[Lynxo]

Hi,

Does the Zig Zag style banana plug provide tighter connection?
Lasts longer vs. standard ones?

[mresseguie]

Can you post a photo or link to zig zag style connectors, please?

[RDavidson]

I think the zigzag style might be tighter, but I'm not sure it makes as consistent contact inside the binding post barrels as standard bananas. Locking bananas are probably the best of both worlds for both tightness and contact consistency.

[srb]

They are most often referred to as "Z" or "BFA Style" Banana Plugs.

They usually fit tighter than standard type banana plugs, but I have run into a few speaker binding posts where the fit was usable, but not quite as tight as I like.

Locking banana plugs that use an internal center pin that expands the split plug can achieve "tightness" in all posts, but I still prefer the "Z" plug's better contact area.

Pictured:  Multi-Contact LS4, Audioquest BFAG, VIABLUE TS2

 
 
 

[Lynxo]

Wow, those are nice with el premo pricing.

I will try the Z this time around and see how it goes.

[srb]

I own and use all three of the pictured plugs.  They are all made of beryllium copper which is hardened and retains its spring tension for a very long time.  Of course, beryllium copper does have less electrical conductivity than pure copper.

The Multi-Contact must be soldered, the Audioquest uses a pair of setscrews on bare wire and the VIABLUE uses a crimp-on copper ferrule retained by setscrews.

There is one other type of construction that uses pure copper, which is too soft to have inherent spring tension on its own, but uses an elastomeric insert to provide tension.  A company called Furez manufactures them, but I have not tried them yet.

 

[RDavidson]

Srb, would Z plugs really have better contact area in all cases? Thinking about it, I guess it really depends on the speaker post barrel, right? If the barrel is sized perfectly to match up with the Z plug, when the plug flexes to the nominal size (upon insertion), one would get the theoretical "perfect" fit. But because there's so much variability in different binding posts (from different manufacturers) we end up with variable fit and variable contact between plug and post. I suppose that's why we see so many different styles of banana plugs, including locking bananas. Like anything else there's pros and cons. Those Furez look like a really nice solution, combining a "soft" copper tube with a resilient dielectric center pin to provide a flexible and adaptive fit. Pretty clever!