Vital Posted August 4, 2011 Author Share Posted August 4, 2011 May I ask what bang for the buck you are looking for with using banana plugs?I'm just looking for a good quality banana plug that isn't super expensive. I know expensive is pretty subjective so I guess under $30 a set for good quality plugs. I don't want a brass plug, I want copper. Brass is only 28% conductivity, copper is 100%.I think I'm leaning towards the Audioquest plugs, they sound very well made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Perhaps an electrical engineer can answer this one: with connectors, like banana plugs and spade clips, does the current travel through the connector or does it mostly travel along the surface, rendering the base material less important than the surface plating? Of course, this assumes that the plating is more than a few atoms thick. Sometimes, if it's "flashed on", the coating may be quite thin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Perhaps an electrical engineer can answer this one: with connectors, like banana plugs and spade clips, does the current travel through the connector or does it mostly travel along the surface, rendering the base material less important than the surface plating? Of course, this assumes that the plating is more than a few atoms thick. Sometimes, if it's "flashed on", the coating may be quite thin. The coating (gold plating) is only there because it prevents tarnishing, gold is a poor electrical conductor, on the other hand copper is the 2nd best electrical conductor of all metals however it tarnishes easily. Silver is the best electrical conductor of metals but only rates a little better than copper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I'm just looking for a good quality banana plug that isn't super expensive. I know expensive is pretty subjective so I guess under $30 a set for good quality plugs. I don't want a brass plug, I want copper. Brass is only 28% conductivity, copper is 100%. I think I'm leaning towards the Audioquest plugs, they sound very well made. I guess the next question would be, why are you wanting banana plugs? I'm not trying to be argumentative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeFord Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I prefer to skip anything in the audio chain that I can, so my wires have bare copper ends that go into the base of the banana on the speaker and are tightened down with the "nut" plastic shell. Same on the amp end. Plenty of good reasons to use a banana, pulls out if you trip on the cord, is one. I use 10 guage solid core, but don't see it as overkill since I once used submarine battery cable, now that was heavy stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie01 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Hi Fini, I have a stupid question about these Nakamichi plugs. I bought them too and for some reason I can't connect them to the back of my speakers. I have the Reference 5 series. How did you get them into the socket at the back of your speakers? Thank you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I believe most Reference series speakers have plastic or rubber plugs in the sockets that need to be removed before you can use banana plugs in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie01 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 I believe most Reference series speakers have plastic or rubber plugs in the sockets that need to be removed before you can use banana plugs in them. I verified that there are no plastic covers on the sockets. The diameter of the pin of the plug looks larger than the hole of the socket. I can't even insert the tip without risking breaking either the socket or the plug. Any suggestion other then looking for new plugs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Use bare wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktate Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Dont you unscrew the nut on the plug then insert the banna plug then tighten the nut down on the speaker? Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Dont you unscrew the nut on the plug then insert the banna plug then tighten the nut down on the speaker? Rick No that's not the place for banana plugs, those are for bare wire and some other types of connectors. For banana plugs you remove plastic plugs at the top of the nut end and the banana plugs slip into the end there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie01 Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Dont you unscrew the nut on the plug then insert the banna plug then tighten the nut down on the speaker? Rick I actually didn't try that. I'm about to finish renovating my basement in a week or two and then I'll put everything back together. I'll come to revisit this thread then if I still have issues with these bananas. Thank you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Here is a picture of a speaker cable with banana plugs plugged into a speaker. To plug the wire in Klipsch Reference speaker there are small plastic plugs which are in the holes where the banana plugs are inserted these must be removed to use banana plugs. The speaker terminal "nut" has no affect on banana plug tightness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie01 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Beautiful! Thank you for showing this picture. The banana plugs you have don't look like the ones I have. I have these: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjY3WDgwMA==/$T2eC16hHJGIE9nnWsyHeBQOf8YeshQ~~60_3.JPG http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjY2WDgwMA==/$T2eC16R,!ysE9sy0iH+)BQOf8(Cneg~~60_3.JPG http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjY2WDgwMA==/$(KGrHqF,!pUE+-iu3!9sBQOf8,m6(Q~~60_3.JPG You see in the last image how thick the tip is? Maybe this is why I can't insert them into the socket - it's too thick. Thank you again, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennie Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Well, they are supposed to be tight, but those may be too big to insert. Although, maybe not. Have you tried pushing hard, to get those "spring loaded" ends to stay in? Try it without the wires first. I little wiggling and a swift push might get them to slip in. Keep us posted, Dennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennie Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 If those are too big, you can stop by any Radio Shack and pick up the right ones. I got mine from Parts Express ------> CLICK HERE Dennie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie01 Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Hi Dennie, Thank you for your reply. I will try again and will definitely keep you all posted. I think if I can't get those to work, I will go with a spade connector instead of a banana. Quick question - how do you get to show an image in a post? My URL copy did not work as I expected... Thank you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiser SET say Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 Bang for the buck, I bought these gold plated compression plug bananas for $4.97 a pair from Partsexpress[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I think if I can't get those to work, I will go with a spade connector instead of a banana. Why don't you go with bare wire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arie01 Posted January 21, 2013 Share Posted January 21, 2013 I think if I can't get those to work, I will go with a spade connector instead of a banana. Why don't you go with bare wire? Hi wuzzer, The reason is because I have 12 AWG cables and I noticed that a lot of the strands come out of the connector on both sides, the speaker’s and the receiver’s. So I thought maybe grouping them together and using a banana or a spade would be a better aesthetic solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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