On banana plugs...

[Boomzilla]

Having made speaker wires for a long time, I've encountered banana plugs from almost every manufacturer. The majority of plugs, I just don't like. The run of the current market is shown below with commentary. Feel free to disagree - your experience may be different than mine.

Type one - The generic screw-on banana:

Why don't I like these? The "barrel screws" that attach the wire to the banana are setscrews inside the ferrule. If you're using thin wires, the screws will screw all the way in without making contact with the wire and then come loose inside the barrel. If you're using thick wires, the setscrews won't go all the way in, and then the outer ferrule won't screw on over the protruding screws. Furthermore, the expanded blades of the tip have a tendency to loosen from constant tension over time and become loose. They'll also frequently break! Although these are cheap, that's about their only virtue. Not for me.

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Type two - Locking screw on bananas:

I really despise these. In addition to having the setscrew issues that the Type ones did, these also have some sort of rubber gasket that frequently jams between the locking ferrule and the banana body. Unless you take the banana apart again and fish out the gasket, the locking mechanism will not work. Further, the banana has a tendency to twist while you're trying to tighten the locking ferrule, making a twisted mess of your wires. Bah, Humbug!

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Type three - Angled locking screw-on bananas:

These work better than the Types one and two bananas, but they're SERIOUSLY expensive. And I'm cheap. Enough said...

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Type four - skeletonized bananas:

My problem with these is that inevitably they get bent while inserting or removing, and then they're throw-aways. Just too fragile.

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Type five - right-angle plugs:

These are easier to use, but you need to cut the exposed wires carefully and ensure that all strands go through the hole - otherwise stray whiskers can cause shorts.

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Type six - post plugs:

I like this style due to its robustness. There are two setscrews, opposing each other. They have enough travel to hold everything from tiny to fat wires without coming out inside the barrel or sticking out too much. The colored sleeve screws on from the tip side, and has enough internal clearance that even if the setscrews are sticking out a tad, it'll still screw on OK.

My problem with these is that I bought a batch from either eBay or Amazon a long while back, and now I can't find where to buy them again. If you happen to know where to find more of these, please share that information with me. These are my favorites, though. YMMV

Thanks - Boomzilla

[DYohn]

[Boomzilla]

While I agree with you, DYohn, that bare wires (or Bluejeans Cables welded terminals) provide the best contact, I change speakers WAY too much to crawl around on the floor, in the dark behind the speakers trying to thread bare stranded wires through the (often undersized) holes in the speaker posts. Bananas for me, thanks.

[bootman]

You might like these. (horrible name)


KabelDirekt banana plug

[Boomzilla]

Feb 4, 2019 12:22:15 GMT -5 bootman said:

You might like these. (horrible name)...

Nah - EVERY banana I've tried with the "expanded leaf" tip has been less than reliable in the long run. Now some do better than others, but some are so thin that they deform and then just rattle around in the socket.

[dsonyay]

Boom.. the blue jean speaker cables I bought from you seemed to have very nice (well made) banana plugs.. what are those? Can't remember, and once they were plugged on, I haven't even looked again. Lol

[Casey Leedom]

Hi Boomzilla, regarding those "[Type 6] Post Plugs", it looks like there's very little electrical contact area with those. Am I misinterpreting the picture?

Casey

[geebo]

Feb 4, 2019 12:25:32 GMT -5 dsonyay said:

Boom.. the blue jean speaker cables I bought from you seemed to have very nice (well made) banana plugs.. what are those? Can't remember, and once they were plugged on, I haven't even looked again. Lol

I like the locking bananas I got with my Blue Jeans speaker cables very much.

[405x5]

Feb 4, 2019 11:30:46 GMT -5 DYohn said:

And they are free!

[405x5]

Feb 4, 2019 11:33:39 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

While I agree with you, DYohn , that bare wires (or Bluejeans Cables welded terminals) provide the best contact, I change speakers WAY too much to crawl around on the floor, in the dark behind the speakers trying to thread bare stranded wires through the (often undersized) holes in the speaker posts. Bananas for me, thanks.

Solder tipping the ends solves the problem 

Bill

[teaman]

So far the Monoprice 12 gauge OFC wire and Nakamichi dual screw banana plugs seem to work best for me. I also have Emotiva cables with banana plugs but was not happy with the fit of those.

[Ex_Vintage]

Feb 4, 2019 12:41:59 GMT -5 405x5 said:

Feb 4, 2019 11:33:39 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

While I agree with you, DYohn , that bare wires (or Bluejeans Cables welded terminals) provide the best contact, I change speakers WAY too much to crawl around on the floor, in the dark behind the speakers trying to thread bare stranded wires through the (often undersized) holes in the speaker posts. Bananas for me, thanks.

Solder tipping the ends solves the problem 

Bill

Cold flow. They loosen up over time.

[405x5]

Feb 4, 2019 13:19:45 GMT -5 Ex_Vintage said:

Feb 4, 2019 12:41:59 GMT -5 405x5 said:

Solder tipping the ends solves the problem 

Bill

"Cold flow. They loosen up over time."

No No...…..not at all (you did not read).
Tip end ONLY. not that, which contacts under pressure fit.

Bill

[DYohn]

Feb 4, 2019 11:33:39 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

While I agree with you, DYohn, that bare wires (or Bluejeans Cables welded terminals) provide the best contact, I change speakers WAY too much to crawl around on the floor, in the dark behind the speakers trying to thread bare stranded wires through the (often undersized) holes in the speaker posts. Bananas for me, thanks.

To each his own. And by the way if the "hole in the speaker posts" are "undersized," then the real problem is your speaker wire is too large.

[Loop 7]

I too have yet to find banana plugs I like so I recently re-terminated with spades.

[Bonzo]

Wow, you are CHEAP. They are only $18 at Parts Express for 4 of them. This is WAY cheaper than the 99% the same European models that are like $45 for ONE pair. How friggin many do you need anyway? These are my favorite plugs and are well worth the price.....you only have to buy them once and you are done.
www.parts-express.com/angled-locking-and-stacking-banana-plug-with-dual-set-screws-poly-carbonate-shell-and-insu--091-3608

These locking ones don’t have the issues the ones you mention do because there is no sleeve that goes over the top. But at $17 for 4 they are too expensive for you.
www.parts-express.com/expanding-banana-plug-with-dual-set-screws-and-poly-carbonate-shell-2-pair--091-3604

I have showed you these before. I share your feelings about the regular banana mechanism wearing out and becoming loose over time. But I bought these and have not had that problem. You will notice the “spring” mechanism is in the center of the peg (not the entire peg), and has a very springy nature. The first time you put them in they go in quite hard actually. I really like them. BUT, they probably aren’t the best for thinner gauge wire. What they do well though is make bi-wiring super easy. You can shove 2 strands of even large gauge wiring in there and create instant bi-wires.
www.parts-express.com/nine-tine-banana-plug-with-dual-set-screws-and-poly-carbonate-shell-2-pair--091-3602

You might like these since they work super easy.
www.parts-express.com/spring-style-banana-plug-2-pair--091-3630

[pedrocols]

I use the locking type and so far so good.

[Boomzilla]

Feb 4, 2019 15:49:26 GMT -5 Bonzo said:

Wow, you are CHEAP...

What? Wait! You're JUST NOW figuring that out? LOL

And you're too late to chide me. Since I couldn't find any more of the simpler ones that I like, I ordered six sets of the Parts-Express tips today. Why so many? I make (and sell, and give away, and loan) a BUNCH of speaker cables. I've always got friends wanting to do in-wall wiring, custom lengths, etc. And guess who they come to? I'd guess that I make at least three pairs of speaker wires per month.

Why d'ya think I bought that 500-foot spool of Monoprice 12 ga.?

Cheers!

[Boomzilla]

Feb 4, 2019 12:28:16 GMT -5 Casey Leedom said:

Hi Boomzilla, regarding those "[Type 6] Post Plugs", it looks like there's very little electrical contact area with those. Am I misinterpreting the picture?

Casey

Hi Casey Leedom - You're right. Since the diameter of the post is smaller than the diameter of the socket, only the spring and the post side opposite the spring are actually in contact with the speaker socket itself. These would NOT be great plugs for a 2-ohm speaker where lots of current needed to be transferred. But for the everyday, 90dB-sensitive, 6-8 ohm HT speaker, they're great.

[Boomzilla]

Feb 4, 2019 12:41:59 GMT -5 405x5 said:

Solder tipping the ends solves the problem

I think you're right, Bill - My problems in the past have had to do with one of two things - Either the hot solder wicks up the entire length of the exposed lead or else a large ball forms on the wire tip and then won't fit through the speaker post.

Remembering my soldering training, it seems that either melting a SMALL amount of solder on the tip of the iron and then dipping only the tip of the wire into the already melted bubble would limit wicking, and if there WERE any extra on the wire tip, then (before it hardens) either slinging it off or wiping it off with a wet sponge would cure that issue too.

So ultimately, DYohn's bare wire might be a reasonable option (provided the tips were secured with your solder idea). Costs a LOT less than buying bananas too!

But I guarantee that most of the guys who want me to make them wires are going to want bananas anyway...

In any case, thanks for the idea.

Boomzilla