Doc, I guess this won't be the first time two listeners had a difference of opinion as to what sounds better.
What, next you going to tell me Guns N Roses' Appetite for Destruction was
not the best album of the 90's?
No doubt bare wire is best; the first day. After that, it goes down as a matter of physics as corrosion occurs around the surface of each strand of exposed wire; while terminated wire, on the other hand does not change, or changes dramatically slower. And the additional contact points argument is curious to me. Yes, a banana has about 5 times the amount of surface area contact - providing a similar affect to increasing the gauge of the wire. But having more surface area does not create more likelihood of failure points. If you mean the contact between the plug and the wire, I would agree that a screw terminal in the plug is as prone to corrosion as at the speaker terminal. Good solder is the key there. Even with screw downs, however, you gain the increase in surface area via spade or banana, which is my general preference.
Anyway, the horse called and asked that I stop beating him, so I'll move on. Thanks for the input. Hope to report back with a functioning system soon.
