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Bronze Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 92 Registered: Apr-05 | I found this on the web, and bought it. It is really good quality heavy banana plugs for only $1.99. http://www.lenexpo-electronics.com/detail.php?m_id=182&price=1.99 |
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Bronze Member Username: Dodgedifferent2Post Number: 16 Registered: May-05 | I found a good set of Banana plugs at Radio shack. Although in Canada its hard to get them becuase Radio Shack is in the middle of changing their name to Circuit city or something like that. But the solderless ones i believe were $2.59 usd, I had to go over to the U.S side about a month ago to find them. I like them solderless because at the moment my system is not permenant. http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=274-721 |
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Silver Member Username: EramseySouth carolina United States Post Number: 184 Registered: Feb-05 | Check out partsexpress.com, they have good bananas with screws for about $3-4 U.S.D. |
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Gvenk Unregistered guest | Thanks Stof. That looks like a very good find unless it is just very cheap yellow paint! May be good to stock up. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 93 Registered: Apr-05 | No Like I said it really is good and heavy and gold plated (at least they say it is), but it is what the picture shows it to be. I'm happy with it because I couldn't find anything like this for less than $7 a pair. |
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Silver Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 556 Registered: Sep-04 | Sorry guys, This is quite a common misconception. You feel the quality in the heavy product and think "hey over-specced - must be good". Nope. Sure, the plugs are well made ad the anodisiing is probably excellent. However, there are a couple of basic mistakes here. 1. The connector is a screw type connector. In other words, the wire is slotted in the hole and screwed in place. Fine, except you only have the force of your thumbs or at best a set of pliers (now you wouldn't want to do that to the nice plug would you?). This means the wire is in as much contact with the air as anything else, allowing it to oxidise far more quickly than a properly encapsulating set of plugs. 2. The plugs have a tendency to undo over time. They're pretty good, but you should check them every few months since the wire gives over time, loosening the connection. 3. You have a signal travelling down the wire. Then it meets your nice new plug which is a massive block of metal. Which way does the signal go? The excess of metal is actually a bad thing. The best plugs are simply crimp and solder or the types that use very high crimp pressures. The latter usually require very specialised equipment to apply them to the cable. Basically you use a gun that applies some 20 tons/sq inch pressure on the plug. This is so high, it fuses the plug onto the wire and squeezes all trace of air out from between the cores. The gun costs quite a bit ($75 or so) so the only people for whom it's sensible to invest in this are the dealers. Ordinary crimp and solder plugs are also nice and simple and effective. You can crimp with any ordinary crimp tool and then flow solder into the joint to ensure a good electrical fit with no air in the join. You should crimp first and solder after so you have maximum contact between the wires and the plug, the solder only being in contact with the wires which are not touching the plug. Sorry to rain on your parade, but I didn't want people getting the idea that the screw type plugs are that good an idea. Of course, since you have them, the only thing to do is to ensure you have tightened them down on the wire as well as you can and check them every three months or so to make sure they don't loosen up. Regards, Frank. |
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Silver Member Username: EramseySouth carolina United States Post Number: 185 Registered: Feb-05 | Thats incorrect Frank, the stripped wire is inserted lengthwise in the base of the plug down the barrel not on the side which would be incorrect. This was how I installed mine then the rubber outer sleave was ziptied to the insulation of the wire to prevent slippage. You have to use a very small screwdriver to set the screw but by hand you can get it quite tight. I have had mine several years now and haven't had any trouble. I also take them apart periodically to check for oxizidation which there has been very little even considering that they are not airtight. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 96 Registered: Apr-05 | Frank there is no hole on this particular unit for the wire to get exposed. It goes through the bottom and screws in the middle and on the top. The bottom locks into the wire shielding. Any way it beats the strip wire into the back and it's much cleaner. |
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Silver Member Username: EramseySouth carolina United States Post Number: 187 Registered: Feb-05 | Also the equalivalent DCR of the plug is much less than one Ohm so I hope no one starts that silly nonsense over resistance and the joining of disimilar metals. |
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Silver Member Username: Edster922Abubala, Ababala The Occupation Post Number: 776 Registered: Mar-05 | Frank, I think you and I have touched on this before, but it recently occurred to me that while soldering the wire into the banana plug is obviously the best option, isn't a screw-type banana plug basically the same as using bare wire into a binding post? In both cases it's just the force of the twist-screw holding the wire in place. I've never had any problems using bare wire into binding posts, just like the convenience of the banana plugs since the binding posts are so close together on the back of most amps/receivers it's a pain to get all the different wires in there. |
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Silver Member Username: EramseySouth carolina United States Post Number: 188 Registered: Feb-05 | Respectfully,but out of concearn Mr. Abela, perhaps in the future you will be sure of validity and correctness of your statements before being quick to dismiss the views of others who are initially correct. This will ensure that correct and pertinent information is available for those who need it on this forum and eliminate the confusion of contradicting statments. |
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Silver Member Username: EramseySouth carolina United States Post Number: 189 Registered: Feb-05 | Also since I use 12 AWG wire which fits fairly snugly in the connector even before the screw is actually tightened, the stripped wire in fact has a high contact surface area with the inside of the plug. It makes contact at the tip of the inside of the plug as well and nearly all of the surface of the inside of the plug since the wire is held firmly against the inner surface of the plug by the set screw. |
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Bronze Member Username: Dodgedifferent2Sarnia, Ontario Canada Post Number: 18 Registered: May-05 | I am not too worried about the scientific aspects behind the oxidation and that fun jazz. I like the solderless because i have not buckled down to buy myself a soldering gun when i would only use it once and then let it sit on my shelf for the next soldering project that is probably way down the line. Besides exspensive stuff is not always the best. |
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Bronze Member Username: Dodgedifferent2Sarnia, Ontario Canada Post Number: 19 Registered: May-05 | another aspect about getting them at radios shack is that i can get them when i need them rather then sit by my mail box and wait for the mail carrier |
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Bronze Member Username: ChitownPost Number: 97 Registered: Apr-05 | Charles this is outside of the topic a bit, but how do you suggest they will turn Radio Shacks into Circuit City? Circuit City is huge. |
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Bronze Member Username: AlphabetCape TownSouth Africa Post Number: 25 Registered: Feb-05 | I bought identical banana plugs at an outlet in my neck of the woods(South Africa) and after connecting them I heard a huge difference! The soundstage was much wider, the highs airier and the bass tightened up! How is stil possible you may ask? Simple really, the spekers were not connected to the receiver before I connected it using these plugs. Just a bit of warped humor! Its Friday after all! |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 739 Registered: Feb-04 | Stof, Circuit City bought Radio Shack and will be changing the name. |
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Gold Member Username: Paul_ohstbucksPost Number: 1142 Registered: Jan-05 | I spent $20 for packs that came with 2 pairs. Wow, what a ripoff, but they were handy and I didnt want to wait to order something cheaper online. |
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Bronze Member Username: Dodgedifferent2Sarnia, Ontario Canada Post Number: 21 Registered: May-05 | what Peter said. Does not matter size ... it can happen and it has |