Problems with Martin Logan ESL speakers accepting a banana plug?

Purchased Martin Logan ESL speakers and tried to use a banana plug that fits all of my other equipment (Esoteric, Audio Research). When I contacted Martin Logan, I was advised that I may have to use force to get the banana plug into the connection. I had to use such force as nearly bent my speaker wire at the banana plug connection and was only able to engage the banana plug by ~ .125"!!! Purchase pin connectors and attached the spades to the pins and found the pin connectors were far too loose. Interested in what others have tried and/or found to work. Note that these are the lower end ESL’s and not the one’s costing $10K+. Thanks.