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Banana Plugs ... Good or Bad ?

post #1 of 20
1/8/10 at 12:52pm
Thread Starter 
I am new to home theater and have a couple of questions on the use of banana plugs for speaker wires.

For my old stereo system receivers or amps, I just used bare speaker wire on the binding posts and had no problems. However, with the Onkyo TX-NR807 receiver I just got along with the array of 7.1 speakers to be hooked up, it sure looks to me like going with banana plugs would be the better way to go.

Are there any down-sides to using banana plugs (such as potentially degrading sound quality due to them representing another connection in the speaker wire path)? Beyond that, is this another area where you want to pay a premium to get good to excellent quality banana plugs, or will "run of the mill" banana plugs typically do just as well?
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post #2 of 20
1/8/10 at 12:55pm
I want to know this as well! Good question...all I know is that the higher end stores use them and I was told to always use them but I want to know why and if its better also!
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post #3 of 20
1/8/10 at 12:56pm
There is no gain or loss except with good bananas the worry of wires touching each other
is eliminated and its easier to install or make a change plus if exposed they look nicer.
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post #4 of 20
1/8/10 at 12:59pm
Banana plugs make it easier to connect speaker wires to the receiver. The benefit is convenience and no worry about loose strands of bare wire shorting out your system. The only downside I see is that it may add an extra inch to the back of your receiver. So if you're in a tight space you may have a problem.

I would not connect my receiver without the banana plugs. Its just so much easier and organized. Monoprice makes nice plugs for a cheap price.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Parts express has some nice cheap ones too.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=090-460
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=090-465
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post #5 of 20
1/8/10 at 1:07pm
I don't see how they could make anything better or worse.. Now easier for sure!! I love them on my receiver side. Makes hook up so much faster. Other then that I don't think they make a bit of difference.
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post #6 of 20
1/8/10 at 1:08pm
There's nothing high end about them, really, other than the looks maybe. They are purely about convenience, either if you plug or unplug a lot, or are in tight spaces, and about people liking the way they look. If you like them, use them. If not, don't.

If they are not connected right to the wires, or the wires work loose, they can actually degrade sound.

Lots of people set their system up once every couple years or decades. Banana plugs don't offer much in that situation.
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post #7 of 20
1/8/10 at 1:30pm
on the reciever end it seems like a great idea. How about on the Speaker end? Go with the Plugs or spades or bare wire?
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post #8 of 20
1/8/10 at 1:32pm
I use banana plugs on both ends. Bare wire is fine too. Once you start moving stuff around is when you realize bare wire is a pain. On small satellite speakers I would probably use bare wire, especially if wall mounting.
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post #9 of 20
1/8/10 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mreggena View Post

on the reciever end it seems like a great idea. How about on the Speaker end? Go with the Plugs or spades or bare wire?

Bannana plugs MAY actually increase the contact area.

I used spades for a while, but the speaker lug nuts loosened up, and soon they were touching causing a short. Since then I use nothing but bannana plugs.
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post #10 of 20
1/8/10 at 3:25pm
I just installed banana plugs today on my receiver-end wire because monoprice had a killer deal on them a few days ago ($0.97/pair). So I bought the limit of 10 pair and hooked them up today when I received them.

They do get a cleaner look on the back end but I doubt if there is any advantage other than ease and convenience if you are unhooking your speakers often.
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post #11 of 20
1/8/10 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
OK, thanks everybody for the input ... I am convinced that banana plugs are the way to go. I do like the look (and price) for the ones on MonoPrice (and thanks for the links afrogt).

Beyond all of this, how many of you solder your speaker wires into the banana plugs? I have the soldering iron & silver solder to do this, so while it will take a bit more time, is this approach worth the extra effort or is just doing the non-soldering method sufficient?
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post #12 of 20
1/8/10 at 4:39pm
The monoprice plugs are very secure and I see no need to solder them. You can if you want though. There is an instruction guide on the monoprice link for the plugs.
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post #13 of 20
1/8/10 at 8:45pm
I too thought about soldering mine. Once I got them and put them on I didn't see the the need to do so. Plus part of the reason I got them was for less work.
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post #14 of 20
1/8/10 at 9:10pm
Thread Starter 
Since folks feel that the Monoprice plugs are secure just using their mechanical instructions, I think I will forget my idea of soldering them. Besides less work, not soldering them also means that you could undo them at a later date if you needed to.
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post #15 of 20
1/8/10 at 9:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mreggena View Post

on the reciever end it seems like a great idea. How about on the Speaker end? Go with the Plugs or spades or bare wire?

I used paired bananas for receiver, and individuals for speakers. Makes it easy to connect/disconnect and clean looking.

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post #16 of 20
1/9/10 at 6:42am
I got the monoprice banana plugs and didn't feel that the plugs were secure without soldering. Maybe I was just doing something wrong but I was able to pull the wire right out with a bit of force and I followed their directions to a T. It took me about 15 minutes to solder 7 sets of plugs and now I know they are secure. I was using the plugs that you insert the wire to the end of, not the 90 degree plugs.
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post #17 of 20
1/9/10 at 6:51am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmesick00 View Post

I got the monoprice banana plugs and didn't feel that the plugs were secure without soldering. Maybe I was just doing something wrong but I was able to pull the wire right out with a bit of force and I followed their directions to a T. It took me about 15 minutes to solder 7 sets of plugs and now I know they are secure. I was using the plugs that you insert the wire to the end of, not the 90 degree plugs.

Just curious, but what gauge speaker wire were you using in the Monoprice banana plugs?
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post #18 of 20
1/9/10 at 6:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by afrogt View Post

Banana plugs make it easier to connect speaker wires to the receiver. The benefit is convenience and no worry about loose strands of bare wire shorting out your system. The only downside I see is that it may add an extra inch to the back of your receiver. So if you're in a tight space you may have a problem.

I would not connect my receiver without the banana plugs. Its just so much easier and organized. Monoprice makes nice plugs for a cheap price.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

Parts express has some nice cheap ones too.
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=090-460
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=090-465


Talk about thinking things through...i always used them on the speaker side and they never worked...Never thought about the receiver side until now. Will use them on the receiver side today!
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post #19 of 20
1/9/10 at 8:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DECJ View Post

Just curious, but what gauge speaker wire were you using in the Monoprice banana plugs?

I've used the Monoprice 12ga and 14ga speaker wire with these plugs. Never had a problem with them coming loose.
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post #20 of 20
1/9/10 at 9:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by afrogt View Post

I've used the Monoprice 12ga and 14ga speaker wire with these plugs. Never had a problem with them coming loose.

I am going to be using 12ga, so I didn't think I should have a problem with that (as I don't think anything bigger than that can even go through the back end of the plug itself).
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