Bananas over ARC VT-100


I thought that would get your attention ;^) Now here's the kicker.

I have an ARC VT-100 MK 1. I'm trying to plug a banana into the back of the speaker connection but it won't fit

:^(

Anyone have any ideas on the subject? Or possibly could someone recommend some sort of banana to spade adaptor. Re-terminating would cost me a small fortune.

Thanks in advance
128x128glen
Do the jacks have plugs in them, are they the wrong spacing or are they just not designed for bananas?
I have the mk II so the connectors may be different. Mine
has these huge binding posts that will take either spade or bananas. You put the bananas in by inserting the banana plug into opening on the back of the binding post. Have you tried screwing/unscrewing the binding post to enlarge the opening? I have used several banana cables with these and never had a problem. They don't appear to be smaller than any other banana posts.

I know that WBT makes some adapters. You might try cardas too.
Other alternatives:
(1) If you do not have the same adapters, you might want to give audio research a ring and see if they will sell you upgrade/larger binding posts.

(2) You can always sell your cables and replace them with some used spade cables.
There is a hole in the binding post but it's awfully tight. Trying to cram a banana end into it is near impossible. They almost look like they'd take a smaller version of a banana end, like a plantain banana. I think I'm going to break it if I push any harder.

Loosening the binding screw does nothing.

I called ARC but they can't help me till Monday.

Sell the cables? You'd have to pry them from my cold dead fingers first.

Thanks for the comments so far. Keep them coming
The light bulb just came on!

The holes are there, just a little to small. the teminal blocks are solid brass. I think I can just drill them out a tiny bit more and the new banana's will fit

I'll let you know what happens if I attempt this
Hey Glen,
Oddly enough I have used SPM banana ended cables with my vt100m2 - they worked fine.

Do your banana ends have this opening along the cylinder side of the banana that allows the 'cylinder' of the banana to compress & make a thinner cylinder? If this is the case, the intention of the nordost banana plug is to have a spring loaded cylinder that 'spring expands' against the enclosing walls of the speaker/amp terminal.

You do have to use 'moderate' pressure when inserting the speaker cable end into the amp to get this cylinder to compress.
Here's an update, I took a blow torch and #$$%#&**%^

OOPS! wrong thread,

Actually the Nordost cables arrived today and they do fit YEA!

Before they arrived I tried to jam an MIT banana end into the hole that absolutly would not fit.

with all this high end equipment, why are you wasting your time with midfi bananas?? re-terminate those cables yorself with spades and happy listening!! ps.yeah i know,you sold the amp
Captain,

I'm not sure why you would call the banana connection midfi? As for the amp, Yes I sold it but only to upgrade to the MK III version, which works equally well with the bananas. Matter of fact I'm using bananas at the speakers too with excellent results. Are you familuar with the Nordost Banana end? It's actually pretty sweet.