Grit dog, funny the difference in generations! We just put cassette players in with oversized Craig rear speakers and we thought we were cutting edge. Easton and I are installing his stereo this week.. this old guy trying to understand all this amp and sub woofer stuff is crazy… seems like overkill in a old square body but it’s his project and money.. I learned what a Ferrell was this week though..
Did you also learn the main reason NOT to use ferrules? We used to debate this with clients that didn't like the look of several speaker wires coming through a hole in a wall plate. They wanted us to shorten the wires, connect them to a plate with connectors on the back and then use connectors on both ends of the wire going from the plate to the speakers or the back of the stereo receiver.
The most simple analogy we could get them to visualize and understand, was to ask them if they cut their garden hose into several pieces, and then tape it back together again, does that make the hose work better. The next question, do you want your audio system to sound the best it can, or do you want to spend extra money for parts and labor that no one will ever see, that degrades the sound that you paid good money for.
The science comes down to contact area, fine stranded (quality) audio wire makes the best connection when properly stripped so individual strands are not removed while stripping the wire, then inserted in connector and properly tightened. EVERY extra connection you put between the amp and speaker that is un-necessary, degrades the sound. Every connector you put between amp and speaker is another opportunity for a marginal connection. Every time you change your signal path from stranded wire to solid conductor and back again, you alter the signal, and not in a good way.
That's my 2 cent opinion based on more than 40 years of high end audio/video installation and repair. On high end installs we use a liquid that you apply to the wire before inserting it into the connector to enhance the connection, more surface contact.
