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#652 - 01/14/02 04:40 PM Spades / Banana / Straight
Mark Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 01/08/02
Posts: 59
How do some of you have your wire connections? The banana plug would be very convenient but how's the connection? Soild? Thanks for your help

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#653 - 01/14/02 05:17 PM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
Matthew Hill Offline
Desperado

Registered: 11/29/01
Posts: 1434
Loc: Mount Laurel, NJ
I use straight wire and never saw the need for anything else. You know it's in there good and won't come out easily, and you get a good solid connection. Considering how often I rearrange my living room (basically only when I buy new A/V stuff) the convenience factor is not much of an issue. Plus you gotta consider the convenience of *installing* the banana plugs.
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#654 - 01/14/02 05:37 PM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
m-mmeyer Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 11/27/01
Posts: 251
Loc: Chanhassen, MN, USA
After years of straight wire I now run bananas and they seem really solid and they look and sound good so far.

m-mmeyer
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#655 - 01/14/02 06:27 PM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
Hi4head Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 08/27/01
Posts: 39
Loc: Lexington, NC
I just run straight wires.

Some folks have claimed that banannas don't give as good of a solid connection. As m-mmeyer has posted, his seem solid and no problems. Even with my straight wire connections, I also read that this is good, but, only if you trim back the wire every once in a while to get rid of the oxidized copper. If I do this often, I'll need new cables.

I'm not certain that most of us can really discern a difference in the connection types. (But then, maybe some can.)

Go ahead and try some different ways and see if you can tell a difference. Half the fun of this hobby is tinkering around and/or buying new pieces of equipment anyway.

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#656 - 01/14/02 10:30 PM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
Owl's_Warder Offline
Desperado

Registered: 06/29/01
Posts: 894
Loc: Grants Pass, OR
I just use straight wire for most of my connections. My rear center is actually hooked up with bananas though. Why you ask? Because I had to mount it on a removable shelf (installed JUST for the speaker!) which must be removed every time I need to get in to the attic. I thought the pull down stairs were *SO* cool when I moved in...

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#657 - 01/15/02 02:02 PM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
MrSandman Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 128
Loc: Charlotte, NC, USA
I have used everything but spades. Bananas were pretty nice, but make sure you get good quality that aren't too 'springy'. I have also used the pin type connectors (like some of the monster stuff is) and liked the idea, but not the execution. I think the main advantage there is that it is sealed/plated (so you don't have to ever trim like Hi4Head mentioned) and they could be used with spring clip speakers but they were a bit of a pain to install on a regular binding post. I think spades might be the best way to go and next time I jump in the fire, I'll give them a shot. It seems like a lot of high end speaker wires come with spades.

If using straight wire, which I still do on a few connections, just make sure to fit all of the conductors in the binding post and not to let a stray piece of copper touch anything else. There have been posts here and there mentioning strange audio problems from hum to the receiver shutting down that were traced to a poorly made connection with conductor touching something it shouldn't be.

S.

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#658 - 01/15/02 05:37 PM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
TimRoo Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 12/05/01
Posts: 17
I just used pin connectors on my newly arrived 1050 and MrSandman was right - it was a pain but it was possible.

[This message has been edited by TimRoo (edited January 16, 2002).]

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#659 - 01/20/02 10:29 AM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
gonk Offline
Desperado

Registered: 03/21/01
Posts: 14054
Loc: Memphis, TN USA
I've used bare wire, pins (although never on a binding post like the 1050 and 750 use), spades, and banana plugs. Bare wire or spades are supposedly the best for a solid connection, but I use bananas for my surrounds because it's easier. I will say that bi-wiring with bare wire can be very difficult if you have heavy-gauge wire (it's somewhat easier with spades, which is what I'm currently doing for my mains and my center channel).

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#660 - 01/20/02 12:56 PM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
kenty Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 12/28/01
Posts: 39
Loc: Hudsonville, MI, USA
I use the Radio Shack gold -screw on banana plugs. Good quality, easy to put together, and easy to take apart. I've been really happy with them.

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#661 - 01/20/02 01:58 PM Re: Spades / Banana / Straight
Mark Offline
Gunslinger

Registered: 01/08/02
Posts: 59
Question to all those who bi-wire. I use 12 gauge wire and the problem is I can't fit them both into the post. What do I do from here? The spades I got don't fit around the post as well.

What do you find either 12 gauge or 12 gauge but not 14 gauge in stores?

THanks.

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