I'm currently looking for some good quality locking banana plugs, would prefer angled but not that big of a deal....I will be using either 10 or 12 AWG cable in a 5.1 setup. I've seen the WBT plugs (which look AWESOME), but I'm not willing to spend $50+ per pair plus $100-150 in tools, crimp sleeves, etc.......Does anyone know of decent plugs at a good price? What do you think of GLS plugs?
Thanks in advance for any response.

Go to: http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm. I bought my cables there and they are "Good". They also have locking banana plugs.

Bill

How is the fit and finish of the Bluejeans banana plugs? Do you think that spades are a better termination for the speaker end?

Use whatever your amp wants for a term. Bare wire, plugs, spades. It is all the same they make no change in sound quality.

Go to: http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm. I bought my cables there and they are "Good". They also have locking banana plugs.

Bill

Hey Bill,
Thanks for the heads up, I checked out the site and like what I see so far. Can you please elaborate on what you mean by "they are "good""???

Can you please elaborate on what you mean by "they are "good""???What is it you want. Most any banana plug will work. Properly utilized, they will not and do not alter the sound quality.

What you need to determine is exactly what you want and need from your plugs.

Locking plugs are just that. IMO they are tough to work with and defeat the whole purpose of banana plugs in the first place; convenience. I find them to be difficult to work with in the tight confines of a receiver's speaker outputs particularly if you are unable to pull the receiver completely out to access the speaker outputs. YMMV. Some people like them because they cannot be easily yanked loose. If you never touch or move any of your components a case can be made both for and against using them. On the one hand, if you never change or move anything, then you really don't need the convenience afforded by non-locking plugs. But on the other hand, if you never yank your components around, you really don't need the locking plugs, either. Many people think they provide more contact between the plug and female output, but they really don't.

I really like THESE (http://www.speakerrepair.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=safe_connect). Very simply to attach, insulated as well as shaped to prevent shorting, and they hold firmly for me.

You don't really need to spend a lot on banana plugs. The locking GLS plugs you mention will work just fine. Note that they are not insulated (most aren't) and attaching the wire is a bit involved.

Angled locking plugs are going to be tough, if not impossible, to find.

Here is a fairly cheap locking angled banana plug from Parts Express:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=091-1075

Note, it may be good to shrink-wrap the coller ends after placement of the wires just in case the plugs come loose as they are not insulated and can touch each other if they do. I like these since they are very secure and easy to loosen/tighten.