R200 Banana Plugs Installation
Donatron
Posts: 6
I just took delivery of a pair of R200 speakers last week and I'm having trouble connecting my speaker wire using banana plugs.
The binding posts are too narrow to fit them.
Is there something I need to do to set the binding posts to be able to accept banana plugs?
The binding posts are too narrow to fit them.
Is there something I need to do to set the binding posts to be able to accept banana plugs?
Comments
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Pictures?- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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I dunno -- Mine fit (fall of 2021 vintage R200).
Do you live outside the US (e.g., in the EU)? Perhaps the "ends" of the, ahem, five-way binding posts are capped? If so, the caps should be removable (if one is sufficiently motivated).
What sort of banana plugs/speaker cable are you using @Donatron?
EDIT: You won't be able to use a "standard" US-style "dual banana plug" on these connectors. Again, the EU in its wisdom forbade that "standard" 3/4-inch spacing for this style connector as it is the same spacing as, e.g., British AC mains 2-conductor power plugs. Polk designed the R200 for worldwide standards, so it has a "nonstandard" spacing beteen the + and - binding posts! We mustn't allow simple-minded consumers the ability to accidentally electrocute themselves!
You just need to get single banana plugs -- such as the cheapies from PartsExpress that are shown in my photo above.
Note that the ELAC loudspeaker next to the R200, despite also being Chinese made (and from a nominally European brand) has the "standard" 3/4 inch binding post spacing!?!
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Thanks for the quick reply @mhardy6647
I live in Thailand.
And apologies for not posting photos earlier.
These are my binding posts
My banana plugs are UGreen model AV149
And this shows they are too wide for the binding posts.
(I unscrewed the nuts to see what was obstructing them)
I wasn't sure if I am supposed to push harder to force them in, but didn't want to try for fear of breaking the binding posts.
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The "leaves" of the plug are designed to spring inward when you push on them to keep contact with the socket. Just go ahead and firmly push on them. I do have to point out that the binding posts have holes in the shaft to place the wire through then the cap is tightened down on the wire. The banana posts have a hole in the center of the plug which you then tighten down a screw to hold the wire. Kind of the same thing, a wire in a hole held by a threaded screw/cap, my point is that you could just use bare wire in the hole and accomplish the same secure connection as using the banana plug.
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Thanks @SeleniumFalcon I'll go ahead and push a little harder.
I have been using bare wire until now but wanted to get the banana plugs working. -
This design of banana plug is better than what you have. This one is from Cardas, but others offer a similar design.
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 -
Thanks again for the help @SeleniumFalcon
Before I go ahead, just to confirm, which hole am I supposed to put the banana plugs in?
Hole 1 or hole 2?
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2- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Thanks @VR3, that's what I thought.
But, try as I might, I am not getting them in there. -
The plug might be too big for the hole.
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Thanks @VR3, that's what I thought.
But, try as I might, I am not getting them in there.
Throw those in the trash and buy some like the ones I posted above.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 -
Or do like Trey and use hole 1 for bare wire.
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Yeah bare wire is better anyways- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Bare wire sucks.
I've always found it amusing when folks feel bare speaker wire is best because it's a direct connection, yet they have no qualms about the terminals on their RCA cables or power cords. I mean, why not just jam the wires in your power cord into the outlet to obtain a direct connection while you're at it.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 -
I was going bald, but Mr. Ray gave me a full set of banana plugs and now I am a new man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9KymP1Mn8
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Been running bare wire a long time.
Tin plated copper. 10 awg. 10 awg literally fills the entire thru hole of the post and then when you clamp down it over a large portion of the horizontal surface of the connector. Sounds excellent and works great.
Another way you can do it is to remove the cap of the binding post and then make your bare wire connection into a loop and then wrap it one time around clockwise then reinstall the cap. This gives a 100% connection along the surface area of the binding post.
Take into consideration the OP is using a cheap brass, heck maybe even steel,. Connector with a thin gold plating...
And I haven't priced a cardas banana plug but I am confident after I price it I will be even more ok with my bare wire connection.
Edit, also most banana plugs are connected with two set screws which provides only two small points of contact within the connector.- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit. -
I stopped using those type of bananas a long time ago. I also had problems with them fitting posts. There are many on the market like the @F1nut pictures not made by Cardas. If your cables are not heavy there's also the BFA type that will fit better.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/115654224173?
Another type
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225644205288?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373874884522?
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For anything other than Home Theater receiver connections where the spacing is tight on the back, I prefer to use soldered down coated copper spade terminals. Bananas are meh. The springy part is usually not the best conductor. It is often steel coated in a thin layer of gold.
Years ago, I bought a bulk pack of Audioquest spade terminals. Still have a handful. They have gone into many a set of DIY speaker cables. Unfortunately, pricing has skyrocketed on those.
For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore... -
Bypass the binding posts entirely and solder the speaker wires directly to the crossover. Only way to be sure.
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And I haven't priced a cardas banana plug but I am confident after I price it I will be even more ok with my bare wire connection.
Edit, also most banana plugs are connected with two set screws which provides only two small points of contact within the connector.
The Cardas in my pic is $10.00.
The bare or tinned wire will be in contact with much more than two small points. Besides, one can always solder the wire to the inside of the barrel.
Still want to know why folks think bare speaker wire connections are the best while they have no qualms about the terminals on their RCA cables or power cords.
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 -
Bypass the binding posts entirely and solder the speaker wires directly to the crossover. Only way to be sure.
I've seen people do that.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 -
...
Still want to know why folks think bare speaker wire connections are the best while they have no qualms about the terminals on their RCA cables or power cords.
It's inspired by the mil-spec/aerospace standard of "gas tight connections" (gas in the sense of air/oxygen). Smashed down multistrand wire is one route to a gas-tight electrical connection, even though it's neither aesthetic nor elegant. Wire-wrap is another method that intuitively seems worse than (e.g.) soldering, but is actually better.
Does it really make a difference? Maybe -- in the long run.
Realistically, as long as the connection adds negligible resistance (nor impedance) to the circuit, it's probably irrelevant.
... but there is a rationale of sorts for using 'bare wire' -- even if most advocates don't actually even know what it is*!
https://wiringharnessnews.com/2901/
https://forum.digikey.com/t/use-wire-wrap-techniques-for-secure-wire-to-pcb-connections/40290
PS Who knew there was something called Wiring Harness News?!
Sounds like something that the Smothers Brothers' "old man" would've read every Saturday evening.
https://youtu.be/SePsUt816PU?si=hvmpsIaZLouxQvzJ
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* what else is new?
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NASA also says it is unacceptable to use stranded wire or silver plated items, but gold plated nickel is ok.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 -
I was going bald, but Mr. Ray gave me a full set of banana plugs and now I am a new man.
Mr. Ray spared no expense on his commercials...LOLPolitical 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 -
The thread starters banana jacks are not the best quality. They are not consistent, they tend to loosen up over time and usually made out of cheap materials.
The Cardas style Banana plugs were designed by Monster cable. They have excellent pressure for good contact surface, they rarely wear out unless your constantly changing speakers , even then they usually hold up longer then most other designs.
When buying Banana jacks or plugs, make sure they are copper or plated copper of some sort silver good whatever.
Bare wire sucks unless you TIN it and TIN isn't the best conductor unless you TIN with SILVER which is excellent but still sucks. I say it sucks because even TINNED, single stran can come loose and short out your amp. You will be trouble shooting until you find this.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
Loads to unpack in here - thanks all for your advice/input.
I've decided to return them and give Mr Rays a call.
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Loads to unpack in here - thanks all for your advice/input.
I've decided to return them and give Mr Rays a call.
HAHAHAHA It's best you call him neeeyow before he leaves teeeyown.
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In the meantime? Just hook them up with bare wire and enjoy....
Jeez.
Tom~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~ -
My entire system is tin plated copper and it sounds great to me!- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Most of my copper's been tinned as well.
Not all of it, but most.
I like banana plugs. Heck, I like double banana plugs for situations where I can use them.
I am - first and foremost - very lazy.
I have a small cache of very vintage Pomona double bananas that are quite nice.
I have a bunch of cheap-ish, modern-ish ones, too, that are fit for purpose.
I have, in full disclosure, subsequently rewired these so that they're not quite so nightmarish with stacked nanners -- and the CAT5 is all gone, too.
