed by various tweaks)

Make some jumpers, Monster XP, Home Depot 16/2 lamp cord, or look at something like Signal Cable or Colbalt Cable for a budget pre-terminated solution. If you want to terminate yourself, you can find spades / banana plugs / pins at sites like partsexpress.com. You probably have a local hifi shop in your area also if ordering online isn't your cup-o-tea, which can hook you up with something like Audioquest Type 2, or Kimber 4PR terminated jumpers for around $50 or so. The key for now is just do something.

You can debate the pluses and minuses of various cables at a later date, should you even care to - right now you should focus on getting the speakers working in your application.

Cheers,
Russ

[adam2434]

Yeah, a few short sections of speaker wire will get you up and running (see pic).

[michael_w]

Here's a bad photo of the original jumper.

[janmike]

Keep cutting it Michael; that is where they belong.