Spades vs. Banana plugs ??

I like spades because I perceive better contact area from a properly positioned and compressed spade and because spades are more readily available in high conductivity materials like copper, which is generally considered too soft for the structural demands of a banana connector where the wire hangs perpendicular to the connector. Banana connectors are often constructed from a copper alloy that is in the ballpark of 40-60 percent as conductive as basic copper.

Bigger isn’t always better. Cardas makes nice copper spades for soldering but one of my favorites is a fairly minimalist gold plate over high conductivity copper spade from Furutech (FP-203) that I crimp using a hydraulic die crimper that can almost achieve the level of connection that Cardas gets with their Forged Spade connections. I also will not argue with the benefit/performance of direct wire connections, assuming you have suitable binding posts, although I find that option better with solid core wire than with stranded wire.

I have never had the loosening issue with spades that is being reported here, and I do check them from time to time.  

@carlsbad2 - When I use banana connectors, my strong preference is for a minimalist BFA style banana plug - these first, and then these or these.

Based on the discussion here, more seem to prefer banana connectors than spades. 

I find that interesting in that banana connectors are almost always made from a much less conductive metal than copper due to the inherent lower stiffness of copper yet, in this case of connectors, a group of audiophiles (known for believing something as small as a power line fuse makes a large sonic difference) choose utility over conductivity.  Not judging at all, but I do find it interesting. 

True, there are exceptions, but almost always the “flagship” model at a high price.  The Audioquest you mention, Furutech 202 series, Neotech NC-01675RH and maybe a couple of others are copper or have a copper center pin, but the majority are brass (Cardas), beryllium (Furutech BFA), or phosphor bronze.  The copper bananas I had bent and eventually broke from the weight of the Harmonic Technology cables they were attached to.  
Bananas would for sure be easier than spades. Are you recommending the Audioquest 500/1000 series connectors? Unfortunately the AQ BFA style is made from beryllium copper.  The Furutech 202 series utilize a center pin made from copper and the Neotech are locking, which seems beneficial.

@terry9 - The observation was not about allowing your connections to become corroded, which is never a good thing, but rather the irony that a group who mostly believe that every small detail can significantly impact the sound of a system would select less conductive connectors because they were easier to use, a generalization of course.  However, another example would be audiophiles who would never dream of using typical OFC (at about 101% IACS) copper cables instead of cables made from OCC copper (at about 103% IACS).  Would they use connectors made from an alloy that is only 40-60% as conductive as copper?

However, as @mammothguy54 pointed out, some are likely using all copper bananas, which are less common but available at a higher price.

If Furutech, WBT et al start making $500 Speakon connectors, they may yet become the audiophile standard.

Are you in marketing?  What a great idea!  Create a new "audiophile standard" that almost nobody currently uses so that almost everybody would have to purchase the new standard to avoid audiophile FOMO!

Since I have used spades without fail for the past 40 years, this is like so many other audiophile products in that it sort of solves a problem not in evidence (IMO), even though I would not argue that Speakon connectors are better.  Of course, the ring connector idea also solves the same problem but the binding post and connector people have never collaborated on a consistent/universal size for the hole and the post.  A simple screw post and nut holding a ring connector and we would have never needed fancy spring loaded bananas or multiple types and sizes of spades.