Spades vs. Banana plugs ??

In my experience mixing metals and introducing additional metal mass are both detrimental to speaker connections. Bare wires are best followed by minimum weight pure copper spades lest you use silver wires

@oldaudiophile @davetheoilguy P.S. Re bare wire and gauge, I use ~AWG 4-5 (so VERY thick) bare wires. Took a bit of fiddling to get them in neat, but works fine both amp (Pass XA25) and speaker (PearlAcoustics Sibelius) side. And no, they don't get loose. I have not done a pull up on them, but no unreasonable amount of pulling will move them.

Answered definitively in a prior thread that bananas are the only sensible choice. 

All meant in good fun though.

+1 bare wire.

@thecarpathian Brilliant idea. It would be easy to implement  using a double double bi- wire design and blow peoples minds. 

For what it’s worth, coming from Monoprice 12g wire with Nakamichi bananas, I went with the Viborg pure copper banana plugs on Furutech FS-A36 12g speaker cable. I tried one speaker with the Nakamichi & the other with the Viborg both treated with Stabilant & the Viborg & the OCC Copper made a HUGE difference. And I thought my system sounded good before the change. Also when I did the UPGRADE, I tried the Viborg pure silver & lost the ''3D/openness'' of the pure copper. 

Anyone know if they make a speaker cable that's terminated with a combination of both spade and banana connectors?

Double the surface contact, best of both worlds!

My Furetech spades haven't ever came  loose on wbt binding post although I broke one wbt post over tightening it. The trick is to get its tightness just right. You have to turn the spade along with the post.  Also I installed the wbt's myself farther apart than most speakers would come from the factory leaving plenty of room for them not to spin around and touch.  Next time I might go with bananas though 

Bananas,  My Naim Supernait 3 only except Bananas.  

N

@ghdprentice

I’ve done many years of DIY using high end cables and connectors and had spades and bananas. Left bananas connectors long ago due to poorer sound quality.

Bananas, particularly the ones that spin are, for sound quality, not great and the connection degrades faster over time due to the low compression slip in fit.

Perfectly fine for mid fi audio tho where uncompromised SQ is not a goal  

@sudnh 

So you learned this by experimentation? Please tell us the details.
 

I have always thought that spades should sound the best… but after hundreds of hours of experimenting with interconnects, and a hundred hours with speaker cables etc. it has just been easier to choose spades on the logic and not actually do the work comparing them. I’d love to hear the details.

Good quality spades for best sound. 
 

Bananas for convenience but poor sound. 
 

The tight screw down compression of a spade is always better than loose banana slip in connection. 
 

Just don’t be a dummy and let the spades short/touch. 

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.

The ubiquitous five-way binding posts are hard pressed to cope with the mechanical stress imposed by the massive cables folks use. 12AWG is about as far as five-way will comfortably handle.

Speakon connectors address five-way's shortcomings but are still largely absent from the audiophile world. There are signs this is changing though, for instance Linkwitz uses Speakons in their LX521 flagships. Benchmark does too.

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

I've made several sets of speaker cables using crimp on connectors from Analysis Plus.  I put spades on the speaker end because I don't want the weight of the cables pulling down on banana plugs. Plus spades are more secure if you occasionally move your speakers around seeking the perfect spot or just to vacuum underneath.  I put bananas on the amp end because the connectors are usually an inch or two above shelf with minimal strain on the plug.  Also, the connectors on the rear of some amps can be quite cluttered making bananas the easy choice.  I use a ratcheting crimper which produces a proper secure crimp every time.

I prefer bananas, but never feel like they make the connection that spades do For the same reasons like others have stated. I only buy used equipment so when I got my transparent cable, most of what I found were spade to spade  My older Wilson speakers do not accept bananas either  To the point that others have made about shorting out your amp, I always get super nervous connecting my speaker cables and never do it with the amp on  It seems that Cardas is the gold standard for terminals. I wonder why they make them positioned so close together. Why not have the physical apparatus 2 inches wide with more than enough space for either spade to do a complete rotation without risk of making contact?  
 

Deltron style banana plugs have the tightest fit and most intimate contact with the jack IME, w/o going to a locking banana.

I just recently switched speaker cables and started using Audio Art’s top of the line. Of all the bells and whistles, they have locking banana plugs.  So far, I’m thinking this is the way to go.

My tarantulas prefer bananas

Bare wire at the amp end; I test the compression regularly. Bananas at the speaker end, strictly for convenience as I swap speakers, and I don't have much faith in switchers.

On the amp end I have ended up with bananas and spades, because I regularly swap amps and have to. These are gold plated copper bases with threaded ends so that I can easily change between banana and spade tips. I feel a bit safer when using the bananas (for reasons well covered already).

At the speaker end I use solid copper bananas. I made them up with twin screw ones, but threw one screw away and filed that hole with solder. My understanding is that keeping air away from copper connections (or silver) with solder, gold, or rhodium reduces oxidation/tarnishing.

However, I have never tried to hear the difference between plugs or bare wires in a system where all else is equal, so the above is only based on reading, not listening.

Not my experience at all. My high end connectors on Scanspeak drivers and Bryston amplifiers all come loose with spades or bare wire, on their own, without mortal assistance. Poltergeist?

Of course, when loosing is a serious problem, lock washers are invariably used.

Spades are a bolted joint.  Bolted joints are used a lot in a lot of places.  The one time they have a vulnerability is the configuration like a spade connector.  Generally they have a washer under them that doesn't stick out.  But a spade sticks out.  So long as the spade/wire isn't touched or pulled, all is well, but if the entnding lever is bumped or pulled, it will loosen the connection.

So I'm sure some people have great luck with them, as their connections live a quiet life.  Others, not so much.  

Just wanting to point out why we have different reports of experinces.

Jerry

@mitch2   I see that I misunderstood your post. I thought you were choosing theory over practicality - and a loose spade connector may not be detected as it gradually looses conductivity, leading to poorer sound over time.

bfa bannanas for me spades tend to work their way loose over time

@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.

@mitch2   a group of audiophiles (known for believing something as small as a power line fuse makes a large sonic difference) choose utility over conductivity

Just how conductive is a loose silver connection? Or a corroded copper connection? You should see a stranded copper cable which is mostly terminated by copper sulphate.

Wireworld’s BFA bananas are my favorite termination of all time. They are low-mass (which for some reason consistently sounds better), have great spring retention and fit snugly in any binding post. I am not a fan of most Wireworld products but I do love the performance of their factory-terminated speaker cables. 
 

If one must use spades, the Kimber Postmaster spades are probably the best option available. 

Whoever said to use bare wire with the ends tinned together is one of the first methods  I used.  That said, four plus decades later I've tried everything from inexpensive solid copper nickel plated spades purchased at the hardware store to WBT expanding bananas.  My preferred lately but not married to them are a solid copper banana designed like the nickel bananas preferred by Linn, Naim and many British companies.  Can I hear a difference between any of them?  Not really.  I even experimented with different bananas with screw down connections to the wire on Tara Labs cable from three bucks a piece to Fifty dollars.  The Monoprice  Affinity Series 24k Gold Speaker Banana Plugs that Brent Butterworth recommends I think are a best buy.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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

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. 

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

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.

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. 

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! 

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/

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.

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.

@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

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

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.

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

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. 

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...

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.

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.