Signal BFA plugs

mhartman29

Does anyone have any experience with these? I just received my signal cables and they don't seem to want to go all the way into my RT3000s binding post. I'm hesitant to really push hard, as I don't want to damage the plug or the speaker.

They should fit, right?

solidus28

I had the same issue with my RTi10s and CSi5. I assumed that's just the way it was because I had never used banana plugs before. Is this about how far yours go?

mhartman29

Yup, that looks about right. What's the deal?

solidus28

Have you used other banana plugs? Do they usually go all the way in? Anyone have any input because now my curiosity is piqued.

mhartman29

No, this is the first time I've used banana plugs with these speakers.

I assume you aren't having any problems with your connection even though the plug doesn't fully go into the binding post?

acsubie

my signal nanners look like that also, i thought i was weird also since the other nanners i have fit in all the way, i havent noticed any sound loss in quality though

tcrossma

I just did a little googling and found this, which may or may not have any bearing on this particular cable's banana plugs and may or may not apply to these speakers. I'm not an expert on banana plugs, but this was interesting...

BFA terminations are relative newcomers to the field. The British Federation of Audio (BFA) developed the design because of new European safety standards, which ban the use of the 4mm banana plug because it can be inserted into a European AC socket -- with potentially deadly consequences. The BFA connector employs an insulated recessed female plug and an insulated recessed male socket.

and this

BFAs are used primarily on components that come from the UK and Europe. Since BFAs are designed to be incompatible with other common terminations, your speaker wires will need a BFA termination if your amplifier has BFA connectors. Some audiophiles report that rolled banana plugs can be made to fit into their sockets, but we at GoodSound! urge you never to force any connection carrying an electric signal. We'd like to keep all of our readers!

I don't know if what they're saying is that you need to have binding posts specifically made for BFA connectors or not? Do Polk speakers have BFA compatible binding posts?

I, for one, am now confused

solidus28

Everything is working fine for me even though they don't go all the way in. I have those wires going to 2 RTi10s and a CSi5 from an Outlaw M200 and they sound great, so I don't see it as being a problem. I just assumed that's how all bananas were since I hadn't used them and everything seemed to work ok. I would be curious if someone knows the official answer as far as if Polks are BFA compatible. I guess they are since mine work, but then I wonder if an actual BFA compatible post would allow the banana connector to be inserted completely. It definitely works fine, though.

mhartman29

I just spoke with Frank at Signal and he indicated this is not a problem. Depending upon the length of the binding post, the plug may not go in all the way. He said it probably should be about 3/4 of the way in, and fit securely, but it shouldn't have any negative consequences on the sound.

I second solidus28's curiousity about an official answer to whether Polks are BFA compatible.

dorokusai

They are BFA compatible and the connectors sometimes vary in how they fight....it's normal.