1) bar wire (either around the post or through the hole in the post)
2) spade lug
3) pin jack (solid metal pin at the end of the wire to go into that hole in the post)
4) banana jack
5) double banana jack (the positive and negative posts can be spaced apart by a standard distance such that the two banana jacks are fixed in a holder that has them spaced accordingly).
The term "5-way binding post" is actually a bit of a misnomer, as there are typically only four ways to connect speaker wire to these types of posts. The five-way designation comes from the fact that these binding posts have five individual components, which are:
The post itself, which is typically a metal shaft that is screwed into the amplifier or speaker cabinet.
A threaded collar or nut that secures the post in place.
A plastic or metal insulator that prevents the post from coming into contact with the metal chassis or cabinet.
A hole or slot in the post that allows you to insert a bare wire or a spade connector.
A hole or threaded insert in the side of the post that allows you to insert a banana plug.
So, to summarize, the five components of a 5-way binding post are the post itself, the threaded collar or nut, the insulator, the wire/slot, and the banana plug hole/threaded insert. However, there are only four ways to connect speaker wire to these posts: bare wire, spade connectors, banana plugs, and pin connectors (although the latter are less common).
It was explained to me many years ago by an amp manufacturer, whom I forget, because you were able to use a spade ( or loop/hole ) to the shaft, and a banana plug, simultaneously........Is this true ? I am only repeating what I heard. MrD.
There are some amusing answers here, but, my earlier posting was not speculation-this is what I was told by the distributor of binding posts. He loved to test people on this because few actually know. I got four right—bare wire, spade lug, banana jack and pin jack—but I did not guess double banana (or dual banana) jack. I like the alligator clip idea. Perhaps someone can claim their product is a six-way binding post, or even more. At least this would have some basis in fact, unlike the cell phone companies claiming “10 k” coverage (10 is bigger than 5, right? Never mind that 5k denoted the generation of development).
The term "bind" is defined as to "tie or fasten (something) tightly." Anyone who’s tried to shove a Dyson in between a wall and their speakers, whacked a cable, and dislodged a banana connector "binded" to their speaker knows that it is not fastened "tightly."
A more correct engineering description of a banana connection is referred to as an "interference fit". See linked video.
The term "5-way binding post" is actually a bit of a misnomer, as there are typically only four ways to connect speaker wire to these types of posts. The five-way designation comes from the fact that these binding posts have five individual components, which are:
The post itself, which is typically a metal shaft that is screwed into the amplifier or speaker cabinet.
A threaded collar or nut that secures the post in place.
A plastic or metal insulator that prevents the post from coming into contact with the metal chassis or cabinet.
A hole or slot in the post that allows you to insert a bare wire or a spade connector.
A hole or threaded insert in the side of the post that allows you to insert a banana plug.
So, to summarize, the five components of a 5-way binding post are the post itself, the threaded collar or nut, the insulator, the wire/slot, and the banana plug hole/threaded insert. However, there are only four ways to connect speaker wire to these posts: bare wire, spade connectors, banana plugs, and pin connectors (although the latter are less common).
I don't know who EBM is, this is my first time ever on here. Stumbled on this looking for other info. But I'll try to upload a picture of the way I load binding posts.
It's there, you only have to click to preview the image. I know I did this wrong. This is new and over my head. The leads are also exaggerated here to illustrate what's going on.
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