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Banana Plugs?

J

john5220

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
I'm running Marantz receivers and KG4 and Pioneer HPM 100 speakers. Thinking of converting to banana plugs for the speaker connections and plug ins behind the receivers.

What size do I need(4mm?) and what's a good brand to use that's not too expensive?

TIA!
 
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Parts Express should have what you need. They are very popular and reputable for electronics parts.
 
Banana plugs are all pretty much the same size, although there are different styles. My preference is for the BFA type, once only available from Audioquest, but now seen from different manufacturers.

What do you mean by "plug ins"? Bananas are pretty much only for speaker connections. Also, bear in mind, they're for convenience only, for ease in connecting and disconnecting. Otherwise, you're better off connecting the speaker wire directly to the terminal.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
 
1tumbleweed said:
Banana plugs are all pretty much the same size, although there are different styles. My preference is for the BFA type, once only available from Audioquest, but now seen from different manufacturers.

What do you mean by "plug ins"? Bananas are pretty much only for speaker connections. Also, bear in mind, they're for convenience only, for ease in connecting and disconnecting. Otherwise, you're better off connecting the speaker wire directly to the terminal.

Happy trails,
Larry B.
Click to expand...


The problem is, the plastic nut that screws into the speaker connection shaft doesn't properly secure the wire. So I thought the banana plugs would be a better way to go.

Thanks for the response.
 
Depending on the amount of room on your amp, for the banana sockets, you could decide on the standard industrial mounting type.
For this specific type, look at pictures of HK Citation 12, Micromega Amp or Bryston 2B.
These have banana sockets, the red and black are together on one black oval piece of plastic.
 
Wayner,

If you haven't tried Monoprice's banana plugs, then your opinion is pretty much useless. I'm betting you haven't.
 
I would get standard dual binding posts to install a receptacle for banana plugs. That way you can use a standard Pomona dual banana plug, a professional piece not a chinese gold colored piece that will plug right in and keep the + separated from the - by that standard 3/4" spacing used in the plugs and posts.

Even the chinese dual binding posts would work but the dual banana plugs suck completely. The peel comes off and so not more banana plug. The screws that hold the wire in place are not threaded to the end so a large wire can not be held in place with the screw. Go Pomona for that part.

Single banana plugs, what happens when one is disconnected and touches the other one while the rig is operating? Does the amp blow up or are you using Crown gear? I don't like BFAs, single banana plugs or those clear plastic chunks with the gold binding post inside it. Traditional and vintage...ok that stuff just works.

something like this for the binding posts: https://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-dual-binding-post-1-red-1-black--090-475

and Pomona dual banana plugs http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/do...w.pomonaelectronics.com/images/large/1330.jpg
 
I use dual-bananas in all my systems and have a lot of Pomona plugs, but my current favorites are the Neutriks I'm using in my 6 Moons White Lightning cables.
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http://www.markertek.com/product/nys508-gn/rean-nys508-gn-dual-banana-plug-for-6-10mm-cable-od-green
 
twoengine said:
Wayner,

If you haven't tried Monoprice's banana plugs, then your opinion is pretty much useless. I'm betting you haven't.
Click to expand...

I have bought several MP products and have had the displeasure of pitching them. They are of little value, and poorly made.
 
gslikker said:
Indeed the ones I meant, I did not find the right English words....Although....this parts-express stuff does look flimsy elcheapo on the picture, Would Pomona 4243-0 be better?
Or maybe is this the real thing...
http://www.alliedelec.com/superior-electric-bp30-2br-1-pkg/70120889/

Many times, on ham-fests etc this stuff can be found on the cheap...(depending on your location, if there is (still) any)
Click to expand...

Way over priced. You can get better at http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/
 
Mouser has pomona for the right price, half that superior electric unit. I guess that unit is a nice one though.
 
Believe it or not, I like these from Radio Shack. They are reasonably priced and the they have a pin that threads up through the center of the quartered banana that will allow you to make a connection that will never come out until you loosen it again to remove. There is a substantial area to solder too as well.

02780307_01_6ed5b78f-12af-4b47-a2f0-a78043501144_grande.jpeg
 
+1 vote for Neutrik plugs. They're also manufactured under the REAN name. And they're really cheap at markertek.com.
 
WaynerN said:
I have bought several MP products and have had the displeasure of pitching them. They are of little value, and poorly made.
Click to expand...

I've been ordering little odds & ends from Monoprice for close to 10 years now. HDMI cables, USB cables, power cords, ethernet cables, lots of connectors and adapters, Toslink cables, and more. Nothing too expensive. I had one HDMI cable fail on me. I think that's been my only failure out of 30-40 products.

I do have 4 of their open screw type gold-plated (?) banana plugs. They work fine.
 
I haven't tried their plugs but I bought a heavy duty extending/swiveling wall mount for a flatscreen TV from MP and it's solid as a rock, for a very good price. I'm not going to defend their plugs since I haven't tried them, but I wouldn't want people to think everything MP sells is crap.
 
I love MP's premium RCA cables that I got for $3.30 apiece. Those things are solid - way better than the Radioshack RCA cables I paid $10 apiece for back when they had a corner on the market. Haven't tried any banana plug related items but I bet they're solid too. The banana plugs I ended up buying were from Mediabridge and those have been excellent.
 
john5220 said:
I'm running Marantz receivers and KG4 and Pioneer HPM 100 speakers. Thinking of converting to banana plugs for the speaker connections and plug ins behind the receivers.

What size do I need(4mm?) and what's a good brand to use that's not too expensive?

TIA!
Click to expand...

Banana plugs certainly can be very convenient. I ordered a few that were too skinny to fit well - very loose. Look out for the cheap ones - they can be a crap shoot.

Just in case you aren't aware: most speakers have a hole through the threaded post onto which those plastic connectors are screwed. You unscrew the plastic nuts far enough to insert your wire through the hole, then tighten. That usually makes a very tight connection (of course, if your cable wire is too thick to fit then you have several choices). Direct connection of bare wire isn't the easiest connector, but it does eliminate one extra metal-to-metal interface, leading many to believe it is the best connection.
 
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