anybody use these??? for connecting audio equipment???

one of our amps use these instead of regular speaker wire..... how do you convert it?>

 

Depends on how the termination was taken care of originally. Some of the higher end cables have VERY specialized termination processes and materials used. Its unusual that a component has only banana outputs, typically a 3 or 5 way binding post is standard. But there are adapters to convert banana's to spades or barewire; you could also get speaker cables that have banana's on the one end... There are tons of options here is one example: http://www.welbornelabs.com/cardasconn.htm scroll down to part number CABD not sure if that's more then your looking to spend or not but its an easy solution.

 

I prefer banana plugs.

 

How hard is it to put banana plugs on bare wire? I would like to make my own from existing 14ga speaker wire but $35 for 4 is a little steep. Do they have to be soldered or are there any good crimp-ons?

 

Why is that?

I'd take spades any day of the week over banana plugs.

 

http://www.madisound.com/accessories.html

Its super easy to add them to bare wire. They are available either crimp on or soldered - if your in more of a rush you can probably get them from your local Radio Shack. High quality audio connectors are a little expensive, but then again anything high end in audio is expensive. Good luck

 

there is also a style that you push the wire in thru a hole and screw teh cover on and it locks it into place. I prefer Bannana plugs myself.

 

I use WBT style banana plugs. Home made 10GA speaker wires. Easy on and off and stay in the binding post after the end is expanded.

Spade does get a better contact if stays lock down.
But Most of the "highend" wires have spades some how does not fit the speaker / amp well.

 

Banana's are usually convenient on the amp side, but can present a HUGE problem on the speaker side of some speakers. I had a pair of Avalon Acoustic speakers a number of years ago and the speaker cable inputs were on the bottom of the speaker, I do not mean towards the bottom, I mean under the fucking speaker. You had to tip them on there side to swap speaker cables, there was not enough room for banana's(let alone a binding post that accepted them). Avalon and Rockport still employ this style of input on their speakers, while it does look very clean its a HUGE pain to change cables.

Cardas has pretty much cornered the high end market of termination, if you use George's stuff your usually in the clear. But I have had cables that just plain wouldn't fit some equipment, its a bitch. You would think they would standardize that sort of thing, and make it easy.

 

I had never personally encounter neither the Avalon or the Rockport in person. But that aspect you descibed above would make me not buy those speakers in the first place if that is the case.

The best speaker I heard so far is PMC MB2xBD (MB2 +MB woofer on the bottom) driven actively by couple rack of Brystons.

The one I have now are Paradigm Studio 100.

If I have my choice, I would take Neutrik Speakon for both the amp and speaker connections.

Cardas stuff are good, I prefer WBT topline, higher copper content and nicer looking IMO.

 

Me too. I'm currently running JM Lab and Totem Acoustic speakers, both of which have very nice binding posts which make connections with banana plugs a snap.

Really though, the main reason I love banana plugs is on the amp side where it really helps keep things clean in the back and you don't have to worry so much about accidentally touching two wires together when doing 7.1 channel on a cramped back panel.