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Banana Plug, Pin or Spades?

Curly_Racks

Curly_Racks

New Member
56D4D571-055C-4976-BD71-B6A8FBD7CB27.jpeg 6A6F26C3-B96C-49C8-A3EA-A051C43BEF03.jpeg 53302263-087F-4BB4-8091-87C5DBDFDE4B.jpeg FF8FBE6A-BF7D-42EC-AC5E-013DAA7C3385.jpeg 56D4D571-055C-4976-BD71-B6A8FBD7CB27.jpeg 56D4D571-055C-4976-BD71-B6A8FBD7CB27.jpeg 6A6F26C3-B96C-49C8-A3EA-A051C43BEF03.jpeg Hi, I’m going to make my own speaker cables with some 10 gauge copper leftover from my solar panel install - just because:)

I ordered some spades and banana plugs (Nakamichi) and apparently I was way off base. The spades are much larger than I need. What would someone use these for? Car Audio maybe?

But my pleasant surprise was the banana plugs actually fit right into the binding posts on my receiver.

With that said, my speakers have spring terminals and I don’t think these would fit there. Do I need those 2 mm pins? The plugs are 4 mm.

Thanks for any help!
 
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Curly_Racks said:
View attachment 1608739 View attachment 1608740 View attachment 1608742 View attachment 1608743 View attachment 1608739 View attachment 1608739 View attachment 1608740 Hi, I’m going to make my own speaker cables with some 10 gauge copper leftover from my solar panel install - just because:)

I ordered some spades and banana plugs (Nakamichi) and apparently I was way off base. The spades are much larger than I need. What would someone use these for? Car Audio maybe?

But my pleasant surprise was the banana plugs actually fit right into the binding posts on my receiver.

With that said, my speakers have spring terminals and I don’t think these would fit there. Do I need those 2 mm pins? The plugs are 4 mm.

Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...
Either change out the spring loaded posts with some 5-way binding posts or make some pigtails to fit in the spring posts or use thinner wire without connectors. Simple as that. The pins would work but are inferior to bare wire.
 
Pins are probably the easy way. I'm sure you can find some.

I would convert to binding posts but i am a guy who has a selection of binding posts in a drawer.
 
The simplest would be to just trim back enough strands of the 10ga wire to insert in the spring clips. Your could solder the tip of the wires to keep them from unraveling.
 
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https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/sewell-silverback-flex-pin-connectors.683622/page-1

These may work. They accept banana plugs (which is how I use them) or bare wire obviously. I modified mine with a little shrink tubing for insurance.

The only issue is the flex pin itself is a little big but it can be modified to fit most spring terminals with a pinch with needle nose pliers.

I have some extras taking up space here I could give you if you want to try them out. You need four? Drop me a PM and I'll mail you some.
 

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+1 for @sx-70 .

I've done the exact same thing on my NS-10's and TF-500's, both use those awful small spring clips and I was able to fit the flex pins in place with only a pinch from the needle nose pliers.

Mark Gosdin
 
Another cheap option is to solder a piece of 12ga solid conductor wire to the end of your speaker cable and add a little heat shrink tubing. Never ever comes loose...
 
mr_light said:
Another cheap option is to solder a piece of 12ga solid conductor wire to the end of your speaker cable and add a little heat shrink tubing. Never ever comes loose...
Click to expand...
sterling silver wire is not expensive to do what you suggest.
Why silver is good?, because the tarnish is not a dielectric, like copper, brass or few other metals. so to be exposed will not affect the conductivity with the terminals.

AG.
 
Good lord how long is your speaker run? 10awg is crazy huge!

After a few years of messing around with banana plugs etc i just use bare wire except on my AVR. They are actually more of a pain than anything else.
Even on the speakers I had modified for banana plugs, I use bare wire. I have around 20 pairs of speakers that I love to change out and bare wire is simply easier and give a better connection.

20190905_103427.jpg
 
"Look, speakers are endowed by their creator with certain connectors. You don't get to decide which kind you want them to be!"

:p:p
 
Over the years and over 50 or so receivers and integrated amps etc that have spring terminals I have never had even one give me any trouble. My stuff just sits there and stays connected after after hour. I am to the point that I dont care anymore. I figure the engineers that designed the stuff that is still working 40- 50 years on probably were smart enough to figure spring terminals work fine.
 
self delete

Sorry all.

Keep us posted on your cables Curly. I can’t wait to see these 10 gauge suckers!
 
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Not everyone needs 10 gauge cables but since I have leftover copper from my solar panel install I might as well use it for something.

I am looking forward to making these cables. I picked up some tech flex and will get them put together at some point this fall. I will share some photos once done. My old school Kenwood puts out something like 85 watts per channel so I’m looking forward to testing them out.
 
The decision was an easy one for me. My speakers and amplifiers are all equipped with 5-way binding posts or straight Banana Jacks (Magnepans).
 
Hey , extract your connector plate , install metal pro audio connector plate with a Speakon
dished plate ,$5 per plus speakon receptacle.
30 amp self wiping contacts. Job done .
 
Curly_Racks said:
I ordered some spades and banana plugs (Nakamichi) and apparently I was way off base. The spades are much larger than I need. What would someone use these for? Car Audio maybe?
Click to expand...
Those spades are designed to fit 5-way binding posts, if you need something more permanent than banana plugs but don't want to use bare wire.
 
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