By reading this https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-purifi-amp-builds.10478/page-100#post-631439 about magnetic banana plugs. Any recommendations for a locking banana plug that is not magnetic? I believe Benchmark use a non magnetic but can’t find them in the store. Are they similar to some other brand, part express or blue jeans cable maybe?
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Locking Banana comparison
- Thread starter waynel
- Start date
Why non-magnetic? That brings no actual advantage, marketing notwithstanding.
I've measured the Eigentakt amps and not seen any degradation whatever from "magnetic" banana plugs.
I've seen the marketing statement. I am skeptical of anything beyond a real edge case, and my measurements certainly showed no indication of any significant hysteresis distortion. Perhaps it falls into that "0.0001% distortion is too high" bucket.
As a practical matter it's something not worth fretting about. The mechanics of the connection are far more important.
Side note: I've had fun with tube amp guys who carefully check every resistor and capacitor for containing magnetic material. I invite them to check the tubes... not to mention the output transformers.
somebodyelse
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They ought to include a caveat about soldering the speakons if you want to avoid magnetic materials - Neutrik use steel screws, presumably so the heads don't get mashed too easily. The locking catch is faintly magnetic too, possibly due to nickel plating? It would be good to see some measurements, but I guess it's a bit like only finding the limitations of the dummy loads when testing the AHB2.
Of my banana plugs only the ridiculously cheap ones are significantly magnetic, and they're defective anyway. Some are faintly magnetic (nickel plate again?) and some not at all. They're just reasonable plugs from RS, Farnell and similar over the years.
Of my banana plugs only the ridiculously cheap ones are significantly magnetic, and they're defective anyway. Some are faintly magnetic (nickel plate again?) and some not at all. They're just reasonable plugs from RS, Farnell and similar over the years.
Albertmato
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jokan
Addicted to Fun and Learning
just wanted to let readers of this thread know, the Nakamichi brand name is not owned by the Nakamichi Dragon series producing company. They've been gone for some time now. It's a con-trick in the audio world. Like phoenix gold once was a great cable company for car audio but are not owned or operated by the same people.
Dewalt power drills/tools is no longer an american owned company. The price dropped to a third of the original cost the instant they were bought out. Kenmore isn't american owned anymore. Not that there is anything wrong with another conglomerate purchasing and eating the smaller fish. But when it effects quality that's when it becomes an issue.
I've had Furutech banana binding posts as well as the WBT. I'm sure WBT built them first and then Furutech copied them, but honestly speaking, they suffered from metal fatigue after repeated use. Both brands. I prefer a simple copper banana plug by AET in Japan. It's solid copper, but uses a stainless set screw as copper set screws will just strip. Surprisingly the copper banana itself is strong enough that it doesn't become damaged or cross threaded by the stainless set screw. The limitation is the wire gauge you can use. I believe 12gauge is the maximum thickness. And no, I can't hear the stainless set screw. I'm sure it could be measured though.
As one poster said, the best banana plug is no banana plug.
Dewalt power drills/tools is no longer an american owned company. The price dropped to a third of the original cost the instant they were bought out. Kenmore isn't american owned anymore. Not that there is anything wrong with another conglomerate purchasing and eating the smaller fish. But when it effects quality that's when it becomes an issue.
I've had Furutech banana binding posts as well as the WBT. I'm sure WBT built them first and then Furutech copied them, but honestly speaking, they suffered from metal fatigue after repeated use. Both brands. I prefer a simple copper banana plug by AET in Japan. It's solid copper, but uses a stainless set screw as copper set screws will just strip. Surprisingly the copper banana itself is strong enough that it doesn't become damaged or cross threaded by the stainless set screw. The limitation is the wire gauge you can use. I believe 12gauge is the maximum thickness. And no, I can't hear the stainless set screw. I'm sure it could be measured though.
As one poster said, the best banana plug is no banana plug.
welding or cold pressing?
Furthermore, on non-locking bananna plugs...
I ordered the ones above from an ebay seller. When I later purchased a second batch, from the same supplier, I was sent a far inferior product. In the end I was refunded, however, you should avoid these Wilko branded ones (left of photo below). I don't doubt that they would get the job done, but they feel and look as though they have come out of a Christmas cracker!
A design flaw for both types is that if the wire is too thick you can't tighten the screws enough to get them flush with the barrel. The screw heads can then dig into the plastic, preventing you from screwing the plug into the plastic tube.
Close up of poor quality Wilko ones:
Close up of nicer unbranded ones:
I ordered the ones above from an ebay seller. When I later purchased a second batch, from the same supplier, I was sent a far inferior product. In the end I was refunded, however, you should avoid these Wilko branded ones (left of photo below). I don't doubt that they would get the job done, but they feel and look as though they have come out of a Christmas cracker!
A design flaw for both types is that if the wire is too thick you can't tighten the screws enough to get them flush with the barrel. The screw heads can then dig into the plastic, preventing you from screwing the plug into the plastic tube.
Close up of poor quality Wilko ones:
Close up of nicer unbranded ones:
Agreed although, in such cases, I discard the screws and resort to solder.
Found them: River Cable
However, the website says the company is on hiatus. Nowhere to buy them.
- Thread Starter
- #74
You can get them at HAVE, see link below:
Banana Connectors
Audio Connectors - Banana Connectors - Cable End - The best connection for speaker cables, are with Banana Connectors. Try our professional audiophile quality, HAVE Locking Banana connectors! Locking banana connectors expand when the locking mechanism is utilized, to increase both contact area...
store.haveinc.com
gfinlays
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I usually build my own speakers, so I have the luxury of fitting Neutrik Speakon connectors to both ends. Best loudspeaker connector by far. Love that Benchmark fits them to their amps. It's a shame more manufacturers don't fit them to their speakers...
Or from BlueJeans Cable @ $9/pair.
- Thread Starter
- #77
Hi Kal,
See the first post on this thread, I started it recommending the blue jeans connectors , they are not exactly the same at the ones benchmark uses which are also sold by HAVE.
Duly noted. I just compared them and realized that they are different.
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
Why do you need so-called locking?
