Top 10 Best Banana Plugs (2024)

Banana plugs are cylindrical connectors with a bulged prong that resembles the shape of a straightened banana. These plugs are used to connect speakers to a receiver or amplifier.

A single banana plug connects a single wire. Thus, you’ll need a single plug for the positive terminal and another plug for the negative terminal.

These plugs are advantageous in that they make it simpler and faster to connect speakers to receivers. They also allow for a safe and secure connection.

Moreover, using banana plugs will make the wiring of your sound system look neat. These plugs make signal transfer faster and more stable. Thus, they enhance the sound quality of a sound system.

However, choosing banana plugs for your sound system is not a walk in the park. There’re dozens of these plugs on the market today.

Thus, choosing the right one can be quite confusing. If you’re reading this article, then you’ve landed on the right page. This article reviews the best banana plugs available today to make it easier for you to choose the right plug. Read on for detailed reviews.

FosPower Banana Plugs 6 Pairs / 12 pcs, Closed...
  • [EASY INSTALLATION & DESIGN] Banana plugs make speaker wire installation a breeze and are great to use with A/V receivers, amplifiers, surround sound systems, banana wall plates

Top 10 Banana Plugs

#1. Sewell SW-29863-12 Deadbolt Banana Plugs

Sewell SW-29863-12 Deadbolt Banana Plugs

You can enhance the quality of sound you get from your sound system by making sure that the connections between the receiver and speakers are tight and proper. The Sewell banana plugs make it possible to do get a tight connection.

These plugs are made of self-crimping teeth that allow for a tight and secure connection. They allow for a low profile connection that doesn’t demand screwing or soldering. Besides speeding up the time you take to install your sound system, they’ll also allow you to put the receiver or speakers anywhere you want, even close to a wall.

The Quick-Lock technology integrated into the design of these plugs makes it possible to install a speaker wire within a minute. Their small, and compact size will give you a clean connection. To add to that, you won’t require any tools to use these plugs.

The plugs are made of top-quality brass and pure copper. Besides, they’re coated in 24K gold. Thus, you’re assured of a high-quality connection that will last for the lifetime of the cable. Additionally, the plugs come with a heavy-duty casing for enhanced protection and durability.

Pros
  • Wide base for enhanced signal transfer

  • Comes as a set of 12 pairs

  • Labeled in red and black for easier polarity matching

  • Pretty tight connection

  • Extremely solid

Cons
  • A little bit wide to fit in some receivers

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#2. Mediabridge Banana Plugs

Mediabridge Banana Plugs

The Mediabridge banana plugs are specially designed to work with spades, bare wire, and other banana plugs. You can use them with 8 to 18 AWG speaker wire. Besides, these plugs come with 24K gold-plated crimping teeth and connectors. The coating is corrosion-resistant for a reliable connection and enhanced durability.

The plugs have a wide base that reduces shorting for enhanced signal transfer. Additionally, the screw-on design allows for reliable termination.

Since the banana plugs come in a set of 12 pairs, you can use them to connect 6 speakers to your amplifier or receiver. Thus, they’re enough for setting up a complete surround sound or whole house sound system.

Another reason why these plugs are worth your consideration is that they have differently colored rubber rings. Each pair comes with a red and black colored rubber ring. As a result, you’ll easily distinguish the terminals for a precise connection.

The self-crimping teeth that come with each plug makes it easier and faster to connect the wires. Besides, the plugs are low profile and only stick out 1 inch. Additionally, the plugs lock in place tightly for a secure connection.

Pros
  • The plugs are versatile

  • Two-piece screw-on design

  • Heavy-duty build

  • Fast-lock design

  • The plugs are reusable

Cons
  • The rubber rings spin when tightening the connection

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#3. FosPower Banana Plugs

FosPower Banana Plugs

One of the features that stand out most in these plugs is their corrosion-resistance design. This is made possible by their gold plated connectors.

The plugs are designed for simple speaker connections. You can use the plugs to connect 12 AWG to 18 AWG speaker wire. They’re ideal for connecting speakers, amplifiers, A/V receivers, and a surround sound system. Besides, you can use them on banana wall plates that connect to binding posts featuring a banana style.

The plugs come as a set of two pairs. They’re color-coded to make it easier for you to match the polarities. As such, you’ll make the right connection at the first time.

Each plug features two set screws. Thus, they allow for securing the speaker wire onto the plugs tightly for a secure and safe connection. Additionally, the casings are designed to allow for a tight grip when tightening the connection.

The closed type design of these plugs encloses the speaker wire within a metal collar, thereby isolating the wires to prevent them from shorting. The plugs are also designed in such a way that makes it easy to install the speaker wire.

Pros
  • Allows for a clean finish without leaving exposed wires

  • Superior plug design

  • The plugs feel extremely sturdy

  • They plug into place tightly

  • They have an attractive finish

Cons
  • The color markings are a little hard to see in dark areas

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#4. AmazonBasics Speaker Connector Banana Plugs

AmazonBasics Speaker Connector Banana Plugs

These plugs feature a durable design with 24K gold plating. Their gold plating design keeps the plugs protected from corrosion and allows for a high-quality connection. Thus, you can enjoy a distortion-free audio experience.

Each plug comes with a female connector at the bottom. Thus, you can take advantage of the female connector to connect multiple speakers from a single output on the receiver or amplifier. Doing so will reduce the number of plugs needed or when you want to connect multiple speakers but the receiver has a limited number of outputs.

Each pair features a plug with a red ring and another plug with a black ring. The color-coding allows for matching speaker wire polarities. Besides, you can easily distinguish the colors in a poorly lit area, especially when making a speaker connection in a dark corner.

These plugs come in a set of 6 pairs to allow you to connect a full sound system. The plugs have self-crimping teeth that allow for quicker and easier speaker wire installation. You can use the plugs with 12 to 18 AWG speaker wire.

Pros
  • They’re easy to use

  • The rubber casing works as insulation that prevents shorting

  • You don’t need any special tools to install speaker wire

  • They allow for a clean installation

Cons
  • The center pins are a little bit loose

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#5. Monoprice 109436 Gold Plated Speaker Banana Plugs

Monoprice 109436 Gold Plated Speaker Banana Plugs

One of the features that stand out most in these plugs is their brass body construction. Additionally, the brass body is gold-plated for a smoother speaker wire connection. The gold-plating also makes the plugs resist corrosion.

Each pair features a plug with a black ring and another plug with a red ring. The different color-coding makes it easier to identify the polarities. That way, you’ll easily connect the L and R speaker polarities appropriately. The rings are clearly visible for enhanced distinction.

The plugs feature a closed screw type for a tight speaker wire connection. They accept both spade and bare wire connections. The plugs can fit 12 to 18 speaker wire gauge. It’s also worth noting that these plugs allow for a secure connection with binding posts.

Another reason that makes these plugs worth your consideration is that they come in five pairs. As such, you can use them to setup the center channel and satellite speakers in a 5.1 sound system. You can also use them with wall plates.

Pros
  • Affordable price range

  • They’re easy to assemble

  • They terminate speaker wire cleanly

  • Each pair comes in a zip lock bag

Cons
  • Challenging to fit 12 gauge speaker wire

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#6. KabelDirekt Banana Plug

KabelDirekt Banana Plug

When making speaker wire connections, it’s important to connect the polarities appropriately. Luckily, the KabelDirect banana plugs are marked for easier polarity matching. Each pair comes with a plug marked in white and another plug marked in black for precise connections.

These plugs feature spring-loaded lamellas that allow for a firm contact with the respective equipment socket. It’s also worth noting that the plugs are gold-coated for enhanced corrosion resistance while still allowing for maximum signal connectivity.

Another great feature that these plugs boast about is their double screw design. The two screws hold the speaker wire tightly for optimal contact. Consequently, you’ll enjoy distortion-free and high-quality sound. The tight connection also prevents contact resistance.

Their design makes it extremely easy to connect speaker wire. Even a first-timer will find it easy to use these plugs. You’ll only need a flathead screwdriver to tighten the screws for a tight connection. To add to that, the plugs are designed in such a way that they tightly fit into most types of speakers, A/V receivers, amplifiers, and wall plates that accept banana plugs.

Pros
  • Can be used with 11 to 16 gauge speaker wire

  • Allow for a flexible connection

  • Extremely versatile

  • Diagonally opposed set screws for a secure connection

  • Sleek design

Cons
  • The base metal is not indicated

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#7. WGGE WG-009 Banana Plugs

WGGE WG-009 Banana Plugs

One of the features that make these plugs stand out is their double screw locking design. This design allows for a secure speaker wire connection without any soldering or special tools. A secure connection results in enhanced sound quality. Besides, you can reuse the plus as many times as you wish during their lifetime.

The plugs are made of pure copper and are gold plated. The copper material and gold plating allow for optimum signal transfer for distortion-free sound. Furthermore, the plugs feature a closed type design, thereby allowing for clean speaker wire termination.

Another great benefit that comes with these plugs is that they allow for an easy and quick installation. You’ll only need to insert the bare end of a speaker wire and screw it in place. Then cover the plug with the provided casing. Besides, the casings are designed for a tight grip such that you can rotate them tightly in place.

Their versatile design makes them suitable for use with A/V receivers, surround sound speakers, banana wall plates, amplifiers, and other sound systems that accept banana plugs.

Pros
  • Works with 8 to 20 gauge speaker wire

  • Extremely versatile

  • Color-marked for polarity identification

  • Non-magnetic

Cons
  • The tips are not very sturdy

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#8. Strike Banana Plugs

Strike Banana Plugs

These Sewell banana plugs come in a set of 14 pairs. Thus, they’re ideal for connecting the center channel and satellite speakers in a 7.1 home theater system. They’re also ideal for connecting speakers in a whole house sound system.

Besides, they’re just 3.5 cm long, making them extremely low profile. As such, you can push the speakers closer to the wall since only about half of their length will extend out of the sound equipment upon plugging them in.

These plugs are designed in such a way that it’ll take you very little time to install a speaker cable. They don’t require any soldering or screws. You’ll only need to unscrew the bottom plug, insert the bare end of a speaker wire, and tighten the bottom screw. The bottom screw clamps the cable tightly in place for a secure connection.

Additionally, the plugs feature a patented V-Lock cone that allows for enhanced contact between the speaker wire and plug. As a result, the plug will make a tight connection.

Pros
  • They work with 10 to 18 gauge speaker wire

  • Revolutionary banana plug design

  • Works with most speakers, receivers, and wall plates

  • Comes with color-coded rings

Cons
  • The polarity identification rings come off easily when tightening the connection

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#9. GHWL Banana Plugs

GHWL Banana Plugs

We included the GHWL plugs in our review due to their astonishing features. For instance, they’re made of pure copper for enhanced conductivity. Thus, you’ll get crystal clear sound signals for top-quality sound. Additionally, the plugs are gold-coated to keep them protected from corrosion. This makes them more durable.

The package comes with 8 plugs with a black label and 8 plugs with a red label. They’re labeled with different colors to make it easier to match the left and right speaker polarities.

These plugs feature double screws for a tighter connection. The screws are diagonally placed for locking the speaker wire firmly in place. They’re designed to work with 8 to 20 gauge speaker wire.

You can use them for sound applications such as connecting speakers to an amplifier or receiver. They’re ideal for connecting bare speaker wire and spades.

Pros
  • They’re non-magnetic

  • Hassle-free installation

  • Wide base for enhanced signal transfer

  • Self-crimping teeth

Cons
  • The set screws are a little bit short

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#10. Devinal Banana Plugs

Devinal Banana Plugs

These plugs are designed to work with 12 to 18 gauge speaker wire. They use an open screw mechanism to connect speaker cables. Thus, they’re easy and quick to install. The set screw clamps the speaker wire tightly in place for clear signal transmission.

They come as a set of 12 pairs, making them ideal for setting up a 5.1 sound system. You’ll easily differentiate the speaker polarities, thanks to the color-coded rings on the plugs for easier polarity matching.

The plugs are gold-plated, making them resist corrosion. Thus, they’ll deliver optimal signal transfer during their lifetime without distorting. Besides, the gold plating enhances their durability.

Pros
  • Can be used with either spades or bare wire

  • They’re made of copper for enhanced conductivity

  • Low-profile design

Cons
  • They feel a little bit flimsy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a banana plug used for?

A banana plug is used for wiring speakers to receivers or amplifiers.

Do I really need banana plugs?

Banana plugs are ideal for making clean and neat speaker wiring. They also allow for a tight, high-quality connection. Thus, you really need banana plugs when connecting speaker wires.

How do banana plugs affect the quality of sound?

These plugs allow for fast signal transfer and reliable performance.

Where should I plug banana plugs?

Banana plugs are plugged into a speaker on one end of the speaker wire and to an amplifier or receiver on the other end of the speaker wire.

Can I plug a banana plug into RCA?

Some older equipment don’t work with banana plugs. In this case, you’d need to use an RCA to banana adapter to connect the banana plugs.

What size of a banana plug should I buy?

Banana plugs come as either 2mm or 4mm. Buy the size that matches your equipment.

How many banana plugs should I buy?

You need to use two separate plugs for one speaker and two more for connecting the speaker to the amplifier. Thus, you need a total of four plugs for connecting a single speaker to the amplifier or receiver.

How will I choose the correct banana plugs?

When choosing banana plugs, consider the speaker cable thickness, whether the speaker system uses rear entry or side entry speaker terminals, ease of installation, and the material used in manufacturing the plugs.

Final Words

If you’ve been using bare speaker wires when connecting your speakers to the receiver or amplifier, it’s time to do away with them. Bare speaker wire connections are insecure and unreliable.

Sound may cut out intermittently when using bare speaker wire connections. The best alternative is using banana plugs to connect your speakers to the receiver or amplifier.

Thus, take advantage of these plugs for simple, clean, and secure speaker connections.

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Last update on 2023-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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