RTi A7's - What kind of plugs work, bannana or others?

myke
myke Posts: 138
edited November 2010 in Speakers
What kinda of plugs should I buy to plug into the RTI A7's? Do I have to use the bent/crooked ones? There seems to be a piece blocking where the plugs would go....what am I missing?:confused: Also, are monoprice bannana plugs worth thier cheap price or should I get monster? Any other brand suggestions are welcomed.
Bonus Room:
Pioneer Elite VSX-32
RTi A7's / CSi A6
DSW PRO 600 sub

Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

Samsung BD-C5500
Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

Living Room:
Samsung 58" PLasma
Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
old sony receiver (replacing soon)
Post edited by myke on
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Comments

  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited November 2010
    the center piece on the post pops out. i myself like bananas. i have tried the Monoprice one with their 12awg wire and it work good for me.

    have since upgraded to MIT wires and love them.

    don your flame suit for the monster ?

    if you have the extra $$$, look in the FM for some used MITs. you wont regret it
    mole'
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    Thanks Mole, I knew I was missing something with these speakers.....I hate to ask but just to be careful with my new babies, how do they pop out? Do you really notice a difference with the speaker wire and what bannana plugs are you using now? I have 14awg from monoprice right now but might be moving soon and will need new wires to work with a new rooms dimensions. The monster thing is b/c thats all i have from the stores around here.
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited November 2010
    myke wrote: »
    Thanks Mole, I knew I was missing something with these speakers.....I hate to ask but just to be careful with my new babies, how do they pop out? Do you really notice a difference with the speaker wire and what bannana plugs are you using now? I have 14awg from monoprice right now but might be moving soon and will need new wires to work with a new rooms dimensions. The monster thing is b/c thats all i have from the stores around here.

    i just use my fingernails to pop them out. i liked the monoprice speaker wire with the bananas. but once i hooked up the MIT AVt-3 and EXp-1 i saw/heard a big difference. well worth it IMO.
    mole'
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    Are all banana plugs copper w/24kt gold plated?
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,794
    edited November 2010
    Unscrew the plastic nuts, tap the nuts on the ground or whatever and watch the little plugs fall out.

    Copper oxidizes, you don't want them. Get the gold plated version.

    As for cable, the choices are almost endless. If you state a budget, you'll get better answers.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • messiah
    messiah Posts: 1,790
    edited November 2010
    Yeah, what F1 said. If you don't unscrew them, they might snap off inside. Also, my vote goes for locking bananas, especially if you have pets.
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    Benjamin Franklin, February 17th, 1775.

    "The day that I have to give up my constitutional rights AND let some dude rub my junk...well, let's just say that it's gonna be a real bad day for the dude trying to rub my junk!!"
    messiah, November 23rd, 2010
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    My budget is going to be modest at this point since i'm saving up for a rair of FXi A4 or A6 and then amps:biggrin:. If I can't do it right then I'd rather not even do it, its mostly for convenience and ensuring a good connection. I was considering the Dayton BASS-GRB Banana Plug Pair Set-Screw Type from parts express or the PAIR OF High-Quality Copper Speaker Banana Plugs - Closed Screw Type from monoprice. Both are fairly inexpensive since I need 10 pairs to start (I have some monsters from a previous setup). They're all gold plated but copper. Right now the wire I'm using is 14awg monoprice oxygen free and monster xp 16awg wire.
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • nhhiep
    nhhiep Posts: 877
    edited November 2010
    i don't use banana plugs, I would think that the connection is tighter if I just screw in the cable directly to the speaker. no?
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    Anyone have any preference on monoprice banana plugs vs parts express plugs?
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • messiah
    messiah Posts: 1,790
    edited November 2010
    I heard that the monoprice plugs are cheap crap. I use GLS locking nanners and they do a nice job.
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    Benjamin Franklin, February 17th, 1775.

    "The day that I have to give up my constitutional rights AND let some dude rub my junk...well, let's just say that it's gonna be a real bad day for the dude trying to rub my junk!!"
    messiah, November 23rd, 2010
  • B Run
    B Run Posts: 1,888
    edited November 2010
    nhhiep wrote: »
    i don't use banana plugs, I would think that the connection is tighter if I just screw in the cable directly to the speaker. no?

    People argue it both ways, I personally just use wire. However i'm on my 5th receiver so just for the ease of hooking up/unhooking I should have put bananas on at least the receiver side a long time ago.
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    so the gls's say they expand, .......they dont look like they have that bump on the middle that seems to make a snug fit. they look like av jacks??
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited November 2010
    i have had no issues with my monoprice banana plugs.
    mole'
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    Mole'

    Are your MIT AVt-3 and EXp-1 cables going between your receiver and amp or are those for your speakers? Kinda expensive too!
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,019
    edited November 2010
    Yes,they are expensive,but if you want the best, your gonna pay for it. If you just want good to very good,look at brands from Kimber,audioquest, PFC, or a ton of DIY'ers like Ben here on the forum. He can make you some cables fairly cheap and have excellant SQ. Really,just too many cable companys out there to name them all. Comes down to your ears and what you like. Take a peek at the sigs of some members here to get an idea of what we are using.
    HT SYSTEM-
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,794
    edited November 2010
    nhhiep wrote: »
    i don't use banana plugs, I would think that the connection is tighter if I just screw in the cable directly to the speaker. no?

    You'll never hear a difference, but banana plugs make it all so much easier.
    myke wrote:
    Are your MIT AVt-3 and EXp-1 cables going between your receiver and amp or are those for your speakers? Kinda expensive too!

    IMO, in the audio world MIT AVt-3 and EXp-1 cables are fairly inexpensive, especially for what you get.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."


    President of Club Polk

  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited November 2010
    myke wrote: »
    Mole'

    Are your MIT AVt-3 and EXp-1 cables going between your receiver and amp or are those for your speakers? Kinda expensive too!

    speaker wires

    Front room rig
    AVt-3 for my SDAs
    EXp-1 for my CSia6

    bedroom rig
    EXp-1 for my RTi10s
    EXp-1 for my CSi5

    im using Audioquest (king cobras and sidewinders) and Monoprice for my ICs


    if your looking for a great deal on MITs, hit up Joe. 1-520-867-8072

    just tell him you saw someone posting about it on here.

    he gives awesome deals.
    mole'
  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited November 2010
    tonyb wrote: »
    Yes,they are expensive,but if you want the best, your gonna pay for it. If you just want good to very good,look at brands from Kimber,audioquest, PFC, or a ton of DIY'ers like Ben here on the forum. He can make you some cables fairly cheap and have excellant SQ. Really,just too many cable companys out there to name them all. Comes down to your ears and what you like. Take a peek at the sigs of some members here to get an idea of what we are using.

    i have seen good reviews on Bens cables. i wanna hear them in person.
    mole'
  • mole'
    mole' Posts: 3,160
    edited November 2010
    F1nut wrote: »
    You'll never hear a difference, but banana plugs make it all so much easier.



    IMO, in the audio world MIT AVt-3 and EXp-1 cables are fairly inexpensive, especially for what you get.

    i just got tired of messing with just the wires. Banana make it soooooooooooo much easier IMO

    and Yes when i first got my MITs i was like man these are kinda pricey, now im looking at upgrading again to higher up 4 figure $$ cables cause i like them so much. when that mod bug bites, it hurts.............



    man i so need to multi quote next time....
    mole'
  • PrazVT
    PrazVT Posts: 1,606
    edited November 2010
    One thing about banana plugs - I'm using Audioquest cables for the fronts and have the screw type bananas from monoprice. I saw on best buy.com that Audioquest had their own plugs (though local stores didn't have 'em in stock), that seemed to work differently. Right now, I'm just connecting all the amps / speakers w/ the bare wire.

    Any idea how these work?
    ALL BOXED UP for a while until I save up for a new place :(

    Home Theater:
    KEF Q900s / MIT Shotgun S3 / MIT CVT2 ICs | KEF Q600C | Polk FXi5 | BJC Wire | Signal / AQ ICs | Shunyata / Pangea PCs | Pioneer Elite SC 57 | Parasound NC2100 Pre | NAD M25 | Marantz SA8001 | Schiit Gungnir DAC | SB Touch

    2 Channel:
    Polk LSi9 (xo mods), Polk DSW MicroPro 2000 sub | NAD c375BEE | W4S DAC1 | SB Touch | Marantz SA-8001 | MIT AVt 2 | Kimber Hero / AQ / Signal ICs | Shunyata / Signal PCs
  • messiah
    messiah Posts: 1,790
    edited November 2010
    PrazVT wrote: »
    One thing about banana plugs - I'm using Audioquest cables for the fronts and have the screw type bananas from monoprice. I saw on best buy.com that Audioquest had their own plugs (though local stores didn't have 'em in stock), that seemed to work differently. Right now, I'm just connecting all the amps / speakers w/ the bare wire.

    Any idea how these work?

    I wouldn't buy them from worst buy. Here's a pair from another (very good) company for the same price.

    http://www.needledoctor.com/Audioquest-CF-BFA-Banana-Jack-2-Pair-Plus-Wrench
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    Benjamin Franklin, February 17th, 1775.

    "The day that I have to give up my constitutional rights AND let some dude rub my junk...well, let's just say that it's gonna be a real bad day for the dude trying to rub my junk!!"
    messiah, November 23rd, 2010
  • messiah
    messiah Posts: 1,790
    edited November 2010
    myke wrote: »
    so the gls's say they expand, .......they dont look like they have that bump on the middle that seems to make a snug fit. they look like av jacks??

    When you tighten the jacket by turning it clockwise the banana section (which is actually 4 pieces) expands and locks the connector into place.
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    Benjamin Franklin, February 17th, 1775.

    "The day that I have to give up my constitutional rights AND let some dude rub my junk...well, let's just say that it's gonna be a real bad day for the dude trying to rub my junk!!"
    messiah, November 23rd, 2010
  • PrazVT
    PrazVT Posts: 1,606
    edited November 2010
    I wouldn't buy them from worst buy. Here's a pair from another (very good) company for the same price.

    http://www.needledoctor.com/Audioque...ir-Plus-Wrench

    Nice - thanks messiah!
    ALL BOXED UP for a while until I save up for a new place :(

    Home Theater:
    KEF Q900s / MIT Shotgun S3 / MIT CVT2 ICs | KEF Q600C | Polk FXi5 | BJC Wire | Signal / AQ ICs | Shunyata / Pangea PCs | Pioneer Elite SC 57 | Parasound NC2100 Pre | NAD M25 | Marantz SA8001 | Schiit Gungnir DAC | SB Touch

    2 Channel:
    Polk LSi9 (xo mods), Polk DSW MicroPro 2000 sub | NAD c375BEE | W4S DAC1 | SB Touch | Marantz SA-8001 | MIT AVt 2 | Kimber Hero / AQ / Signal ICs | Shunyata / Signal PCs
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    Thanks for all the help and insight guys, this thread has turned into more than I thought!! It sems like if I want something good i'm going o have to pay more than a monoprice price:( Now I have to decide if I spend on bananas or keep saving better surrounds and an AMP. But if I get the amps I had better have good connections otherwise i'm wasting the amp, man this is costly.
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • cnoat
    cnoat Posts: 315
    edited November 2010
    messiah wrote: »
    I heard that the monoprice plugs are cheap crap. I use GLS locking nanners and they do a nice job.

    +1 on GLS
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  • kawizx9r
    kawizx9r Posts: 5,150
    edited November 2010
    Another vote for GLS locking banana plugs.

    Here's a closeup pic

    SNV13205.jpg

    If you screw the outer ring (the dark grey one) torwards the speaker/plug, it'll make the center plug expand and pretty much lock itself inside your speaker's binding post. Since using locking plugs, I never went back to standard ones.
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    heiney9 wrote: »
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  • messiah
    messiah Posts: 1,790
    edited November 2010
    myke wrote: »
    Thanks for all the help and insight guys, this thread has turned into more than I thought!! It sems like if I want something good i'm going o have to pay more than a monoprice price:( Now I have to decide if I spend on bananas or keep saving better surrounds and an AMP. But if I get the amps I had better have good connections otherwise i'm wasting the amp, man this is costly.

    50 bucks for high quality locking nanners at both the amp end and speaker end of a 5 channel system is pretty darn cheap Myke!

    http://www.amazon.com/GLS-Audio-Locking-Generation-Connector/dp/B000O8AHLA
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    Benjamin Franklin, February 17th, 1775.

    "The day that I have to give up my constitutional rights AND let some dude rub my junk...well, let's just say that it's gonna be a real bad day for the dude trying to rub my junk!!"
    messiah, November 23rd, 2010
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    Yeah looking at the gls's right now and they're not all that expensive. I had never heard of them till this post. So many options, this rabbit hole keeps getting deeper! Kawizx9r thanks for the pic, pics always make it easier to unserstand. And they look like they can handle 12awg much less 14awg, what kinda wires are they (they lookk nice too)? The bananas look like they have such a small male piece compared to other I just wanna make sure they'll fit my RTi A7's, which i'm sure they will.
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • myke
    myke Posts: 138
    edited November 2010
    Man i feel stupid, I just popped out the plugs on my RTi A7's coverings where the bananas would go.......easily. I read a lot of peoples post i other sites that seem to think audioquest is misleading and scientificly false. Anyone agree or disagree?
    Bonus Room:
    Pioneer Elite VSX-32
    RTi A7's / CSi A6
    DSW PRO 600 sub

    Emotiva XPA-5 & Interconnects
    Sony Surrounds (rears) - replacing soon

    Samsung BD-C5500
    Panamax M5300, Xbox360, ...& more coming

    Living Room:
    Samsung 58" PLasma
    Monoprice in-ceiling speakers
    old sony receiver (replacing soon)
  • messiah
    messiah Posts: 1,790
    edited November 2010
    audioquest is misleading and scientificly false

    I've heard things like that before, but can't say if there's any truth to that. I have very limited experience with AQ, and that was their entry level stuff so other than build quality I can't speak for the cables or the company. The cables that I tried were built well though.

    As for the small male piece, we all know it gets bigger when you play with it :eek:

    It expands when you tighten up the outer sleeve which is what causes it to lock. It will work just fine on your Rti A7's.
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
    Benjamin Franklin, February 17th, 1775.

    "The day that I have to give up my constitutional rights AND let some dude rub my junk...well, let's just say that it's gonna be a real bad day for the dude trying to rub my junk!!"
    messiah, November 23rd, 2010