About the Van den Hul Berri Bus 8.3 Connectors
The BERRI BUS is van den Hul's top of the range termination system for loudspeaker cables. It's colourful, built like a tank and offers the most secure and best sounding connection available.
The Berri Bus Connector is van den Hul's flagship connector and is suitable for use with the highest quality cable. It is available in Australia in two sizes - 6.5mm and 8.3mm. van den Hul CS-122 should be used with the 6.5mm version whilst D-352 & Magnum Hybrid and up requires the 8.3mm version. Two types of connectors are available with the Berri Bus system. A 4mm diameter Banana Plug or a 2mm thick Spade Connector. These are interchangeable and simply screw onto the end of the Berri Bus. These connectors require a degree of technical competence in order to fit them properly. They are not the cold-welded type but rather need to be soldered with high-quality solder and a industry standard soldering iron/heat gun. Our service department can do this for you at a nominal fee.
A Short History of Speaker Cable Connections
We just thought it would be a good idea to write a little about our experience with speaker cable and terminations which dates back to the mid 1960s as well as the reasons why connectors like Banana Plugs and Spade Terminals are no longer considered a luxury.
Of course, speaker wire or cable has been and will continue to be an important part of the audio video chain for the foreseeable future. You need speaker cable to connect between your Amplifier or A/V Home Theatre Receiver and your speakers. You can use bare wire, but this is the # 1 enemy to causing expensive damage to your Amplifier/Receiver. How so?
Up until the mid 1980's, most Amplifiers had a spring-clip connector and speaker cable was simple 18AWG to 24AWG (thin) stranded cable. It wasn't difficult to get it right although many did get it horribly wrong. Note: AWG stands for American Wire Gauge a USA standard for cable thickness.
We've seen plenty of people strip back even 50mm (should only be 8-12mm) of the insulation thus exposing lots of bare wire and danger! When the positive and negative "touch" disaster is only micro seconds away as well as a nasty burning smell from your precious Amplifier/Receiver!
As speaker cable came under the spotlight as a way of improving sound - Bob Low from AudioQuest was one of the first - and thicker cable was the first theory, a better way had to be found for connecting this thicker speaker cable. The first idea was thin brass pins that were crimped to the cable, and although an improvement, were tricky and often popped out of the spring connector - voice of experience here!
Spade Connectors: These had been around for many years in the electronics world and so the "smarties" among us started using these, particularly at the speaker end which often had thumb screws. However, these still only suited thin cable. So, not long after the brass pins came to market, so did some decent Spade Connectors.
Banana Plugs: Can only presume that somewhere in the electronics world many moons ago, someone decided to make a smaller version of the standard 'phone' or headphone jack. Size is 1/4" or 6.35mm. Today, even entry-level Amplifiers/Receivers have provision for Banana (4mm) plugs and although Spade Connectors and Banana Plugs are still optional - yes bare-wire is also still a choice you have - quality connectors are chosen by most of our customers because (1) they keep everything a lot tidier; (2) are easier to remove and relocate on equipment that needs to be moved and (3) of course minimise the risk of damage to your expensive electronics; (4) they're easy to install; (5) Both Spade Connectors and Banana Plugs have a larger surface area than bare-wire alone and so more of the 'electronic' signal passes from Amplifier to Speaker.
Note: Please don't conclude that all Banana Plugs are equal! There is an abundance of absolute rubbish and junk on the Internet. The 'external' springs loose tension in no time thus defeating one of the primary advantages of buying plugs in the first place. Sure, they're only $2.50 each, look like the real deal with Gold plating etc but you are wasting your money.
The quality 24ct gold plating on these van den Hul connectors also provide corrosion resistance which prevents poor signal transfer and potential damage to your equipment. They have been designed to work on all high-end brand speaker cables. In fact, using the right cables is the easiest way to instantly upgrade the sound quality of your system. The insulated "barrels" ensure correct phasing and help prevent accidental amplifier damage. They are robust and will deliver excellent results for decades.
Main Features & Specifications
- Universal modular (solder style) termination system for loudspeaker cables
- 24 carat gold plated parts (inner bus and terminals) to maintain the contact quality over long periods of intensive use and to keep oxidation away
- The banana and the angled spade (fork) screw-in terminals are WBT binding post fitting. Both offer excellent mating properties and minimal contact resistance
- Banana terminal (standard 4 mm pin) with caged spring contact section
- The Banana type 4mm screw-in terminals match the WBT binding post fitting
- The connectors offer excellent mating properties and minimal contact resistance
Installation
- The van den Hul Berri Bus connectors are not suitable for home installation because they require a heat gun rather than an ordinary soldering iron to terminate correctly. Our service department can do this for you at a nominal fee or free if you are purchasing at least 5 metres of compatible van den Hul speaker cable
- Please contact Audio Trends to enquire about getting your van den Hul cables terminated with Berri Bus connectors
- Alternatively, we have a range of terminated cables available for sale, including van den Hul, that can be found here
- If you do not find the exact length or type you are looking for please contact us and we can advise price and availability
Due to the internal 6.5mm dimension the Berri Bus connectors are not suitable for smaller cables such as van den Hul Clearwater. 6.5mm Berri Bus Connectors are recommended for the following van den Hul speaker cable: CS-122 Hybrid. Please note: van den Hul D-352 Hybrid: & Magnum Hybrid speaker cable require the larger 8.3mm Berri Bus connector.
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE