Mediabridge Banana Plugs now in the UK

BlueWizard

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I've used and recommended Sewell Deadbolt Banana Plugs for years. It came to my attention that a company called MEDIABRIDGE made very similar near identical Plugs but with metal (anodized aluminum) bodies was now available in the UK.


I was just on Amazon-UK and saw the Mediabridge listed there.

Here are the common Sewell Deadbolt Banana Plugs -

Amazon product ASIN B01MFAIFU2
Here are the Mediabridge Banana Plugs I just found on Amazon-UK -

Amazon product ASIN B01AH0TRTW
I have both and use both, and find them both to be very good products with a generally low profile. And there is only a couple of Pounds difference in the Price.

Here is a video that would apply equally to the Sewell Deadbolt and the Mediabridge Plugs -





In a type of Banana Plugs that attach the wire with two Screws, there are some nice product here too.

Nakamichi seems to hit a pretty high standard -

Amazon product ASIN B00AKILSQM
Amazon product ASIN B07BVQ4XY1
Vimmor Y Plug 4 Pcs 45 Degree Nakamichi Speaker Banana: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

And the Sewell Silverback Banana Plugs (screw connect) -


Sewell and Mediabridge also makes high quality SPADE connectors, though not sure if they are available in the UK -



Of course there are many other brands of good Banana Plugs -



Of course there are Locking Banana Plugs, though these seem to be more rare today. Once inserted, you screw the bottom up to expand the Plug itself until it locks into the banana socket. Extremely high holding tension and therefor contact force on this type.


QED, Fisual, and other Cable and Wire makers have their own house brands of plugs. Some, for example, QED have a special Airloc Banana Plugs that can only be installed by a dealer, but these are also very good, if you have the tool to install them. They Crimp the plug very tightly on the wire for maximum contact. Though they do have a DIY version of the Airloc plugs that are called SCREWLOC -

QED Screwloc -


Fisual Banana Plugs -





Audioquest Banana Plugs -




Notice the BFA-type have a hollow shaft. These are considered premium banana plugs in any brand.

Just making people aware of the options available.

And of course, there are many other brands and designs worth considering, just too many to list here.

Hopefully this is helpful to some.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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Thanks for this. Do you think there is much difference in the quality between the various types of banana plug or whether the better (or more expensive ones) have much or any impact on the actual connection and sound quality?

I have a Rega Brio amp connected to Tannoy Xt6F floor standers with QED 79 strand cable via these basic Fisual plugs.

Amazon product ASIN B013P36KRU
The plug connection to the amp is snug but not as tight as it could be but they seem to do the job well enough; however, I wonder if the posher plugs would add anything? I realise I'm probably just looking for some elusive pot of audio gold that's not really there.
 
Never used those Fisuals so can't comment, but I do use the Nakamichi ones @BlueWizard linked to above. Never had any problems using a variety of amps/speakers.
 
Thanks for this. Do you think there is much difference in the quality between the various types of banana plug or whether the better (or more expensive ones) have much or any impact on the actual connection and sound quality?

I have a Rega Brio amp connected to Tannoy Xt6F floor standers with QED 79 strand cable via these basic Fisual plugs.

Amazon product ASIN B013P36KRU
The plug connection to the amp is snug but not as tight as it could be but they seem to do the job well enough; however, I wonder if the posher plugs would add anything? I realise I'm probably just looking for some elusive pot of audio gold that's not really there.
I've been using those Fisuals for years now. No problems at all.
 
Just to say thanks for this thread, and in particular to @BlueWizard for the extremely useful top post.

Having just gone through the pain of disconnecting/re-connecting 7 channels three times through multiple repair attempts of an outgoing AVR, I’m planning to finally switch to banana plugs ahead of the new unit,

I’d always assumed soldering would be required and/or there weren’t easy to use products that were deemed worthwhile.

Nice to see I’m wrong. I’ll be placing an order soon (that is, once I’ve picked from the plethora of options above!)
 
Thanks for this. Do you think there is much difference in the quality between the various types of banana plug or whether the better (or more expensive ones) have much or any impact on the actual connection and sound quality? ...

There is a material quality element, but most common name brand Plugs are going to be sufficient. And, while you can certainly find some expensive Banana Plugs, most are pretty reasonably priced, so not so much of a problem.

In the Fisual Style, while I could probably find better photos, the key is that they have TWO screws to secure each wire. I had some that only had a single screw and was not pleased with how securely they held each wire.

The Mediabridge and the Sewell Deadbolt hold the wire pretty securely considering it doesn't require any tools to attach the wire. There is a Center Tube. The wire is pushed up through that Center Tube and folded over, just that folding over alone makes it hard to dislodge the wire. Then the Top Sections is screwed on securing the wire. While I haven't measured it, I suspect it would take very considerable force to dislodge or pull out the wire. I consider it a very secure connection.

Most people are using they type of Banana Plug (Sewell Silverback or Nakamichi) that use two screws to hold the wire in. Assuming the metal isn't so soft that you strip out the threads, these are very effective as well.

In short, if the Fisual Banana Plugs use two screws to hold the wire in, you are fine.

Steve/bluewizard
 
...

I’d always assumed soldering would be required and/or there weren’t easy to use products that were deemed worthwhile. ...

If you are a skilled Solderer, I suspect just about any of the Banana Plugs suggested could be soldered if you wanted to, but I generally have found it unnecessary.

Steve/bluewizard
 
Here is one other aspect, though to some extent, personal preference.

Notice the different in the "banana" part of the plug between these two -

Amazon product ASIN B01MXJIEV9
Notice that the contact area of the actual banana has something of a balloon shape. The contact surfaces bulge out from the center of the Banana Pin.

On these, the Contact surface is longer and smoother -

Amazon product ASIN B01MFAIFU2
I have used both, and much prefer the second longer smoother type.

But there are other contact surface designs,. For example, these QED have a long straight spring embedded into one side. When that spring pushes out, it pushes the other side of the Banana Pin against the Banana Socket on the Amp or Speakers, and in theory, provides more contact surface -

Amazon product ASIN B00F53153S
While I am personally less enthused by this design, QED does make very good Banana Plugs, and one has to assume a considerable bit of engineering when into them.

However, there is one more type which I briefly mentioned before, and these are the BFA Banana Plugs. With these you have a hollow center shaft on the Banana Pin, and to some extent these are spring metal. These will have the most contact surface of any Banana Plugs, and these are usually the highest quality and most expensive -

Amazon product ASIN B00388TDI6
Amazon product ASIN B00TQ1D5W4
Audioquest SureGrip 300 BFA/Banana Plugs Pack of 4: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics




Unless you have massively high powered amps, I'm not sure that this is necessary, but there are some of this style that are reasonably priced, so very much up to the individual.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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Really interesting thread. After reading i decided to buy a pack of Nakamichi & a pack of Fisual Easy. Just before i hit buy button, any updates or further recommendations? Also interested in a cable that wraps around the speaker cables to keep everything tidy, that someone might recommend as well...?
Thanks!
 
Really interesting thread. After reading i decided to buy a pack of Nakamichi & a pack of Fisual Easy. Just before i hit buy button, any updates or further recommendations? Also interested in a cable that wraps around the speaker cables to keep everything tidy, that someone might recommend as well...?
Thanks!
Could Google Z-plugs. The banana plugs mentioned are good quality too.
 
Could Google Z-plugs. The banana plugs mentioned are good quality too.

Interesting but surprisingly pricey for a plug that you will have to build yourself. I have bookmarked for future project though so thanks for reply.
 
“Build your self”? Google Z-plugs. Nordost and Tellurim uses them.

I’d just buy some decent plugs with decent springs so they’ve don’t get loose over time. The ones mentioned before are fine.

I would solder the cables to the plugs.
 
By Z-plugs I of course mean BFA. My bad.
 

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