Because I’ve used both for so many years and never noticed the slightest difference. In either case, the most important thing is full contact for the termination method used which is ideally made by cold forging, a method which pretty much rules out user installation. Can't find what you are looking for on "Do It Yourself " DIY Banana Connectors or have a question? Some purists go so far as to eliminate the mechanical interface altogether by soldering their speaker wires directly to the amplifier outputs, but this is definitely on the extreme side and inconvenient to say the least. A short walk across the bridge brings you into Lambertville, NJ. Which is better - Spade lugs, banana plugs, or bare wire for speaker connections? The only good solution to this is a locking banana plug. Audiophile Review. But I can survive $4.50 bucks each for bananas. I use Mogami 3103 for my speaker cabling, nothing fancy. I use Kimber 8tc, which is thick and stiff. I say any of the above methods can offer comparable sound quality, as long as care is taken to maximize contact area and pressure and all mechanical contacts are kept clean of course. Quite simply they are the peak performers and demonstrate the highest quality. Magnepan would be the most notable exception, offering only banana plug connections for their planar speakers (in a nutshell, the big maggies (3.7Rs) are a fantastic speaker, but wouldn’t be right for my room.) But more importantly, the pressure of the junction is limited to the amount of outward force created by the spring effect of the bent metal, whereas with spades one can impart far more pressure on the junction, which can offer higher conductance. This goes back to physics 101 in regard to contact resistance and it’s relation to the surface area as well as the pressure imparted upon the mechanical junction. Second best would be a high quality solder connection (just like inside the amplifiers themselves), and a distant third would be user-installed mechanical connection, such as spades with screws on them or banana plugs with screw down connections on the wire. One problem with many banana plugs, and the reason why they have a dubious reputation in the audiophile community, is that they can be slightly loose or become so with repeated use. These are specially… And, to further cloud the discussion, manufacturers of both power amplifiers and speakers that are some of the best I’ve ever heard seem to differ on this subject, although most offer both options. Even when new, their tolerances can vary just enough to prevent a reassuring connection. Whether you are looking for cutting-edge emerging technology, practical easy-to-use products or have questions about a product, technology or consumer electronics industry in general… let us know, we’d love to talk with you and help in any way we can. (in a nutshell, the big maggies (3.7Rs) are a fantastic speaker, but wouldn’t be right for my room. For over 25 years The Cable Company has been known as expert industry specialists in the audiophile, home audio / video, mobile (on-the-go) audio and Pro audio markets. With the help of Monoprice 24k Gold Plated Banana Plugs, the speaker installation will be a breeze. In fact, if it would be far better not to terminate your wire at all and properly connect the bare wire than to add an inferior user-installed banana or spade termination. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. They are called so because they have slightly curved shapes like bananas. The banana plug must be a side screw type. Why? JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Cable, Component and High-End Headphone Library, SureGrip 300 BFA Banana Connector (Set of 4), Crimp BFA Banana Connector (Set of 4) - Silver. Can't find what you are looking for on "Do It Yourself " DIY Banana Connectors or. Connect with our Audio Gurus at 800-FATWYRE or 215-862-4870 or Send email or use Contact form. All of the products that you will find on our site are products that have proven to be the best of the thousands of consumer electronics products we carry. The quest for some bang for the buck in interconnects and speaker cables, Turntables, phono cartridges, phono stages. The banana plugs are the useful things to make a connection between the audio speakers and the amplifiers. By contrast most spade terminations, even when user installed, are soldered. BEKER Banana Plug Socket Connector Speaker Binding Post Audiophile Gold Plated Pure Copper Amplifier Speaker Terminal Connector Banana Jack Sound Audio Connector Adapter Audio Video Cable Plugs . For the users who have a stereo system or for those who want to tinker with the electronics stuff, it is a beneficial thing to know about the speaker banana plugs. So I’m gonna come straight out the gate by saying that I’ve never done any listening tests on this one, and I probably never will. Product Feature: 1: Solid copper guide column, large current output.The surface is treated with gold plating, good contact and strong oxidation resistance. Yes I will agree on that and to pretty much all of the audiophile boutique cable companies. Thanks Thouston, Oct 18, 2017 #1. timztunz Audioista. So my discussions herein are based upon theory rather than empirical discoveries. Also, many banana plugs are user-installed with some sort of a screw on system that is highly prone to error, meaning you could have 12 AWG wire with a weak link of just a few strands at the banana plug. We are located in Union Square, New Hope, PA, next to the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad and not far from the Bucks County Playhouse, and Washington's Crossing. Magnepan would be the most notable exception, offering only banana plug connections for their planar speakers (in a nutshell, the big maggies (3.7Rs) are a fantastic speaker, but wouldn’t be right for my room.) Follow ... You can't deny that one of the most contentious audiophile hot buttons is whether interconnect and speaker cable does or doesn't make an audible difference. Please enter your email below and we will send you a new password. The folks at Zu Audio (The quest for some bang for the buck in interconnects and speaker cables) favor spade connections whenever possible, and I agree with them in theory. Audiophile Review. If you look at the photo of a banana plug termination you will notice that it likely offers less surface area than that of one made with a spade. You can login using your Facebook account. DID YOU KNOW: We try to make most of our products available for in-home audition through our Cable, Component and High-End Headphone Library.The only Library of its kind.