To bannana or not? That is the question....

[muncybob]

First, forgive me if this has been addressed previously but I did a quick search and didn't see any pros or cons on this. I just finished the drywall in my newly constructed game room and am ready to install wall plates for 2 speakers. A local high end audio dealer tried talking me out of not only bannana plugs but also the wall plates stating the inside wall connections will oxidize over time. He said they use wall blanks and drill holes to pull the speaker wire through...direct connection then to the speaker the old fashioned way. I'm still going to use the wall plates just because I like the way they look(if you want to look behind the speakers I guess)....but I have never used plugs and have always connected bare wire to both the amp and speakers............any thoughts??

 

[jonnythan]

That doesn't make any sense. The power wires are all copper and they're terminated the same way speaker wire would be.

 

[Sheep]

Go back there, and kick him in the nuts. The wire will be less likely to oxidize in a banana plug then straigh stranded wire.

Banana plugs offer easy of connection, and corrotion resistance. If you feel you need them, and think its good, go for it. I use them on the amp end.

SheepStar

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

If corrosion is an issue, simply twist the ends, heat them up, and solder. The plus is that there's no corrosion, and no stray strands that could blow a channel on the amp.

The beauty of banana plugs are no twisting or tightening of terminals, unless you have spring clips - then just use solder over bare twisted wire.

I've always soldered my speaker wire, whether it be bare to spring clips, or soldering straight to banana pugs.

I wouldn't worry too much about the wall plate - unless you live near a beach with salt water.

 

[4yew]

Use some sort of end inside the wall, definately, the bare speaker wire will eventually corrode. I would recommend using banana plugs at every connection. That way you don't have to worry about bare wire corrosion or the chance of getting a stray copper strand to short out the system.

 

[~JC~]

convienience

I'm with Sheep on this one. I just bare wire the speakers, it's a perfectly good (some would say best), connection, and I rarely need to unhook a speaker. On the back of the amp, if I want to change wires or move something or whatever, it is a PIA to unscrew all of the speaker wires. It's just easier to unplug them.