WARNING about 4mm plugs

[Sound Hound]

Hi Frederik,

This question is for you ! On the the rear panel of Tundr amps is a warning -"Do not use individual 4mm plugs". I have to confess to not understanding this warning - how could you NOT use individual 4mm plugs to connect the speakers? I'd be grateful for your explanation as to what this warning refers to. Thankyou !

[lejonklou]

Hi Sound Hound!

I've followed Naim's example on this one. There's an EU directive that says banana connectors should not be used on electrical equipment, because they can be pulled out and (presumably by a child) inserted into a mains outlet, causing an accident.

Like Naim, I made a connector with two bananas that are held together with a laminate, making them one piece, which can't be inserted into a mains outlet. Other manufacturers switched to BFA connectors, which are inverted bananas, or to connectors which take spades or bare wire. Often there's still a banana hole in the latter ones, but some manufacturers block them with a rubber plug, which the owner can easily remove and then use bananas anyway.

So in short all these options are ways to make the customer responsible instead of the manufacturer.

[Sound Hound]

Thankyou Frederik - I never would have figured this out in a million years !! ; -)

[Peter Lanky]

It would be so much safer if Europe has sensible plugs/sockets like we do in the UK. ;)

[andyplanck]

Hi Sound Hound!

I've followed Naim's example on this one. There's an EU directive that says banana connectors should not be used on electrical equipment, because they can be pulled out and (presumably by a child) inserted into a mains outlet, causing an accident.

Like Naim, I made a connector with two bananas that are held together with a laminate, making them one piece, which can't be inserted into a mains outlet. Other manufacturers switched to BFA connectors, which are inverted bananas, or to connectors which take spades or bare wire. Often there's still a banana hole in the latter ones, but some manufacturers block them with a rubber plug, which the owner can easily remove and then use bananas anyway.

So in short all these options are ways to make the customer responsible instead of the manufacturer.

Swedish comedian Hasse Alfredssons son Mats died of exactly this, bananaplugs in a wallsocket.