Stupid Question: Why are they called "5-way" binding posts?

KayMan2
KayMan2 Posts: 16
edited April 2012 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Hi there,

I new to high-end audio and big speakers so this question may seem silly to the experts: Right now I have taken 12-gauge ofc copper wire, stripped the end and wrapped it around the binding posts of my Polk RTi12 speakers. Same goes on the receiver side.

Today when I was cruising around a high-end audio store, I noticed for the first time that they had crimped the wire in a u-shaped flat (Spade?) plug. That made me wonder: Why are the binding posts called "5-way"? Are there 5-ways of using them? Which one is the recommended method for large speakers?

Thank you!
Retired
Post edited by KayMan2 on
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,893
    edited March 2012
    bare wire (wrap around or through the holes), pin connectors (through the holes) spade lugs, banana plugs... and some other way :-P

    The fifth way may be the two options for bare wire.

    There's no 'best' way as far as I am concerned - that said I like banana plugs. Heck, I'll admit it - when the (US) standard 3/4" spacing is used, I like dual banana plugs.

    Spade lugs are good. Pin connectors are good. Stripped/tinned twisted wire is good.
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  • KayMan2
    KayMan2 Posts: 16
    edited March 2012
    Aha, got it! I think my bare-wire twist is resulting in some frizzled ends so I will take a look at Banana plugs or other connectors.
    Retired
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  • camp21178
    camp21178 Posts: 273
    edited March 2012
    I always wondered what the 5 ways were too. LOL
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  • rebuy
    rebuy Posts: 695
    edited March 2012
    I always go for 3 way bindings.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited March 2012
    You missed dual banana
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited March 2012
    Banana, spade, eyelet, bare wire, pin.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • bmbguy
    bmbguy Posts: 416
    edited March 2012
    I like to tin just the very tip of stripped, twisted wire. That keep the wires from spraying out all over the place. But tinning the whole exposed area doesn't seem that great to me -- the oxidized solder surface is a lousy conductor as opposed to bare copper.
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  • CoolJazz
    CoolJazz Posts: 570
    edited March 2012
    Wire that is going to be crimped down on....screw terminals, crank down speaker clamps, or whatever form, cannot get a good connection on stranded wire that has solder flowed completely into it! Military regulation for instance, specifically disallow that type of connection.

    Try to get a good, long lasting connection on a speaker cable fully flowed with solder...it just can't clamp down properly! You'll find yourself back in the future trying again and again to retighten it! Tinning the very end and then sticking that end beyond the clamp is a much more appropriate way to deal with fly away ends. Not to mention not stripping back beyond what's necessary.

    CJ
    A so called science type proudly says... "I do realize that I would fool myself all the time, about listening conclusions and many other observations, if I did listen before buying. That’s why I don’t, I bought all of my current gear based on technical parameters alone, such as specs and measurements."

    More amazing Internet Science Pink Panther wisdom..."My DAC has since been upgraded from Mark Levinson to Topping."
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited March 2012
    Rock, paper, scissors.
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  • KayMan2
    KayMan2 Posts: 16
    edited March 2012
    Good point!! I am just picked up some spades.
    Retired
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  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,988
    edited March 2012
    KayMan2 wrote: »
    Aha, got it! I think my bare-wire twist is resulting in some frizzled ends so I will take a look at Banana plugs or other connectors.
    TRy Lowe's. low $. Remember to buy a small flat blade screwdriver while you're there. You'll need one to connect them to your wire up to 8ga!

    tony
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga: LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
    8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
    *soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop) LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - 981, connected w/Monoprice Premiere ICs
    Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,644
    edited March 2012
    The correct answer is banana, spade, pin, bare wire and alligator clips.
    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

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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited March 2012
    F1nut wrote: »
    The correct answer is banana, spade, pin, bare wire and alligator clips.

    WRONG,
    dual banana is the correct answer

    bare wire , Spade , Pins , banana and DUAL BANANA , this is what makes a 5 way binding post a 5 way binding post. You don't use Alligator clips for speakers. Could you? Sure but it's not technically the reason a 5 way binding post is called a 5 way binding post. Who told you that?
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    edited March 2012
    I think Jess is refering to an original definition, but in reality....who the heck uses alligator clips for anything audio ? If they did, you'd see a market for upgraded MIT alligator clips.:smile:
    HT SYSTEM-
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  • gdb
    gdb Posts: 6,012
    edited March 2012
    Pretty common fare in electronic bench testing and development. At least they used to be.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,644
    edited March 2012
    mantis wrote: »
    WRONG,
    dual banana is the correct answer

    bare wire , Spade , Pins , banana and DUAL BANANA , this is what makes a 5 way binding post a 5 way binding post. You don't use Alligator clips for speakers. Could you? Sure but it's not technically the reason a 5 way binding post is called a 5 way binding post. Who told you that?

    No Dan, I am not wrong.

    5 way binding posts were invented by the General Radio Company and in their brochure they list alligator clips as one of the 5 connection options.

    Dual banana plugs are not an option on many speakers or other pieces of gear.
    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

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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited March 2012
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binding_post

    Speakers
    Carver Amazing Fronts
    CS400i Center
    RT800i's Rears
    Sub Paradigm Servo 15

    Electronics
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 pre-amp
    Parasound Halo A23
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    WMC Win7 32bit HD DVR


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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited March 2012
    5-way ===> Spaghetti, chili, shredded cheddar cheese, diced onion and red beans...

    Oh.. binding posts... nevermind...
    tonyb wrote: »
    ...who the heck uses alligator clips for anything audio ? If they did, you'd see a market for upgraded MIT alligator clips.:smile:
    LOL... but if alligator clips count, we must now call the posts 6-way...

    And my dual nanners fit every amp and speaker I have that was made in roughly the late-70's and later... plus a few earlier models. 60's stuff mostly had screw terminals for spades or bare wire... or alligator clips, I guess...

    Oh, and the Cincinnati Chili??? No way is the only way... Nasty stuff it is...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited March 2012
    tonyb wrote: »
    but in reality....who the heck uses alligator clips for anything audio ?
    I do, sometimes. :cheesygrin:

    Crossover%2012-7.jpg
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited March 2012
    F1nut wrote: »
    No Dan, I am not wrong.

    5 way binding posts were invented by the General Radio Company and in their brochure they list alligator clips as one of the 5 connection options.

    Dual banana plugs are not an option on many speakers or other pieces of gear.
    Thats not how I learned it from many different speaker company's. They all quoted Dual banana's as the 5th connection for a try 5 way binding posts. I asked these very questions Decades ago and thats the same answer I got.
    never have I seen Alligator clips being used on 5 way binding posts on speakers. It's amazing how so many say one thing and others claim another.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,338
    edited April 2012
    This is from Steve's link to Wiki (they could be wrong):cheesygrin:

    Commonly designed in a style called five-way or universal, such binding posts allow the connection of several different types of connections:

    1. Banana plugs, inserted into the open end of the binding post
    2. Pin connectors, inserted into a hole drilled through the metal post and clamped by the screw- down portion of the binding post.
    3. Bare wire inserted through the same hole and clamped, or
    4. Wrapped around the metal post and clamped.
    5. A lug terminal inserted around the metal post and clamped.

    The binding post was a commercial invention of the General Radio Corporation.

    I think the OP get's the point. Let's move on!
    Carl

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  • 1unc
    1unc Posts: 1
    edited September 2023
    The 5 different wire connection methods for a 5-way binding post are:

    1-raw wire (attached around posts, or thru post holes)
    2-banana plugs (popular... quick & easy)
    3-pin connectors
    4-spade/fork lugs
    5-ring terminals (connectors with holes that fit over posts- see pic)

    0663j0az6493.jpg
    Post edited by 1unc on
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  • kevhed72
    kevhed72 Posts: 5,059
    Wrong....it means they will accommodate coat hanger wire....because cables don't matter.
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  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,116
    Heard he got fired because someone ordered a pair of Legends. Said it was just a fluke, and he wanted to go work at Best Buy anyway.
    I disabled signatures.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,893
    11 years of five way binding posts.

    k3w7ruj2lgcw.gif


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  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,988
    Some amps come w/3 way BPs that look like 5 way BPs
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga: LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
    8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
    *soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop) LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - 981, connected w/Monoprice Premiere ICs
    Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,039
    They are 5 way in order to be inclusive, end of story
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,371
    My amp has 1 way binding posts.
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,300
    invalid wrote: »
    My amp has 1 way binding posts.

    At least you don't own a 5-way tire tool
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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