Banana Plugs, to do, or not to do...??

lessthanzero

Is changing the wiring of the speakers and amp from bare wire connections to banana plug really worth it? Some schools of thought indicate that bare wiring of both the speaker and amp is "more pure" and less prone to connection problems, however, the other school of thought is that the use of banana plugs facilitates "ease and speed" of connections, AND gives a better connection due to the physics of the banana plug itself. It seems that once you connect all of the wires it stays that way until an equipment change.
So, what say you.....??

gfong

I just did the whole Banana plug deal with my rig and I like the results. I can not comment on the sound quality + or - as I changed over to 14 gauge wire at the same time I did the plugs.
I do know for me, it looks better, is neater and cleaner looking, easy to take out and hook up it I ever have to move things around and the connections are secure.

lessthanzero

gfong wrote: »

I just did the whole Banana plug deal with my rig and I like the results. I can not comment on the sound quality + or - as I changed over to 14 gauge wire at the same time I did the plugs.
I do know for me, it looks better, is neater and cleaner looking, easy to take out and hook up it I ever have to move things around and the connections are secure.

Thanks for that info. I am really thinking of starting this project. What type of banana plugs did you use? Some think the "sawtooth" is better than the "standard" type....?? It has been suggested that the locking banana plugs would be best....again????

Outfitter03

I recently did my speaker setup. For my Fronts and Centers I used 10 gauge Belden wire and these Nanners

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=091-330

For my surrounds I used Monoprice 14 gauge and these Nanners from Monoprice.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040115&p_id=2801&seq=1&format=2

They both worked well. I used the side mount on the 10 gauge. It worked pretty slick. Sounds good to me and as I saw it a good way to start and I am not into this too much if I decide to later upgrade to manufactured cables.

Face

I'd rather use bare wire, or tinned ends instead of cheap connectors.

fbm211

Yeah,
Ya'll should get yourself some good pure copper or silver plated pure copper nanners.
Furez makes some good ones at a reasonable cost.
Better yet,get Eichmann silver bayonets if cost is not an issue.
Me,I think Ill be upgrading from the Furez nanners to the Xhadow banana plugs.Most of all because of thier 3 type connection option.IE: Solder/Set screw/solder and set screw.
Ill go with the set screw after reading about a potential loss of transperency using solder.

jinjuku

Outfitter03 wrote: »

I recently did my speaker setup. For my Fronts and Centers I used 10 gauge Belden wire and these Nanners

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=091-330

For my surrounds I used Monoprice 14 gauge and these Nanners from Monoprice.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040115&p_id=2801&seq=1&format=2

They both worked well. I used the side mount on the 10 gauge. It worked pretty slick. Sounds good to me and as I saw it a good way to start and I am not into this too much if I decide to later upgrade to manufactured cables.

While the monoprice banana jacks are cheap (as in money) they are also made cheaply. They entire body is made up of three parts. The issue is the tip screws in and has a propensity to loosen up. If they did a single piece top half body and tip then I could recommend them.

TNRabbit

Banana connectors are advantageous only for ease of switching. Properly tinned wires will give you fewers possible bad contacts.

decal

Try them and make up your own mind.After all,you are the one hearing your system not us.Just a thought.

lessthanzero

decal wrote: »

Try them and make up your own mind.After all,you are the one hearing your system not us.Just a thought.

You are right in that fact, however, I really want to know the true value, or not, the use of banana plugs. Does using a banana plug make the source sound better, or not, or the same. Then, there are so many manufactures of the plugs, which would provide the best cost to benefit ratio. I don't want cheap, but I don't want to spend too much either.
To all that have posted, thanks, I'm learning............

pitdogg2

the only reason I ever use spades or nanners is to get away from the corriosion of the bare wire

gp4jesus

If you never crank your system its likely you'll not notice the diff.
Tinned ends are a small improvement.
Either way, banana plugs have 10-100 times the surface area over the spring loaded clips that come w/ budget electronics* & speakers*. Its one of many places "they" save money @ the factory. That's why the better stuff* has 'em.

hearingimpared

Nanners - good ones. Mono price and Rat Shack are just too cheaply made.

greene1968

i like to run nanners..mainly to make it easy, but agree..the cheap ones suck

geebolt

I added bananas to the equipment side of my speaker cable as others have suggested for ease of switching out. I left bare wire connections at the speakers. It definitely makes it easier to move or change components and I did not notice any difference in sound quality. And also as others have suggested, get good ones!

George

kawizx9r

I personally use http://www.speakerrepair.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=locking

Just my personal preference. I don't like the thought of having bare wire hooked up to my speakers/amp, and I like that they're locking so they stay in place even if I picked my speakers up and moved them around.

-Freddy

lessthanzero

geebolt wrote: »

I added bananas to the equipment side of my speaker cable as others have suggested for ease of switching out. I left bare wire connections at the speakers. It definitely makes it easier to move or change components and I did not notice any difference in sound quality. And also as others have suggested, get good ones!

George

I was thinking of doing this just for the ease and security of the speaker wires at the receiver, with bare wire at the speaker end. There are a lot of folks who really do not like banana plugs and are huge advocates for bare wire only for the "pureness" of the wiring, then the advocates for banana plugs seem to mention the convenience of the use of the plugs during the changing, or working with, equipment, and I don't hear very much about sonic improvement. So, I may go half and half......

To all who have posted, a huge "thank you" to you. I have learned quite a lot from your experience........

fx20

I use Nakamichi plugs, they are available at http://www.nakamichiplug.com/product-0534E.html, they look nice, lighter than monoprice one, speaker cable stays in plug firmly. One downside of it is its unknown copper amount in the plug.

By the way, there are claim as these banana plugs would improve your listening experience. Just go and grab the affordable ones. My $0.02.

lessthanzero

fx20 wrote: »

I use Nakamichi plugs, they are available at http://www.nakamichiplug.com/product-0534E.html, they look nice, lighter than monoprice one, speaker cable stays in plug firmly. One downside of it is its unknown copper amount in the plug.

By the way, there are claim as these banana plugs would improve your listening experience. Just go and grab the affordable ones. My $0.02.

Thanks for that info and the link. I had read that the sawtooth banana plug was better than the "regular" type due to the fact that there is more of a surface contact. do you find that it stays firmly in the receiver? I was thinking of the locking type so it would not move if I were to pull the receiver off the shelf to make connections.

fx20

lessthanzero wrote: »

Thanks for that info and the link. I had read that the sawtooth banana plug was better than the "regular" type due to the fact that there is more of a surface contact. do you find that it stays firmly in the receiver? I was thinking of the locking type so it would not move if I were to pull the receiver off the shelf to make connections.

I use them on my UPA-1s and RT55i, they fix firmly in them. The cables also stay firmly compared to monoprice's.

gp4jesus

Naners also, as others said above, provide a tighter* connection than the spring loaded "BPs".
* The locking type even more so

Consider this: those spring loaders net you the surface area slightly greater than the edge of your finger nails.

I've had 10 & 12 gage wire fall out of the spring loaders. That's never happened to me w/naners. Higher quality nanners=better connection.

cheers tony

mole'

kawizx9r wrote: »

I personally use http://www.speakerrepair.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=locking

Just my personal preference. I don't like the thought of having bare wire hooked up to my speakers/amp, and I like that they're locking so they stay in place even if I picked my speakers up and moved them around.

-Freddy

i like the idea of those plugs

leadfoot1

I have bananas on all my surrounds and really like the convenience of them. I have had bare wire, bananas, and spades and have never noticed a difference in sound between any of them.

cstmar01

personally it just makes it easier when switching stuff in and out IMO. Spades are what I like on the amp end, unless its an AVR then its a pain in the butt to work with.

polkatese

After all of the problems dealing with tight spots in the back of my HT wall unit, nanners are the only option for me. Bare wire would be a disaster waiting to happen, and spade would be the same. Just don't have the clearance and reliability of nanners.

helipilotdoug

Recently I made a set of cables using locking banana plugs I got from Bluejeans cable.
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm
There are several brands that look exactly the same, and I have a feeling were all made by the same manufacturer in China. Pricing was fairly close, but the bluejeans price was the best. Anyway, they were easy to install, and seem to be of good quality. I had been using pins on a old set of cables on the mains for years, and bare wire for surrounds. The PITA factor made me search for a better way. I liked the idea of the banana plugs, and chose locking plugs for security. The quality of sound did improve quite a bit, but keep in mind I did replace the over 20 year old cables with heavier new cables, as well as going to the bananas. I am very happy with the way everything turned out using locking bananas,

HB27

I switch speakers like a woman switches shoes. Daily. Sometimes 3 or 4 times daily.
I use 'nanners myself.
I've used a lot of different types and a lot of high $ 'nanners.
I bought the Nakamichi which I can see no difference in the "collapse" factor. Not acceptable.
The upper end Monster. Not acceptable.
Parts Express many types. Not acceptable.
AQ Not acceptable.
And many of the "On Sale" bags of them.
I haven't tried all types but what i did find acceptable were some "PRO" 'nanners from IRC music here on the southside of Indy.
They have a PRO intatllation guy. "Joe". Joe makes up snakes, and all kinds of cables for pro applications.
I bought 4 'nanners from him about 5 years ago. They look like the plain jane silver taiwans but they've never lost tension and they've never backed off where the set screw holds them in place. They ARE silver and quality. I can only buy them as the Double Nanners and they're $5 each now.
I went back and bought 20 more of them after I saw how well they worked and the tension factor.
Use the silver and see if you have a pro shop around that makes up cables for concerts, shows, etc.
Banana plugs can be very convenient but can cause problems too with connections backing off and losing tension.
The pro plugs I scored are the only ones I'll use with my tube gear connections.

nooshinjohn

fx20 wrote: »

I use Nakamichi plugs, they are available at http://www.nakamichiplug.com/product-0534E.html, they look nice, lighter than monoprice one, speaker cable stays in plug firmly. One downside of it is its unknown copper amount in the plug.

By the way, there are claim as these banana plugs would improve your listening experience. Just go and grab the affordable ones. My $0.02.

It is an absolute tragedy that the great Nakamichi name has been reduced to this...


Not saying anything about their connectors, rather that to fall from building some of the most sought after and respected gear in the world to being purveyors of interconnects and banana plugs is one hell of a long way to fall.

helipilotdoug

John, I read somewhere, that Nakamichi does not make baqnana plugs. I saw it on some website somewhere. The author showed a email to him from Nakamichi saying they never have made any banana plugs, and if you see them, they are rip offs. I'll try to find that web page and post the link.

HB27

helipilotdoug wrote: »

John, I read somewhere, that Nakamichi does not make baqnana plugs. I saw it on some website somewhere. The author showed a email to him from Nakamichi saying they never have made any banana plugs, and if you see them, they are rip offs. I'll try to find that web page and post the link.

I've got some here that have Nakamichi logo's all over them. I'll see If I can find them and post pics. Bootlegs....I wouldn't doubt it. They're pretty cheap.

nooshinjohn

helipilotdoug wrote: »

John, I read somewhere, that Nakamichi does not make baqnana plugs. I saw it on some website somewhere. The author showed a email to him from Nakamichi saying they never have made any banana plugs, and if you see them, they are rip offs. I'll try to find that web page and post the link.

I would not doubt it... not to derail here but that the brand has fallen so far as to not be able to take down the fraudsters is just as bad. I loved the old Nakamichi gear.