[boead]

These bananas connect with a lot of surface area and they are cheap. http://cgi.ebay.com/4pair-24K-Gold-Speaker-Cable-Banana-Connector-Plug-45_W0QQitemZ120310597215QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120310597215&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

-Roy

Yeah those are like the Monster ones I tried. It was like having a burlap sack over my speakers.

[rajacat]

These bananas connect with a lot of surface area and they are cheap. http://cgi.ebay.com/4pair-24K-Gold-Speaker-Cable-Banana-Connector-Plug-45_W0QQitemZ120310597215QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120310597215&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

-Roy

Yeah those are like the Monster ones I tried. It was like having a burlap sack over my speakers.

Better check your speakers. Here's another source with much higher prices but with less mass. I'm sure that you can find these elsewhere for cheaper.
http://www.audio-magus.com/category_s/21.htm

[avahifi]

My issue with giant spade lugs is that users seem to use pipe wrenches to over tighten them and actually break off the terminals on speakers or amplifiers.

In addition the giant ones don't fit standard terminals well, they slip and touch and short out amplifiers.  That often will change the sound.

I consider them the worse terminations to use.

I use Pomona dual banana plugs whereever possible.  They are available from MOUSER electronics at very reasonable prices.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

[boead]

These bananas connect with a lot of surface area and they are cheap. http://cgi.ebay.com/4pair-24K-Gold-Speaker-Cable-Banana-Connector-Plug-45_W0QQitemZ120310597215QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120310597215&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

-Roy

Yeah those are like the Monster ones I tried. It was like having a burlap sack over my speakers.

Better check your speakers. Here's another source with much higher prices but with less mass. I'm sure that you can find these elsewhere for cheaper.
http://www.audio-magus.com/category_s/21.htm

Or maybe it was the AVA Preamp I had at the time 

Only kidding Frank!

[AudioB]

Frank,

That website (MOUSER) has several double banana connectors, are they about the same?

What are your thoughts on bare wire? Besides being less convenient can you hear a difference between it and double banana connections?

Thanks for your comments.

[stereocilia]

My issue with giant spade lugs is that users seem to use pipe wrenches to over tighten them and actually break off the terminals on speakers or amplifiers.

In addition the giant ones don't fit standard terminals well, they slip and touch and short out amplifiers.  That often will change the sound.

I consider them the worse terminations to use.

I use Pomona dual banana plugs whereever possible.  They are available from MOUSER electronics at very reasonable prices.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

I shorted an amp (not an AVA) by moving a speaker with spade connectors (I was retrieving a runaway Lego brick).  The spades rotated and...poof.  Never again.

I imagine you mean 565-4898-0 on the mouser site.  I think I have the replica which I picked up at nearby you-do-it-electronics.  I just wish I could squeeze both wires through the less than 1/4" hole in the casing -- I think that's the design intention, right?  Are there any dual banana plugs which could (or should) be soldered?  Does my 16 awg zipcord really have unconventionally thick insulation or something?  Otherwise those are perfect.

[Wayner]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040115&p_id=2944&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

[stereocilia]

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040115&p_id=2944&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

Beefy!  But I would prefer a hole for the wire to go through before it gets to the set screws, then the wire could be secured by its insulation instead of at the boundary between the screw and the copper.  Like this
http://www.pomonaelectronics.com/pdf/d_mdp_4892_98_1_01.pdf
except with a much bigger than .22 hole.  Maybe such a thing does not exist.    Market opportunity, perhaps?

Thanks for everyone's comments.

[Wayner]

They are almost the identical parts.

Wayner

[stereocilia]

They are almost the identical parts.

Wayner

   Ignoring the gold plating, the one you linked basically has a dual binding post on the back which can receive spades and doubles as the set screw, but the biggest difference is that I didn't see a wire routing hole.  Apart from that they'll do the same job, I guess.

[jrtrent]

I use Pomona dual banana plugs whereever possible.  They are available from MOUSER electronics at very reasonable prices.

After Mr. Van Alstine convinced me to ditch my specialist speaker cable in favor of cheap 16 gauge speaker wire from Home Depot, I started using the Pomona MDP dual bananas that came in the box with my speakers; perhaps, as in my case, a convenient source for Pomona's would be your local Vandersteen dealer, should you happen to have one nearby.