Stinger Shoc-Krome 16/18 Gauge Barrier Fork Spades

This has to be the most difficult thing I have ever tried to find, at least for this upgrade, lol.  When I started the stereo install on the M10 I figured this would be the most simplistic.  What we are looking at is a simple, spade connector.  I have a lot of these generic spades, but when you've done your stereo upgrade correctly you don't want to skimp on the last connectors. 

These connectors are what will run from your Amp's output (gold plated with set-screw necessitating the #10 spade opening) to your 16 gague speaker wire that will run to the new, upgraded spakers.

If you buy speaker wire for your home or car audio it is almost guaranteed to be 16 gauge.  12 or 14 gauge isn't really necessary unless you are really pushing some power, or have a long distance to travel.

You want speaker connections to be gold plated, or in ths case Shoc-Krome.  Stinger is literally the only place I have been able to find these things...Crutchfield doesn't even advertise them past 12 gauge.  All my local shops have 12 gauge.  Why do none of them carry 16 gauge connectors?  The funny thing is, especially locally, if you asked for speaker wire they would sell you 16 gauge! 

Sometimes I just have to question the logic of retailers and manufacturers.

This past weekend I was in Dallas and hit up DFW Stereo.  I told them what they needed and they handed me a pack of 12 gauge connectors!  The issue here is I can't go to an electrical supply outift and buy them because although they have the spade connectors, they won't have the special plating on them we are looking to obtain.

Luckily, a lady at DFW Stereo scrounged around in a Plano tray and painstakingly picked me out about 10 of them, with the boots...gold plated as well.  She said $2, the guy in the shop wanted $20...then she said I told him $2.  He said it was worth double $2 (how is that $20 again?), and told me to pay what I thought it was worth.  I gave him $5. 

Some were bent, some didn't have good looking boots, but I got them...They really are a nice group there.  I'm not sure if the two talking that night (this was like 8 PM on Wednesday night btw) are married or what, but they try to be helpful and are kind of funny to talk to...He had just gotten a load of subwoofers in and was trying to sell me some.

Nonetheless, I got what I was looking for and can't complain.  I found the item (finally) on Amazon and they don't even have enough for 3 speakers. 


I would suggest you start your hunt now, or buy the larger speaker wire (even though it is total overkill for most of us).  I checked a few of the top sites and this was either unavailable or out-of-stock.  Guess I got lucky.