Unfamiliar speaker connections... please help!

[Try4ce]

I'm currently setting up my first-ever speaker system. While I'm quite the videophile, I've been reluctant to plunge into audio.

I find though, that I'm completely unfamiliar with the speaker connectors. I've started cutting my speaker wire, and it's easy enough to just clip them right into my speakers. The problem is on the receiver end... they're these barrel-like spinny things. I can just lay my exposed wires in there and I do get sound, but surely that's not how it's supposed to be? I can tighten and loosen the barrels, but doing so seems to do nothing to secure the speaker wires. The wire did come with some banana connectors, and those are useless as well... not only do the banana connectors still lay loosely in the receiver, but they don't even tighten up on the speaker wire, so it's loose there too.

What the heck can I do? I don't want my speakers to just lay there loosely like that.

 

[Sheep]

Those were probably speaker "Pins".

These are Banana Plugs.

The wires are inserted in on the end of the barrel that is close to the receiver. The barrel presses the wire up against the receiver. Like this.

SheepStar

 

[Try4ce]

Alright, so basically, I just unscrew all the way, stick the wire in the backside, and just close down? A bit sloppy, but as long as it makes the connection, I suppose. Thanks!

 

[AVRat]

What receiver do you have?

 

[MDS]

The red and black things in the picture sheep posted are known as binding posts.

- If you use bare wire, you can unscrew them and either insert the wire into the hole in the screw that will become visible when you unscrew them enough or wrap the wire around the screw. Then tighten down posts.

- If you use pins, you can stick them in the hole and then again tighten down the binding posts.

- If you use banana plugs you have to first tighten the binding posts all the way down and then insert the banana plug into the hole in the center. There is a huge variation in banana plugs and some of them will be loose and fall out (those are worthless) but most will require a tiny bit of force to insert them into the hole.

There is no difference in sound quality between bare wire, pins, spades, or banana plugs but banana plugs are certainly the most convenient.

 

[majorloser]

And let's not forget the locking banana plugs. They have a thumb screw on the back that tightens them inside the hole of the binding post by spreading the tip.

And those types of binding posts are sometimes referred to as "5-way binding posts". You can use spades, pins, banana plugs and bare wire with them. I'm sure there's a fifth way to use them but I'll be damned if I can think of it.

 

[MDS]

And those types of binding posts are sometimes referred to as "5-way binding posts". You can use spades, pins, banana plugs and bare wire with them. I'm sure there's a fifth way to use them but I'll be damned if I can think of it.

The fifth way is dual banana plugs - the kind where the two are attached to each other like one unit. Many of these so-called '5 way binding posts' are really 4-way because they have a little collar at the bottom that prevents the use of spades.

 

[markw]

And, one more caution about using bare wires with these things.

This ain't the good ole days of two channel analog stereos where two to four speakers were connected on the back and there was wide open spaces on the rear panel.

Modern HT receivers have a lot of speaker connections and they tend to be real close together, which makes it difficult to connect bare wires and, more importantly, even more difficulyt to see shorts.

If I can offer a little friendly advice, I'd say that banana plugs (on the receiver end, at least) of speaker cables will make your life much, much easier. They are worth the slight additional cost and effort.

 

[Sheep]

Alright, so basically, I just unscrew all the way, stick the wire in the backside, and just close down? A bit sloppy, but as long as it makes the connection, I suppose. Thanks!

There will be a hole in the metal post which the wire goes through. Insert the wire through this hole and tighten down.

SheepStar

 

[Try4ce]

Well, that problem's solved, so thanks for the help! However, I've now got another, regarding distortion in my front and rear speakers... if anyone might be able to lend a hand, it would be appreciated... I posted my issue over here:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?p=206412#post206412

Oh, and since someone asked, I have a Sony receiver, 7.1 with HDMI output. The 7.1 won't be used for now, but the HDMI was a must for me. Not a bad deal for $404.