Best Banana Plugs

The banana plugs are helpful for connecting the audio speakers and amplifiers. It is helpful to know about speaker banana plugs if you have a stereo system or wish to play with electronics. They’re nicknamed bananas because of their somewhat curved forms.

Today, I’ll give a list of the top banana plugs, which have been tested and approved by industry professionals. Let’s get into it.

How I rated the Best Banana Plugs

Before you get through the best banana plugs list,  you need to think of the things that you want from a banana plug and the type of equipment that you already have at your disposal. There are certain aspects that must be kept in mind, it does not need any studying for you to do as all of the specifications of each brand are listed right on the box. The following is a list of things to consider before buying the right banana plugs for your electronic equipment.

1. Check for gold plating. If the plating is of 24-carat gold, then it is the right one as it provides the best audio fidelity.
2. Match the wire sizes with the specifications of the banana plugs as each plug has different ranges of holding wire gauges.
3. The banana plugs should have the correct low profile to get inserted in the back of your amplifier or speaker.
4. The plug should have a non-collapsing tip which means it will remain in its shape even after you remove and insert it again and again. This is important for the product’s durability and connection strength.
5. A wider tip banana plug is always a great choice and you should look out for those as they provide the best signal transfer rates.

Types of Banana Plugs

The types of banana plugs are endless and listing out their applications will take more than just this article. But you will not have to know all of them by heart and you have seen most of them in your day to day lives as well.

You may not have used any of these for any use and their uses are not just limited to music either but also ranged towards electrical equipment, cars, and many more. For instance, the following are the types of banana plugs and their respective components.

Stackable or Stacking Plugs

There are stackable or stacking plugs. As the name suggests, you can stack them. These stackable or stacking plugs are 4 mm banana plugs with a 4 mm connecting hole along with them either at the back, either of the sides or both the back and the sides that can accept the pin of another 4 mm banana plug. These are mostly used for electrical purposes.

Shrouded Banana Plugs

Shrouded banana plugs or also known as sheathed banana plugs are connectors that have insulating plastic covering the entirety of the plug for both the male and female connectors. These plugs have such in order to avoid accidental contact in high voltage situations which can be hazardous to the plugs, the components as well as the person operating them both.

The shrouded banana plug will only fit and connect into shrouded and unshrouded jacks but not into binding posts.

Retractable Banana Plugs

A retractable Banana has a spring-loaded shroud cover that slides out of the way when the pin is inserted into a shrouded or unshrouded jack. The plastic covering the banana plug is made from insulating materials for safety reasons during high voltage situations and just to keep the connector safe.

You have to slide the plastic down in order to access the pin and when connecting to an unshrouded jack, you do not have to do that.

Binding Posts

The binding post is also called a 5 way or universal post because there are 5 ways to attach a wire to it. They are a type of wire terminal found on speakers, receivers, and amplifiers as well as test and measurement instruments, high-voltage test equipment, and various other handheld devices.

Binding posts accept bare wire and four different types of connectors: pin connectors, spade connectors, banana plugs, and dual banana plugs. Banana plugs are inserted into a hole in the back of the binding post but shrouded banana plugs are not accepted.

Banana Jacks

A Banana Jack is another word for the female connector that the banana plug is inserted into. These jacks take in the 4 mm banana plug or 2 mm banana plug depending on the size the banana jack takes in.

Jacks have different kinds of pins on the front end which allow them to connect or plug into many different electrical items. A Binding post is one type of jack and can accept only one plug.

Dual Banana Plugs and Banana Posts

Dual plugs are simply two plugs together. They are designed for use with amplifiers or speakers that use traditional binding posts. Dual plugs and posts make it safer to plug in two wires with no chance of stray wire strands creating a short across contacts. Dual Binding posts are two posts together often what a dual plug will plug into.

Mini Banana Plugs

Mini banana plugs are simply smaller banana plugs with a 2 mm or 3 mm pin. They go with their appropriately sized banana jacks or female connectors. These are easily distinguishable for their smaller size and often have fewer leaves than the bigger 4 mm banana plugs.

Best Banana Plugs: Overview

Sewell Direct SW 29863 12 Deadbolt Banana Plugs

Sewell Direct, one of the oldest and the most reliable banana plug manufacturers in the market has brought to you the SW 29863 12 Deadbolt banana plugs. These are called deadbolts due to their super-fast connection in less than 30 seconds.

The technology for this prowess is called the fast lock technology that locks onto a signal so quickly that you are presented with a clear connection with no loss. Upon purchasing you are getting 12 pairs of deadbolt banana plugs which are sufficient for all your devices with some leftovers as well.

The features of the Sewell Direct SW 29863 12 Deadbolt are boundless and here is a list of the most significant of them.

Specifications and Features

• It features a 24-carat gold plating on its connector and crimping teeth. This is done so to ensure a smooth flow of the signal and a strong connection. Gold plating is also used in many circuit boards as it is a good conductor of electricity.
• These plugs are composed of pure copper with a heavy-duty brass shell, which greatly increases the plugs’ longevity, also known as prolonged durability.
• To connect using these connectors, other wire sizes such as 8 AWG or 10 AWG might be utilized.
• These plugs also feature a wider tip base which adds to the signal transfer. This wider tip base promotes a maximum signal transfer.
• These banana plugs feature the self crimping teeth at the ends that help to get a reliable connection.
• To keep the smallest distance between the wall and device, the Sewell Direct Deadbolts have a 1.6-inch low profile.
• When you purchase these plugs, you will be welcomed with 12 pairs of Deadbolts which will be more than enough to construct connections across multiple devices of yours.

Monoprice 109436 Speaker Banana Plugs

Looking for a banana plug that does not only work well but also looks good? Then look no further than the Monoprice banana plugs. These closed screw-type plugs work with bare wires or spades and are great for home theatres and wall plates as well. Alongside this, the gold-plated design of it is bound to make anyone go gaga over them!

Speaking of the design, these banana plugs fit in effortlessly with the amp since there are no cases of loose wires hanging around. In fact, once you have them installed, you will notice how much cleaner the backside of the receiver looks. As a cherry on top, they do not only look expensive but are built to last, making them worth every penny!

Specifications and Features

• Made of brass, the body is plated with gold to prevent corrosion of any sort. This gives you a good value for your money and also ensures an effortless connection with any receiver.
• The plugs are made in such a way that you can easily connect them with any sized wires ranging from 12 to 18 AWG.
• It is coated with 24 carats of gold which is useful for a faster and more reliable connection.
• The number of plugs that you are getting in just one pack is enough to connect multiples speakers and amplifiers. You can also get more as they offer 5 pairs to up to 20 pairs.
• You can use bare wires or spades with these speaker banana plugs to make the connection.
• The plugs are color-coded by red and black at the back rings of the body to help maintain the proper polarity of the plugs.

Mediabridge SPC BP2 12 Corrosion Resistant Banana Plugs

The Mediabridge SPC BP2 12 Corrosion resistant banana plugs have everything you need to know about them right in their name itself. Corrosion-resistant banana plugs, now how many of you would dare to miss that? No one.

Corrosion is something that can not be avoided but we can only work towards protecting from it. And so, these Mediabridge SPC BP2 12 Corrosion Resistant banana plugs are just what you would need for your audio devices.

These corrosion resistant banana plugs from Mediabridge are designed to provide a top-class signal frequency on your audio device. You will get a total of 24 (12 pairs) banana plugs to make connections between the speakers and amplifiers.

So you can have clean power delivery as well as a performance boost since the banana plugs are gold plated and conductive with an insulating plastic covering them. Moreover, the number of plugs you get is more than enough for all your devices as well as you will have some extras if one gets damaged or too old which is highly unlikely.

Specifications and Features

• The plugs have connectors coated with 24-carat gold that ensure the best quality signal connections in your audio components. Gold plating is also used in many circuit boards as it is a good conductor of electricity.
• These banana plugs are compatible with a wide range of speaker wire sizes. This is because it can connect wires from 8 AWG to 18 AWG sizes.
• Mediabridge banana plugs can also be used with spades, bare wires, or even with other banana plugs making them versatile in all aspects.
• You also get a quick installation guide with the banana plugs to help you through the step by step process of connecting the speaker and the amplifiers. It consists of everything you will need along with troubleshooting guides regarding any difficulties you may face.
• These banana plugs are heavy-duty color-coded plugs that help you to maintain the proper polarity.
• Soldering and crimping bare wires is an annoying task and so the Mediabridge SPC BP2 12 banana plugs feature a plug and play functionality that eliminates this labor.
• The wider base of the Mediabridge banana plugs helps attain the best signal transfer rates.
• These banana plugs also feature a two-piece screw on design that provides the safe termination and reuse of these plugs.

Cable Matters Audio Banana Plugs for Speaker Wire:

Cable Matters Audio has always made the best audio components and their cables are top-notch. You can never go wrong with their wires and these banana plugs are no different. Aside from their robust and expressive design and form factor, Cable Matters Audio also excels in quality and performance. They use pure gold plating and of course pure copper connectors for good conductivity, all of which only add to the performance.

These banana plugs from Cable Matters are the specially designed closed screw banana plugs for holding your audio wires. They provide spotless signal frequencies between the speaker and the amplifier. A spotless signal frequency is perfect for sound producers and audio engineers as the audio is transferred clean and lossless with no distortions; a specially useful feature that is applauded by several and missing in many.

Specifications and Features

• These premium banana plugs can hold 12 AWG, 14 AWG, 16 AWG, and 18 AWG sizes of audio wires for their robust and sturdy form factor.
• The metallic housing of the Cable Matters Audio banana plug offers a 360-degree use with an easy grip. The body is insulated so there is no risk of static electricity build-up and the 360-degree use allows you to quickly connect in any orientation.
• These banana plugs come in 7 pairs (14 in total) in the box which lets you connect up to 7 speakers altogether. Now of course you will not need all of these and they are well enough to be used for a long time.
• The screw-on base with a removable tip makes the task of removing and inserting the plugs easy and quick.
• Cable Matters have coated their Audio banana plugs with 24-carat gold for good conductivity. They are also corrosion-free and distortion-free which promotes the spotless signal frequency feature.
• The best part yet, Cable Matters offers a lifetime warranty on these audio banana plugs which is insane.

Monoprice Dual Speaker Banana Plugs

Monoprice, a smaller company but a reliable one. Their banana plugs are unique and well designed to suit your needs. You can get all the functionalities, performance, and quality of a premium banana plug but at a reasonable price that suits every wallet. Monoprice is rather an underdog when it comes to making audio components, especially banana plugs but these plugs definitely put them up on top with all the other premium brands.

If you are looking for the dual banana connector plugs, then go for these 24-carat gold plated plugs from Monoprice. They provide affordable, reliable, and faster signal transfer mediums between your speaker and amplifier. A faster signal transfer gives you greater performance and more room for editing as the audio transferred will be raw and delay-free. These cheap dual speaker banana plugs are just the thing for everyone who wants a little taste of the premium audio world.

Specifications and Features

• These banana plugs support a range of audio wire sizes from 12 AWG to 18 AWG.
• The rings of these banana plugs are color-coded with black and red colors in order to help conserve the polarity.
• The 24 carets gold plating with heavy-duty brass material ensures a corrosion-resistant and most perfect signal connection.
• The banana plugs have a black colored plastic coupling that helps to stick the plugs together.
• These banana plugs can also be used with spades, bare wires, or even with other banana plugs as well.
• Monoproce Dual Speaker Banana Plugs can also be used with traditional binding posts and are ideal for the audio components.

Cmple Dual Speaker Banana Plugs

Cmple Dual Speaker Banana plugs are also one of the underdogs when it comes to the best affordable dual speaker banana plugs. These are easily distinguishable through their bright red color. Cmple may be a hard name to pronounce but that does not define the performance and quality that their banana plugs deliver. These plugs are sturdy, top-notch, high performance, and most importantly, durable for rough usage.

The Cmple Dual Speaker banana plugs have a red-colored yoke connecting the two connectors. This is distinctive to only Cmple and the quality of it is dependable. Moreover, Cmple designed these special dual plugs for holding two binding posts at the same time. Cmple dual speaker banana plugs might just be the cheapest option you can get and that does not make it bad but rather, the quality and performance are unhinged and on par with the premium ones.

Specifications and Features

• These Cmple banana plugs can hold wires of sizes ranged from 12 AWG to 24 AWG which is a huge range at that price range.
• These banana plugs are color-coded in red and black to maintain and distinguish the proper polarity of the plugs.
• The Cmple banana plugs are coated with 24 carats of gold giving you the best and fast signal transfer rate and the best part yet, this also eliminates corrosion.
• These banana plugs dual form factor is especially advantageous as they will create a desired pressure on the wire for maximum output giving you the best results and clean audio transmission between the speaker and the amplifier.
• The small scale dimensions of the Cmple banana plugs help keep the audio components closer to the wall and save room for more equipment to be added.
• The side cable entry of the Cmple banana plugs makes it easy to hold the wires from the side panel.

Amazon Basics Banana Plugs

Amazon makes loads of products and these Amazon Basics Banana plugs might be one of their best. Amazon Basics is a part of Amazon that makes the smaller components for various devices. People may not trust their products for their quality but with these banana plugs, they sure have hit the high ride of the audio world. This Amazon Basics banana plug hits all the right spots and checks all the right boxes that are required by a banana plug and more.

In this package, you will get a total of 24 banana plugs (12 pairs in total) from Amazon Basics. All the plugs are self crimped in order to make it easier for you to install. By using these connectors, you will eliminate the issues of frayed or loose wires which is troublesome and dangerous as you will risk damaging the whole audio device in the process. You can also choose a package of 6 pairs of banana plugs if you think 12 pairs are a little overkill for you.

Specifications and Features

• These high-quality banana plugs come with 24-carat gold plating on the teeth which provides better conductivity and a smoother connection between the speakers and the amplifiers.
• Every plug with these banana plugs comes with a female connection at the bottom. Ergo, you can connect to multiple audio speakers from a single output increasing its accessibility.
• The plugs are also coded red and black to distinguish the proper polarity of the plugs as well as identify the color-coded audio cords easily.
• It has compatibility with a range of wire sizes starting from 12 AWG to 18 AWG.
• If your plugs are damaged or not working for any reason, Amazon Basics provides a 1-year limited warranty on their banana plugs.

Final Verdict

Banana plugs have different variations and sizes and types. Before now, you may not have known about banana plugs, about how many types there are, and why having the right one is important. But, now that you know, it should be clear to you which one you should go for.

The choice is simple, just look through your speakers and amplifiers and the type of connectors it takes in. Buy that one and for additional features, get one that does not corrode as it will be especially useful for long term usage. No matter what your budget is, there is always the right product for you; you just have to look for it a little.

FAQs

We are almost at the end of the article. and here we are still solving your problems, and you can take this as a waving good luck to your purchase. Have a blast!

Is it necessary to use banana plugs?

Using banana plugs with your speaker wire has a lot of advantages. Banana plugs not only make your installation seem cleaner, but they also provide a reliable and long-lasting connection. Banana plugs will also make the rear of your speakers and receiver appear prettier by hiding all of the cables.

Is it true that banana plugs increase sound quality?

The bulk of them are very popular among audio aficionados, and attaching them to the bare wires is not as complicated as it may look. Clearly, banana plugs and similar connections are essential for achieving excellent sound quality from your audio system.

Is it true that banana plugs are harmful?

They’re all about convenience, whether you’re constantly plugging and unplugging or working in cramped quarters, and people like the way they appear. Use them if you like them. Don’t do it if you don’t have to. They can actually diminish sound if they are not properly attached to the cables or if the connections are loose.