Spades or bananas connectors?

"In a series of blind tests you couldn't hear the difference among spades, bananas, and bare wire."

Q Tips are generally available for less that $2.00 a box.

They would more than likely change the results of such a test.

I totally agree with Audiofeil. And, IMO, if you can hear a difference, then the spades and/or bananas are coloring the sound. If that's what you want, so be it.

Wake up and listen to the music and quit fretting the little stuff....

Bare wire is distinctly better, I have tried spades and banana plugs and couldn't believe the difference when I took them out of the system. I am using silver litz solid core cable, and oxidation is not a problem. I think cable stress doesn't degrade the sound whatsoever and people are trying to get you to buy the expensive connectors to make a sale. No connectors are always better, since even if there would be a stress factor, that would not have an effect as great as adding a spade or banana plug.
Jaap

You could never tell the difference in a series of blind tests.

Don't kid yourself into thinking you could.

My experiences tell me that as long as there is that big, fat, hunk of metal called a binding post in the circuit it doesn't matter too much what the termination is. Realizing that removing the binding posts is not feasible for most people, I vote for getting the termination that works best for a given situation. I am assuming that which ever terminal connector is chosen is of good quality.

For those who can do this, try bringing the wire from the speaker out and connect directly to the speaker cable. You can use the binding posts to pinch the wires together. It is very surprising how much is lost going through those posts.