Banana Plugs (1 Viewer)

[ChipD]

What are banana plugs and when would I use them?

Thanks.

Chip

 

[Perry Jonkheer]

Banana plugs are used for speaker wire. Basically, they eliminate any chance of your wire oxidizing which can cause major sound degradation. They don't really improve sound, but help keep your wire clean and like new.

The other big plus to using plugs is you can easily move your speakers around without having to bother with the wires. Banana plugs just simply plug in and out of your terminals.

 

[Shane Morales]

These here be banana plugs:


You can get pretty good ones at partsexpress.com or Radio Shack.

They plug into speakers like so:

 

[VicQ]

Shane,

What speaker wire are you using? It looks great.

-Vic

 

[Shane Morales]

Thankee.

That's just Sound King speaker cable wrapped up in blue 0.5" techflex and black shrink wrap.

 

[Vincent_S]

They make life ALOT easier when hooking up your receiver. Plus they look cool hooked up to speakers IMO.

 

[VicQ]

Shane,

Another question. What size shrink wrap did you use,?cause they have different sizes. Thanks.

-Vic

 

[Shane Morales]

The shrink wrap was 0.5" as well.

 

[VicQ]

I'm going to do this diy for my front three speakers as well. Thanks!

-Vic

 

[Michael.M.C]

I bought some banana plugs on ebay from a guy with a user name
speakerrepair.com and they are excellent. Only about $1.49 each plus shipping.

 

[ChipD]

I was looking at banana plugs on Radio Shack's website and am unsure what kind I should buy.

What is the difference between a $7.99 pair and a $2.49 pair? Does it matter? Are some plugs better than others? If I am buying a 5.1 system, will I need to buy 12 packs (4 plugs for each speaker - 2 into speaker, 2 into receiver)?

Thanks.

 

[Chad Viro]

Do you all put banana plugs on both sides of the speaker wire (meaning: do you plug banana plugs into your reciever as well....making it 4 banana plugs per wire?)?

EDIT: OOOps, someone above me just asked this!! sorry!!!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I find using the banana plugs on the receiver end an even greater convenience than on the speaker end. As tightly packed as the backs of most a/v receivers are these days, trying to install bare wire on the binding posts without leaving any stray wires is very difficult.

I use banana plugs on both ends of the cable. On the speaker side, I just like the clean look, plus the convenience for disconnecting/reconnecting if I need to move the speaker -- cleaning carpet, etc.

 

[ChipD]

Are gold plated plugs better than non gold plated plugs? Or are all banana plugs essentially the same (the "look" is different)? Do they affect the sound quality?

 

[Matthew Todd]

If you've got a powered sub, then you don't need the banana plugs for it, so you really only need 10 packs (assuming each pack includes a pair).

One other note . . .

My surrounds are mounted on the walls, and there is not enough room between the speaker and the wall to fit a banana plug into the input. I just used angled connectors there instead. I used the banana's everyplace else, and they really do make it easier to disconnect and reconnect things when you need to.

Matt

 

[ChipD]

Matt, what are angled connectors? I am also considering mounting my surrounds on the wall. Also, any suggestions for hiding speaker wire on the wall (can't place it in the wall)?

Thanks!

 

[Matthew Todd]

Hey Chip. Here's a link to some angled connectors.



http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....oryId=cat08055

I didn't hide my cable, and just let it run right up the wall. It's a temporary set up for now. I've got everything in a spare bedroom waiting for the day when we can begin (and finish!) the dedicated room in the basement.

I had to put a small hole in the wall anyway to mount the speaker to the wall, and you may be able to navigate the speaker wire down through the wall cavity, but I think that would be really difficult with the drywall already in place. Even if you could do that, you still have the speaker wire coming out at the floor.

Matt