Can someone please describe the difference between banana plugs vs. pin sockets for speaker cables? I have never seen either except in certain photos that really don't clarify. What are the pro's and cons to either one? I have a NAD C270 amp, and I don't think I can use banana plugs because the manual only mentions spade or pin sockets or bare wire. The speakers will be M60's. I see that Axiom sells banana plugs for its bulk wire but not pin sockets. Can you tell me where I can get some good pin sockets?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Banana plugs look like this.



They are meant to attach to the end of your speaker wire and fit into the holes in the ends of the posts on your receiver and speakers.

Pin Plugs look like this.



they are very similar to banana plugs, but the sticky outy thing (don't you love it when I use such technical terms? ) is thick on the bananas, and very thin on the pin plugs. Instead of being inserted in the end of the posts on your receiver and speakers, the posts are unscrewed, exposing a small hole into which the pins are inserted, and then the posts are tightened down to firmly hold the pins in place.



Pin Plugs. I like the 3rd down. Part # 091-310. $3.90 per pair, and no soldering.

Radio Shack has a similar set of pin plugs for 10 to 20 gauge speaker wire, at $10.49 for 4, which is a little more expensive than those from Parts Express. But if you have a Radio shack nearby, you wouldn't have the expense of shipping, so they are roughly the same price.

Radio Shack also has similar pin plugs for 14 or 16 gauge speaker wire specifically. Same price.

Ajax is right on.


(here's another example of the "lazy me too" syndrome)

And I wondered why you had close to 4000 posts...

Anyway, I see no point in pins. It just adds another point of failure in the chain. What happens if the connection of the wire to the pin is bad? Might as well just screw in the bare wire.

Good point, Ken. I just like 'em. And that is a valid reason for using anything.

Yep, always important to walk a mile in another man's shoes. Of course, you do end up a mile away and you also have his shoes.

That's something I've always had a hard time doing, unless I'm allowed to cut the toes off to fit my size 14 feet.

Keep your grubby mitts off a my shoes. Air conditioned loafers I DON'T need.

You could just chop off your toes!

Ajax-that is very true. Otherwise, why would I be sitting here with these (admittedly absurd) 11 gauge equivalent speaker cables?!

Yeah, but just think. You made 'em with your own widdle hands. Actually, I think it's pretty cool that you did.

Let's just say there's a reason I never posted pictures. I put on the heatshrink a little too tight, and caused some problems... like trying to break the binding posts on the receiver. I ended up just taking off the heatshrink altogether, so they're pretty ugly. But functional.

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so they're pretty ugly. But functional.

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Kinda like air-conditioned loafers.