The pin connectors at Radio Shack have slight "notches" along their length (like those utility knives that you snap off when they get dull and expose a fresh point). Are they designed like that on purpose? I ask because they look awfully long (upwards of an inch) for what I percieve to be the free space inside the jack, and my immediate thought was, "Oh, you just snap off the excess." But immediate thoughts like that have gotten me in trouble before!
I believe they are like that so they will not pull out of the sping clip so easily. Personally I would just shove the bare wire in there. Bare wire would have a much larger contact area. -Dave
Those notches are for the spring-clips to grab onto. Some people put their receiver up at the top of their rack (for ventlation) and they hang 4-6 feet of 12 ga speaker wire from each spring clip. A solid pin would have nothing to grab onto and would pull out. So no, dont break them off.
This is how dumb home theater enthusiasts become smart home theater enthusiasts. Thanks, Bob (and Dave, too)!
Robert, The only real reason to use pins, IMO, is of your speaker wire is too large to fit in the spring clips. As Dave noted, bare wire has a larger contact area and is the preferable method, if practical. Regards, Wayne A. Pflughaupt
