Marantz SR8500 -- speaker cables

[a/v student]

Just bought this reciever but it has not arrived yet. Anyone have experience or knowledge to share on whether it takes banana plugs to hook up fronts/center/sourrounds, and if so, whether that was better than bare wire or spades? I am thinking of buying Cobalt's cables with the locking bananas. Thanks much.

 

[j_garcia]

Yes, all Marantz receivers have binding posts. Bananas yes, spades no; the posts are designed so that they do not accept spades. There is no sonic benefit to using bananas, but it will make it a LOT easier to connect and cleaner in terms of wiring (no chance of stray wires shorting to the chassis). I always recommend using bananas.