Spades vs. Banana plugs ??

spades can twist and short, killing your amp.  My main concern.

I use low mass connectors for both binding posts and banana plugs.  So I use BFA style bananas.

Jerry

Naked wire, neither spades nor bananas add anything

@antigrunge2 Wrote:

Naked wire, neither spades nor bananas add anything

I agree

Mike

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.

Banana plugs ... idiot proof connectivity.  I had a receiver short out when bare wire ends touched each other.  

Rich 

Banana plugs for me they are just easier.

Spades seem to always come loose. Bananas for ease of use.

Mr. Vandersteen swears by spades, as they have the best contact. Given his experience and knowledge, I would have to agree. Banana's are more of a friction fit, spades will have contact over a larger area when screwed down tight.

Bob

That's the rub - when they're screwed down tight. But what about next month? Still tight?

All the best,
Nonoise

By adding bananas or spades you are doubling the contact issues: between either and the cable and between either and the speaker plug. Way better to go bare wire into the speaker using something like Mad Scientist’s contact enhancer. Spades get tightened and then loosen and bananas need good crimping.

+1 Bare wire.

Bananas or go bare by situation, bare gets tinned to forgo fraying....

You're Banana's if you use Fork Lugs/Spades ! Some Amps and Speakers will start twisting the Binding Post causing the nut inside the Cabinet/Chassis to come loose.

I'm Banana's anyways. So Banana Connectors Rock while Spades just plain SUCK !!!

I use the "el squisho" (perhaps not the actual name, but they're designed to stay tight) spades from Kimber into my speakers, and Kimber bananas into the amp as everyone knows bananas provide potassium.

Apparently you bare wire guys don’t have a cat or an elderly maid, both of whom will periodically unplug things by means completely unknown or illogical.

Whatever gives me a secure connection is my choice.

Mine are plugs, make a bit of a 7, and have a crank on the back that expands the plugs to make them secure.  Silver if I recall. So far so good.

Banananananananananana plugs.

Interesting conversation. Just bought a Boulder 2160 which only uses spades. Had to have my cables reterminated. 

Michael Borreson says bananas are the best. More surface area than spades.

Banana plugs, easy and neat. 

Surprised there isn't more love for the BFA style banana plug:

1.  More surface area to make good contact, more than a spade.

2. No spring steel needed (yes, traditional bananas are often gold plated steel, put a magnet on them). 

3. Crimpable for an excellent contact with the wire. crimp then solder, 2 layers of shrink tubing is the ultimate joint.  

4. Low mass.

5. Available in pure copper or silver plated.

Jerry

After discovering bananas I never looked back. Used them ten years in both systems and never the slightest issue. Fit is snug and has remained so. Recalling the bad old days of bare wire & spades is just an unpleasant memory.

Locking bananas are my preference, then spades. Why they don’t spring load the clamping for spade connections I do not know. They have to be checked regularly to ensure they remain tight. 

Banana plugs are easy, neat and mine stay plugged in. When I used bare wire once in a great while one would disconnect. 

Actually a dab of Loctite, tightening with a wrench works great and Kimber does make an expandable spade.

Kimber

Bananas are much safer 

I doubt many have actually gone to the trouble of “A/ B ing” the same wire in the same system w/ spades & bananas & I know I haven’t. My experience is that good quality bananas stay put & spades often don’t & require regular tightening. Also depending upon the amp connection, spades can necessitate a tight right angle turn of the cable which can be tough w/ thicker cable & probably the cause of the connection loosening. Unclear which method has more contact surface area. 

If you can hear the difference, you have better ears than I do! That said, I like neat and tidy. I use banana to the speakers and spades to the amp.

If you can hear the difference, you have better ears than I do! That said, I like neat and tidy. I use banana to the speakers and spades to the amp.

This is another one of those Lilliputian questions like which end of the egg do you break first or are super expensive speaker cables better than less expensive ones.

A very respected and elderly (i.e.  quite knowledgeable & experienced) high end shop owner once told me, long ago, that bare wire was always best, provided the connections you're dealing with are amenable to this.  What was unsaid and assumed, of course, was the obvious (e.g.  provided you don't jam wire all over the place & have frayed strands sticking out here & there).  If you're dealing with lamp cord (i.e.  18-gauge wire) and quality components (i.e.  good connectors), bare wire might be just fine.  However, if you're dealing with larger gauge wire, chances are bare wire is not in the cards.

Most high end shops like using high-quality banana plugs because these make swapping out speakers and other components for auditions quick & easy.  In the early days, when dinosaurs still roamed the land, I used bare 18-gauge wire with the modest systems I had back then.  Later, I graduated to high-quality banana plugs and high-quality spades.  Presently, I use shielded 10-gauge speaker cables made with premium copper and high-quality locking spades at both ends.  The spades are attached with premium solder and heat wrapped.

Last month, I had to move everything out of my living room for a home improvement project.  This involved dismantling my sound system.  After four years, the connections between the amp and speakers were as secure as could be.  I had to use my nifty little McIntosh socket wrench to disconnect everything.

If I told you that I could hear a distinct difference between properly connected components using good quality bare wire, banana plugs or spades, I'd be lying ... to myself and to you.  My preference is for properly attached high-quality locking spades because I feel these provide the best surface contact and the most secure connection.

As a 20 something with my first rig all adcom gear including the GFA 555? 200 watt power amp. While setting it up for the first time I bare wired the amp not noticing one strand touching the other terminal and faster then you can say Jackie Robinson the amp was cooked. If I recall back then they did not have protective fuses.Lucky for me Adcom was in New Brunswick NJ at  the time and  just  a 30 min. drive so off I went dead  amp in hand. For a dozen donuts they fixed the amp and did some other updates while I watched.I am forever thankful to Adcom for the kindness they showed this kid.Once shocked I don't bare wire,lol. Humm good reminder I think I'll check my connections.

Bare wire....Tube connectors...bfa banana... get yourself a small butane torch and do some ultra high purity copper solder (careful not to set yourself on fire in pursuit of high fidelity)... Or go to an artist or jewelry maker and ask politely without looking like a Sheldon.

Word on the skreets is that lead solder could damage purity...screw up the electron, quark, boson flo, etc...

Yes there are problems with both.Most of the time it depends on how much space you have between the sockets or screws.But I do use banana plugs when possible. 

Depends on your equipment and configuration….I use both to my advantage! 

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.

Pro Tip: Turn your equipment off when you are changing connections. You might save a trip to the repair shop.

@mitch2 Great summary of choices with BFA.  KLEI is always great.  But I prefer the simple one that you linked last.  Crimpable and solderable.  low mass.  Simple and effective.  Not that the others aren't great.

Jerry

First I prefer bare wire (no connectors means one less element, one less point of failure, and one less expense, so it's a win-win). As always watch for stray strands, and don't tin the wire ends because that greatly reduces the contact area that a properly crushed wire provides.

Next, BFA style bananas (see below).

A couple things I always low-key wondered about: 

- As said above, a proper connection is crimped first. Then solder of the appropriate quality may be flowed into it, maximizing mechanical and electrical properties. Why then do so many bananas and spades, including audiophile-quality ones, hold onto the cable with set screws?

- What happened to old-fashioned ring connectors and nut-and-bolt posts? They provide superior clamping force, and ring connectors aren't slipping off or pulling out ever. Seems they would make sense when cable gauge, stiffness, and weight are on the rise.

The dialogue on the "best" way to connect wire to speakers has been a dynamic one as long as I can remember.  I caught the "hi-fi" bug from my dad and an uncle back in the 60s. and have been enjoying it ever since.  Dad liked to keep it simple and connected the bare wires after tinning just the tips to prevent fraying.  Uncle preferred to terminate his speakers wire with spade connectors.  I have used all these methods including various types of banana plugs over the years depending on what I had on hand in my modest "bench stock".  Currently I use banana plugs on the amplifier rear panel and bare wire or spades on my speakers.  Just a personal preference as this is one of many subjective areas in our hobby and is a choice that is predicated on what you like.  I did add a selection of speaker terminals to my stock so that I can indulge my quirks.

If the cable is dense and you don’t plan on moving the speakers anytime soon: Spades, Well tightened.

If the wire is not too heavy, the best contact is bare wire, tinned at the tip so it does  not fray.

If you move stuff around frequently: Bananas, but make sure they are a tight fit.

But if you have no bananas, the other two alternatives will be fine but less convenient.

https://silversolids.com/

I had bananas.  The weight of the cables broke those. Sent in and had spades installed. They did not stay tight.  I am now using Rhodium coated 45° banana.   They also have a knurled knob on a pin that goes into the spade and expands the 3 piece spade.  You couldn't pull them if you wanted! 

I like spades most of the time. If it’s a stiff cable and there is stress on the insert position they will come loose and potentially cause a short. That’s the downside to me. I check them occasionally and give them a firm twist. 

Locking low mass banana plugs for me.   Locking is important as it improves the connection and makes them less likely to get pulled out.  I use the WBT-0610Cu bananas.   I understand their newer version is better, but I’ve not tried them.

devinplombier posted 

"- What happened to old-fashioned ring connectors and nut-and-bolt posts? They provide superior clamping force, and ring connectors aren't slipping off or pulling out ever. Seems they would make sense when cable gauge, stiffness, and weight are on the rise."

Curious if folks using the bare wire method ever loop bare wire and twist itself into a loop similar to a hangman's knot.  Then tin it.  Seems like the wire would never fray and no worries about a loose strand shorting out.  Also the complete ring would give contact all the way around the post.  Never done it, but this post got me to thinkin'.  -John

Well made tight fitting BFA bananas are the way to go for me. They make very good contact, don’t come loose like spades can, and are just easier. 

Most of my connections are spades but my little Cyrus Amp will only accept BFA... it's the only thing I don't like about it

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. 

It's not fair to generalize.  Not all banana plugs are made the same way.  Audioquest banana plugs, particularly in the 500 and 1000 series, are made from high grade copper with a heavy silver plating.  They are made in the identical fashion as the 500 and 1000 series spade connectors.  They are strong and very conductive.  Of course, these two series cost more than lesser quality connectors.  But you get what you pay for.  I assume that other high-quality brands, such as Cardas and Furutech, will have the same approach.

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.

I like the idea of tube connectors, striped down bananas. but i use bananas primarily.