Not to start a cable/banana plug thread. Just a ring terminal question

[photographer86]

Hello all, So I have watched the myths of speaker cables blah blah blah, but it does seem we want OFC copper at least for connection. I know some of the cheap banana plugs on amazon and such are brace and gold plated and such but we know brace isn't so good I guess they say. Getting a product with copper and plated gold or tinned is pretty hard to find. So I did some research and I found these ring terminals. Website just for picture.

I can get these in the gauge I need for my wire and the ring size for the female banana plug on the back of my speakers. I contacted the company and it is copper tinned. So with that I feel very comfortable knowing that my termination is gonna be brand of copper. I know you can't use the ring terminals on the amp side so I am still looking for a copper for sure banana plug. Just to know that even if my avr is alloy or brace I know my speaker cable which is copper and everything else connection is copper. Also the ring terminals are not to expensive.

Further more the recent fos power banana plugs I bought the sping part came out. Super cheap. Is there something like this. That is made of copper and gold plated or tinned. I would much rather have this style banana plug but seems very hard to find in the us.

Thanks everyone and I see viborg makes copper ones but they're 38 bucks a piece. Don't want to spend that much when I am only spending $4 bucks for ring terminals that are copper sure though maybe not all copper but a mixture. Looking for info of what people think including the answer of don't worry about it use brace. Thanks. Not trying to start a crazy thread here. I hope I explained well enough with websites for pictures. Take care all. I just found out I need 5 post first to post links so I guess the ring terminal I am talking about are the yellow 12-10 gauge gerber bender brand. and for the banana plug if you guys search viborg banana plug on amazon you see one that is solid with a single spring clip coming out of it and not the multiple goes those are just pressed in the end. Thanks for any help.

 

[lovinthehd]

You mean brass? Which is largely copper? OFC isn't that important, ETP is just fine. I use Sewell Silverback bananas myself as I like the dual set screw design, but it is about cost and convenience for the most part.

 

[photographer86]

Thanks lovinthehd for the reply. Ya so the swells are just like the fospower, probably made by the same company. I am probably just being more anal about knowing that its really copper under the gold plating. But i just like to know. So the swell, the ends are the same as the fospower brand and when i unplugged one the 4 springs im gonna call them that give tension came out. They’re just pressed in. I was disapoiting in that and wanted a solid through banana plug that i know wasn’t just pressed in the end. Sure i know they’re cheap but goodness lol. Only one though. So i went back to the drawing table and found the viborg ones. They have just a single spring and is solid through. Kinda like the locking ones. I know i would never hear the difference but really was trying to keep OFC speaker wire terminating to copper banana plug. Granted gold plated. But having a electronics background its just common to keep things from being changed or different material. Probably being over critical. Thanks for calming my nerves. Lol. Anyone else ever use ring terminals for the female banana plug jacks on speakers? They are tinned and i solder the wire to them. Dress up with a little heat shrink and the may reason i like them is my jbl s26’s, s38 are front ported. I have them mounted to wall and not using banana plugs i can put them right to the wall. Which doesn’t seem to effect the speakers. Thanks again for info.

 

[ryanosaur]

The Other option I share is Monoprice: "Choice" Speaker Cable, "Affinity" Banana Plugs (including the right angle ones), "High Quality" Subwoofer Cable, their Certified Premium HDMIs, and their Cat6a ethernet...

I went all in on them and have no complaints.

I agree, OFC isn't that big a deal... the Monoprice Choice cables are OFC and quite affordable too. I saw a review where they tested banana plugs and the Affinity ones tested highest for conductivity FWIW. And I run a 20' Subwoofer cable past 5ea Amp power cords and the power strip they plug into: with no noticeable distortion.

End of the day for me: don't spend a lot on cables and such (not worth it); look for the best conductor for the best price; and where shielding is used, make certain its good quality shielding.

Nothing against BJC, but my 4 HDMIs together cost less than 1 from them and they work great... same with my Sub cable (fraction of the cost compared to BJCs offerings.)

Shop smart and do a little research... it'll pay off in the long run.

 

[Swerd]

I am probably just being more anal about knowing that its really copper under the gold plating. But i just like to know.

There's a reason why brass is used instead of copper in wire terminals. Copper is so soft that it easily bends and deforms. Brass is pretty soft, but it's harder than copper. The difference in conductance is too small to make any difference.

Banana plugs, as lovinthehd said above, are mainly for convenience. There are many different makes and types of these plugs, and as many preferences among users. That should tell you something – the large variety of banana plugs available are there to suit a large variety of cost & convenience levels among different users. There is no single best type. And there is certainly no audible difference among them.

So the swell, the ends are the same as the fospower brand and when i unplugged one the 4 springs im gonna call them that give tension came out. They’re just pressed in. I was disapoiting in that and wanted a solid through banana plug that i know wasn’t just pressed in the end.

In my hands, I've had better results with banana plugs with springs like these:

as opposed to springs like these:

Anyone else ever use ring terminals for the female banana plug jacks on speakers? They are tinned and i solder the wire to them.

If you worry over copper vs. brass banana plugs, why don't you also worry about the poor conductivity of solder compared to copper ?

 

[Kvn_Walker]

I just recently bought these "BFA" banana plugs and really like them. Gotta have dual set screws though- I won't go back to any other design.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M7F15DJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[j_garcia]

It is a connector. You are vastly overthinking this. The difference in sound will be below the threshold of hearing, possibly even measurement.

Soldering your connections is of little benefit. There is no signal gain from it and if you get quality connectors, there is no improvement in strength or longevity. Ring lugs really aren't ideal for speakers either.

I use these BFAs on the speaker side and have been very pleased. Not really a fan of the spring type bananas. BFAs still "spring" and can be adjusted to fit different size binding posts.

https://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-eKs-Style-Banana-Plugs/dp/B008D2TC4M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IEE4I6OAGJR2&keywords=knukonceptz+banana&qid=1556289298&s=electronics&sprefix=knu+konceptz+banana,electronics,194&sr=1-1

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks lovinthehd for the reply. Ya so the swells are just like the fospower, probably made by the same company. I am probably just being more anal about knowing that its really copper under the gold plating. But i just like to know. So the swell, the ends are the same as the fospower brand and when i unplugged one the 4 springs im gonna call them that give tension came out. They’re just pressed in. I was disapoiting in that and wanted a solid through banana plug that i know wasn’t just pressed in the end. Sure i know they’re cheap but goodness lol. Only one though. So i went back to the drawing table and found the viborg ones. They have just a single spring and is solid through. Kinda like the locking ones. I know i would never hear the difference but really was trying to keep OFC speaker wire terminating to copper banana plug. Granted gold plated. But having a electronics background its just common to keep things from being changed or different material. Probably being over critical. Thanks for calming my nerves. Lol. Anyone else ever use ring terminals for the female banana plug jacks on speakers? They are tinned and i solder the wire to them. Dress up with a little heat shrink and the may reason i like them is my jbl s26’s, s38 are front ported. I have them mounted to wall and not using banana plugs i can put them right to the wall. Which doesn’t seem to effect the speakers. Thanks again for info.

I think there are several brands that use the same plug as Sewell's Silverbacks, pretty sure Nakamichi is one, I found good prices on the Sewells when I was shopping. I've not had any fail and I've got about 50 in use. There are right angle style ones if you want to get closer to the wall. What I really prefer on my diy builds are Neutrik Speakons....

 

[Verdinut]

On my three front speakers, I also use the Neutrik Speakon connectors. They make about the most secure loudspeaker connection.

 

[photographer86]

Thanks you all for calming the copper wire , terminal banana plug gods down! Lol

Thats for examples. I would post a link to the ones i orderd and trying out now but i dont have 5 post yet lol. Thank you for examples. The fos power with springs fell out on me. Maybe the were. It crimped however the gentalment that post those solid banana plugs look nice cause there is no spring. Just finished watching Gene do a video on the multiple sub claibration. I’ll order the mic he is using and sure ill have questions for that. Thanks all for understand i was just unsure on the true copper or not and showing so many examples. Take care.