NAD and Spade Terminals

that’s a very versatile unit.

From it’s manual, it takes bare wires; spades; or pins. Pins are smaller than banana plugs, if that is what they really are.

file:///C:/Users/ellio/Desktop/NAD%20C316BEE.pdf

"SPEAKERS: Always use heavy duty (16 gauge; 1.5mm, or thicker) stranded wire to connect loudspeakers to your C 316BEE.

The high-current binding post terminals can be used as a screw terminal for cables terminating in spade or pin sockets or for cables with bare wire ends. •

The C 316BEE is designed to produce optimum sound quality when connected to speakers with impedances within its operating range. Please make sure that all the speakers are rated 4 ohms minimum per speaker."

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Meaning: your speaker’s impedance can be higher than 4, that the curve should not dip below 4 ohms as it varies thru the frequency range. Many ’nominally’ 4 ohm speakers dip below 4, that’s why they include that caution.

I appreciate the effort but I’m afraid that it’s been no help. Yes, in the manual, NAD says that they take spades. Elsewhere , they describe them as “five-way” binding posts. Plus, it’s just hard to imagine that they wouldn’t take spades. But when I unscrew the posts, all I see is plastic. A plastic post running through the terminal and plastic fore and aft to theoretically hold the spade in shaft. 

I say “theoretically” because even if I wanted to put a spade into place, the plastic post is way too thick for any spade that I’ve ever seen.

Maybe there’s a real piece metal underneath that plastic for a spade to hold on to. Still, it would be very unusual that the pieces that hold the spade in place wouldn’t be metal. This is the site of all the contact that are supposed to make spades all that. But to see any metal, I’m going to have to force some of this plastic off, and I’m very hesitant to do that. 

Finally, this is the kind of thing that NAD is supposed to be so good at. No frills but sturdy basic equipment. I’ve got to believe that this trouble lies with me, not my stars.

And the answer is . . .

It can't be done. Some crazy European safety regulation forbids spade terminals. They're legal in the U.S. but NAD just makes one version for everywhere so they have to make them spade-proof. Well, at least it's not just me.

The world just gets better and better with each passing moment. You can almost feel it happening.

That is strange. This is from the owners manual!

6 SPEAKERS • Connect the right speaker to the terminals marked “R +” and “R-” ensuring that the “R+” is connected to the “+” terminal on your loudspeaker and the “R-” is connected to the loudspeaker’s “-” terminal. Connect the terminals marked “L+” and “L-” to the left speaker in the same way. • Always use heavy duty (16 gauge; 1.5mm, or thicker) stranded wire to connect loudspeakers to your C 316BEE. The high-current binding post terminals can be used as a screw terminal for cables terminating in spade or pin sockets or for cables with bare wire ends. • The C 316BEE is designed to produce optimum sound quality when connected to speakers with impedances within its operating range. Please make sure that all the speakers are rated 4 ohms minimum per speaker. 7 AC POWER CORD

I know. I've got a copy. EU must have put the regulations in place after the manual was printed. Or something. Maybe the law applies only to me, just to bust my balls.