Banana Plug Questions for the NEWB

[captaincool]

Greetings all,
I am really new to home theater/audio game and just had a question about Banana plugs. My amp (too ashamed to mention the amp brand and model) has banana plug connections on it but the Athena Micra 6 system I bought last week (at a cool $299.99 Canadian) only has the pressure clip system. I have noticed that the holes on the speakers are somewhat rounded and I was wondering if it would be a bad thing to shove a banana clip in that hole? Or should I just use the bare wire? I would prefer the banana clip for it's ease of use but I just want the best connection for the system.

thanks in advance

 

[MDS]

Bare wire or pins are best used with the spring clips on speakers. It doesn't matter that one end of the wire has a banana plug and the other end is bare wire or a pin. I think the banana plug will likely be too heavy and not be held in well by the spring clips even if you manage to jam it in there.

 

[captaincool]

Thanks for the prompt response.

 

[Sheep]

What MDS said,

Bananas on one end, pins or gold plated braided wire on the other(Monster has one of these attachments, but pins should suffice).

SheepStar

 

[captaincool]

Pins? I think I have seen those, but always figured they were for something else.

 

[markw]

If the Athena's use an "push and insert" type thingie where the hole "closes" over the wire when you let it go, then you're better off using bare wire. The clips makes a more secure connection with the soft, stranded, malleable wire than with a hard, solid pin connector.

 

[jcPanny]

If the plug fits . . .

If the banannas are small enough to fit in the sring clip hole then shove them in and forget it. The speakers, wiring, and likely the amp in question are not exactly audiophile gear so it will be adequate. If they don't fit, cut them off and strip off the ends for a bare wire connection.

 

[majorloser]

To be honest, I'd stick with bare wires with spring clips. Granted, every once in a while you'll need to re-strip the ends so you'll have a clean connection. Bare copper will eventually oxidize. I'm not a freak on pins since they have a tendency to spin or pull out of spring clips. You get better surface area contact with the bare wire. You can tin the ends but that will also make the ends stiff just like pins.

On the receiver end you can get an inexpensive set of locking banana plugs that hold tight and have large surface contact area.

GOOD LUCK!