Banana plugs

EndersShadow

So I am looking to purchase a nice new set of decent Banana plugs for my setup (wire is coming later but more than likely 2 10 foot runs of 14/4 CL2 and 14/2 regular). Specifically these bananas will be for my front 3. I am needing exactly 20 plugs for the fronts. I am specifically looking for the screw type plugs (rules out the monoprice ones) so I can get some nice wire, tin the ends and sleeve the wires.

Here are what I am looking at: I found some Parts Express banana plugs and some GLS banana plugs (both locking and not). Apparently the Dayton & Parts Express plugs are basically the same as Audioquest plugs just under a different name and sold online. The GLS plugs look much more attractive and seem to be a little better in regards to quality. There is obviously a price difference between these as well, but I am trying to mess of good banana's and then be done lol..

I was just curious as to what you guys thought on either 3 sets, specifically if the locking ones work as advertised:

Links:
Parts Express
GLS Black Chrome
GLS locking

EndersShadow

Also adding NAKAMICHI locking banana's to the list. They might be easier to put heat-shrink on due to the large overlap on the bottom

jinjuku

EndersShadow wrote: »

Also adding NAKAMICHI locking banana's to the list. They might be easier to put heat-shrink on due to the large overlap on the bottom

That's a decent price on the Nak's. They are the same as the GLS. Also check out Knukonceptz

Upstatemax

I have the GLS locking plugs and i'm very happy with them.

DON73

I have some of the ones offered by Parts Express and they work ok but the GLS locking looks as if they have more depth for heavy wire and two fairly large locking screws.

EndersShadow

Yeah in looking at the locking kind its actually one screw for the wire and another screw for the jacket.

I like the GLS locking kind but since I am possibly going to cover the end with heatshrink it would potentially cover up if its the positive or negative. For that reason I am debating the GLS Black Chrome set or these Nakamichi. The Nak's are nice in that they have the connector type I am leaning toward and they have two screws as well.

The GLS locking could work if I purchased red and black heatshrink to differentiate the negative and positive connectors, but not sure if I want to deal with that or not....

In regards to looks the GLS's look much much better, but if I am going to spend ~ 1-2 bucks a foot on CL 14/4 speaker wire I want to make sure I am getting a good steady connection. How much difference if any will there be with the different type of connectors? The Nak's are probably going to make more contact than the GLS Black Chrome set.

Does that matter/will it make a noticeable difference in sound?

virtualdean

EndersShadow wrote: »

So I am looking to purchase a nice new set of decent Banana plugs for my setup wires.


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you wont go wrong with the GLS lockables..
Just to add another option on some good looking lockable bananas..:

"Locking" Banana Plugs:
Fastens to wire using set screws;
"locking" collar tightens plug to binding post.
Item Price
Locking Banana plugs, Gold-plated, red/black pair 5.25

Blue Jeans Cable.

EndersShadow

virtualdean wrote: »

you wont go wrong with the GLS lockables..
Just to add another option on some good looking lockable bananas..:

"Locking" Banana Plugs:
Fastens to wire using set screws;
"locking" collar tightens plug to binding post.
Item Price
Locking Banana plugs, Gold-plated, red/black pair 5.25

Blue Jeans Cable.

Do they sell them by themselves? I looked at Blue Jeans Cable and debated just buying my wire from them totally done since they can weld the connectors on.

My problem is that my L&R are bi-amped using my Carver so I need 4 locking RCA per side so I can connect them right.

I dont see that they have that option available.

ben62670

The GLS are the best ones. They are easier to secure the wire. The locking models need to be adjusted before you insert them in the post which is no big deal. The PE ones suck. They don't have sufficient area to grab them for insertion and the set screw is too far forward.

EndersShadow

ben62670 wrote: »

The GLS are the best ones. They are easier to secure the wire. The locking models need to be adjusted before you insert them in the post which is no big deal.

Which GLS, the locking or black chrome model?

ben62670 wrote: »

The PE ones suck. They don't have sufficient area to grab them for insertion and the set screw is too far forward.

Thats good to know and one reason I started the thread before I purchased any of em lol....

Also found these fella's which will save me some trouble

ben62670

Both the GLS's work fine. The locking models are very strong. The "petal" style is good, but if the cable gets a good yank, or you step on it the petals will bend over.

EndersShadow

ben62670 wrote: »

Both the GLS's work fine. The locking models are very strong. The "petal" style is good, but if the cable gets a good yank, or you step on it the petals will bend over.

I am debating just going w/ the Black chrome ones and then just tinning the end of the wire and filling in the rest of the cavity with solder once I tighten down the wire. i figure that would give me the best contact with the wire.

It also looks like the middle piece at the back end (end on the speaker wire jacket) can be clamped down to keep the wire from pulling back out....

I also ordered those speaker pants from parts express. I am just debating now if I go with 14/4 or 12/4 for everything for the wire.....

ben62670

The Canare S411 is a great wire and is only $1.29 a foot.

EndersShadow

ben62670 wrote: »

The Canare S411 is a great wire and is only $1.29 a foot.

Will one run do 2 terminals for bi-amping? I was debating going with Audioquest 14/4 or 12/4 so I can do one run per bi-amped speaker.

I also just learned that I have a diameter of 11mm for the wire itself before it splits and then each of the 4 wires has a diameter limit of 4mm.

Will that wire work with those specifications?

I ordered these from parts express: bi-amp pants, regular pants

but I cancelled and go with these: bi-amp pants, regular pants

ben62670

You can BiAmp with those cables. Did you actually mean BiWire?

EndersShadow

ben62670 wrote: »

You can BiAmp with those cables. Did you actually mean BiWire?

Good because I did mean bi-amp (not technically correct usage since its still off one amp). I am running a 5 channel amp to power my front 3 speakers. I have channel 1 & 2 going to my left, channel 3 going to center, and channel 4 & 5 going to right.

I plan to make one nice set of bi-amp wires for my fronts and a nice set of regular wires for my center.

Then if I go back to just good old regular wires I will make a set of that for my fronts with some custom jumpers

virtualdean

EndersShadow wrote: »

Do they sell them by themselves? I looked at Blue Jeans Cable and debated just buying my wire from them totally done since they can weld the connectors on.

My problem is that my L&R are bi-amped using my Carver so I need 4 locking RCA per side so I can connect them right.

I dont see that they have that option available.

Its there..just slow down..

*Banana plugs on our terminated speaker cables are Ultrasonically-Welded;*

Canare 4S11 Speaker Cable, Terminated;
...about 37.75 for one 8 foot cable.
you can use the calculator there to price the length you desire.

good luck on whatever you choose.

kawizx9r

These are the plugs that Ben is referring to.

They've been around the block (got them as a karma) and even now still hold on pretty damn tight on my speakers' binding post.

EndersShadow

virtualdean wrote: »

Its there..just slow down..

*Banana plugs on our terminated speaker cables are Ultrasonically-Welded;*

Canare 4S11 Speaker Cable, Terminated;
...about 37.75 for one 8 foot cable.
you can use the calculator there to price the length you desire.

good luck on whatever you choose.

I swear I am not smoking crack on this. The only options I see are banana to bi-banana (or bi-banana to unterminated). I need 4 banana to 4 banana so I can run two channels of my amp off the wire.

I am not looking to run 2 cables to each speaker but one cable w/ 4 connectors on it. The Canare wire might work but I couldnt get it pre-terminated (which would be nice since ultra sonically welded is as good as it gets) as 4 connectors on each side is not an option I see. I also am debating going w/ 12 gauge wire as well since I want to do one pair of these cables and just be done lol...

kawizx9r wrote: »

These are the plugs that Ben is referring to.

They've been around the block (got them as a karma) and even now still hold on pretty damn tight on my speakers' binding post.

Yeah I am leaning toward those or the Black Chrome kind. I am calling the hi-fi shop I was going to get my wire from to see if I can get some measurements for the outer diameter of the wire w/ insulation and also the diameter of each wire.

I found some sexy speaker wire pants from PartsExpress that have spec's on what the wire that will fit in is. In addition on the Black Chrome connectors the hole is 6mm in diameter and it will clamp a bit on the back end.

I like the locking kind, I just dont like the gold on the back end which I was thinking about covering up with heat-shrink. The problem with that is the marker showing the polarity of the cable is located back there and it would more than likely be covered.

virtualdean

EndersShadow wrote: »

I swear I am not smoking crack on this. The only options I see are banana to bi-banana (or bi-banana to unterminated). I need 4 banana to 4 banana so I can run two channels of my amp off the wire.

Clipped from BJC webpage speaker cables tab

Canare 4S11 Cable:

Canare 4S11 is a "star quad" 14-gauge cable, with four conductors together in one outer gray jacket; it is popular for bi-wiring (where the speaker crossover is bypassed and separate wires run to each of four speaker terminals).

I don't know why you don't see it. ????

Best bet is to email them or call them. They wont bite.

Good luck.

EndersShadow

virtualdean wrote: »

Clipped from BJC webpage speaker cables tab

Canare 4S11 Cable:

Canare 4S11 is a "star quad" 14-gauge cable, with four conductors together in one outer gray jacket; it is popular for bi-wiring (where the speaker crossover is bypassed and separate wires run to each of four speaker terminals).

I don't know why you don't see it. ????

Best bet is to email them or call them. They wont bite.

Good luck.

HEHEHE I think we have some slight confusion. I see that and have seen that from the start :rolleyes:. What I am saying is while I can purchase that wire without banana's or spades, I cannot purchase it with them. If I purchased from them the whole point would be to get the cables totally finished rather than having to terminate them myself since they sell locking banana's and could cold weld them on the end.

The wire I am looking at otherwise is Audioquest FLX 14/4 CL3 wire. I dont know if the Canare 4S11 is better or not, but the Audioquest is only a short drive away and its 1.25 a foot rather than 1.39, so I save a couple bucks.

I added a couple pics to show what I am talking about

slammin86

I just ordered the gls safe banana plugs today. I cannot wait to get them.

virtualdean

EndersShadow wrote: »

HEHEHE I think we have some slight confusion. I see that and have seen that from the start :rolleyes:. What I am saying is while I can purchase that wire without banana's or spades, I cannot purchase it with them. If I purchased from them the whole point would be to get the cables totally finished rather than having to terminate them myself since they sell locking banana's and could cold weld them on the end.

The wire I am looking at otherwise is Audioquest FLX 14/4 CL3 wire. I dont know if the Canare 4S11 is better or not, but the Audioquest is only a short drive away and its 1.25 a foot rather than 1.39, so I save a couple bucks.

I added a couple pics to show what I am talking about

I'm still confused...You can buy the wire and the lockable connections separate and do it yourself, or you can buy them terminated...What other way is there?

Never mind. I'm glad you got it figured out. I'm sure your choice will work well.

ben62670

I like most AQ wires, but I have the S411 in use at my place. I have run it against some real nice cables, and for the money they are the best yet. Right now I am running the AQ CV4's with the dbs system, but I am changing that tomorrow for "Bi-Wiring" with the S411. BTW the 14ga wires equal 11ga wires when run parallel.

EndersShadow

Ended up ordering the GLS Locking Banana's from Amazon. Figured ordering direct was gonna cost me 7 bucks for 3-5 day shipping. Amazon charged 10 for 2 day shipping.... so I went with the 2 day shipping so they should be here Friday. Then Saturday is going to be the speaker wire connection shoot-out. Bi-wire v. Regular v. Modified Bi-amp (using 2 channels on my 5 channel amp per speaker).

el_duderino

Monoprice ftmfw.

ben62670

You're not going to get a very accurate shootout with brand new cables.

EndersShadow

ben62670 wrote: »

You're not going to get a very accurate shootout with brand new cables.

due to them not being broken in I take it?

ben62670

Correct.

EndersShadow

ben62670 wrote: »

Correct.

How long do you think break in will take hour wise?

ben62670

Every cable is different. You really should have at least 80hrs on them. Some cables can take up to 400hrs or so.