Spades Verses Bananas?

Attach your own ends, change them as needed.

I showed the locking bananas above.

https://www.parts-express.com/Stacking-Banana-Plug-with-Dual-Set-Screws-Poly-Carbonate-Sh-091-3608?quantity=1

You attach them yourself, via two set screws, then the long internal screw spreads/tightens/locks the banana in it’s socket. 

These spades attach with two set screws also

both take up to 8 AWG

https://www.parts-express.com/5-16-Spade-Terminal-with-Dual-Set-Screws-and-Poly-Carbonate-091-3606?quantity=1

I’ve tried both and I prefer banana plugs.  Easy to plug and unplug and secure connections for my equipment and speakers.  Especially user friendly when having to switch connections in the back of all my gear.  I haven’t noticed a difference in sound so I think it’s personal preference in my experience. 

I believe that spades make a better connection, because I think it has more surface contact area. Sonically though, I have never heard a difference.

At my speakers I prefer banana's. They allow a better connection with my short cables, while spades would require a little longer cable.

ozzy

Audiogon search reveals this is at least the 22nd time for this thread. Slow news day, I guess.  

https://forum.audiogon.com/search/index?fields=titles&query=bananas+or+spades

I've been on this site for many years and most of my advice is random, bad and knee-jerk, but the one thing I stand behind is that Banana's Rule, Spades Drool. 

The main reason is just reliability.  There may be monster class connectors like the Cardas or Mundorf connectors, but I've never had a banana plug come lose just from sitting around like I have spades. 

The issue repeatedly happens from the materials on the conectors being too hard to properly grip a hard metal spade. Nickel and rhodium plated being among the worst offenders. 

A decent Viborg banana will be tight and never let go unless  you trip a cable.