The second screw (the one at the end) on those Nakamichi-plugs is NOT for screwing down on the Isolation! It's ALSO used to screw down the bare wires! The most important thing about bananas next to being just conveniant when switching speakers and amps is to have the most possible surface area on the conductive material! If you have two screws to screw down a copper wire, USE THEM FOR JUST THAT!
I agree. Never screw insulation. What i like to do on these, is toss away the light aluminum screw on cover, and covers it with shrink tube. this give a very thin Banana termination, and avoids possible shorts once plugged in. since I always use 3:1 Shrink tube with hot adhesive inlay, this makes them pretty permanent, and you will never have oxidation problems with them. Comments anyone ?
Either way it's not a really good connection for a stranded wire. Unless you use a good quality ferrule. Otherwise those screws have a tendency to cut thru individual wire strands.
You're right and from a conductive point of view, just screwing wires directly into the speakers and amps terminals would be the best solution. But I doubt this would be audible in any way and especially when you're experimenting with speakers and amps, good bananas are just the most conveniant way to go for.
Here’s how to say the brand name: Nah-kah-MEE’-chee. Thanks for the video! I have two set screw design plugs and am using both screws on the wires. I thought I could make it better by soldering the exposed bare wires - I don’t think this is a good idea because once soldered, they will not give. With bare wires, when the screws are tightened, the wires will smash in and give a nice tightening and will stay tight. I plan to cut off the soldered ends, restrip to fresh, bare wire, and reassemble.
Thank you for posting this video! I have vintage speakers and I needed to know if there was anything I could use as a converter or adapter. So that I could fix my speaker wires. Whoo, there IS an answer! I am NO longer lost! THANK YOU!!!
I only use the Nakamichi plugs but I'm pretty sure both locking set screws are supposed to bite on to the wire and not the insulation. I also prefer to tin the wire and clean off flux residue with Isopropyl alcohol.
Btw Nakamichi ( you pronounced it nagamachi) was one of the best if not the best cassette decks in the world, and they made other components for a while. It’s a shame they’re gone cuz they made some amazing equipment. I myself have a Nakamichi cassette deck from the early 90’s and it’s very high quality. Check out the Nakamichi Dragon if you want to see a crazy cassette deck. Love your content. Thanks.
Yeah, sad how much they have fallen, they used to produce world class audio equipment including a $2000.00 cassette deck called Dragon back in the 80’s.
Mike Lucey .....Exactly......! Don’t you just hate it when people can’t pronounce words words right but will make up their own pronunciation.... lol....🤣
Hello. The plugs that you are showing at 3:00 are the type that I need but I can't find any. Could you tell me specifically what that particular type are called? Thanks
These things, as mentioned in a couple other comments, have metal exteriors on the fat part of the units. They're not insulated to be separate from the terminals or wire, so they of course will short every time they bump something they shouldn't. This, if you're lucky will shut down the amp with the safety device such as circuit breaker or fuse, leaving you buzzkill dead air, or worse yet, barbecue your amp if they're no safety device. Some suggest putting rubber shrink wrap to mitigate this..., that stuff is so thin I wouldn't trust it under load; plus, why should I have to go through all that when it's easier to put the copper right into the terminal the old fashioned budget way, then cut back an inch when oxidation starts 20 years later? Do blind tests and stop the ego hype and you'll find that jamming decent gauge copper into the terminal is perfectly fine even to a well trained ear. OR, for heaven's sake just encourage the audio manufactures to follow the professionals' approach with basic plug-in quarter-inch plugs/jacks like they do in just about every concert, club, church, amphitheater, and DJ setting. You can plug in and out instantly, hundreds of times and it still has literal professional quality sound, since that's what the professionals use. Anything better is still limited to that bottleneck anyway, since that's what was used in the initial performance. Sheesh. Stop stroking egos with the gold and the audiophile brand names and take a realistic look at commercial grade common sense connections. They are FAR more durable, cost less, have better sound transmission than the human ear can detect, and make more sense in more additional ways than I could type here.
I don’t ever wanna use the direct wire-to-terminal connections ever again! One☝️little strand of wire strays, you’re cooked! Unless of course your amp has a safety fuse or governor. Then the painful process of trying to find which speaker wire could be causing the short-circuiting (out of a 7.1 system or worse) starts. Did it only last night, and it wasn’t a nice exercise! Added the Nakamichi banana plugs… and voila! Problem solved!🤸🏽😎👍🏼
The Nakamichi plugs have nothing to do with 'the' Nakamichi brand of cassette deck fame, I checked, however they are every bit as good as the reviewer states, I just fitted 48 of the little blighters and have the holes in my left hand to prove it. They will accept 4mm cable, just tighten the screws in gradual steps to allow the cables to relax, lightweight is good, binding posts are not all well made so the lighter the better. IMHO spending more would be an extravagance and a waste of money. Good review.
Hawkfum O'Dee..... Some people are just lazy and don’t have any patience in taking their time to things the right way.... obviously.... most of these connectors should have pants on them .... because the ones the you pay hundreds for have pants on them ... this guy doesn’t have the patience..... lol
@@jaaron2834 Btw not sure if you're blind or just stupid, but he showed his custom built cables with pant on them several times while referencing their use constantly in his videos. Goes to show *SOME* just don't have the ears... or brain.
Spade lugs provide more contact, and you don't have to worry about the eventual compression of the banana plug. Banana plugs are incredibly convenient though. WBT and some others make bananas that flare with the turn of a pin in the back, ensuring mire long term contact.
I think your comment should have more thumbs up . I still like the flex tip better because the tend not to slip out . I would recommend spades also and have used them in the past .
I like a combo, myself. Spades for putting on the speakers where you can much more easily get back there and screw them on, and banana plugs to go into the amp where you're often fumbling around in the dark behind some cabinet.
Gene from audioholics made a pretty good point on spades being loose over time. Im pretty sure i remember having to tighten them each time. Still undecided as i like the idea of full contact.
thanks man i learned quite a lot about the different kinds of banana plugs i just got into the whole concept of it after purchasing a near 4000$ 5.1 system to go along with my other 4 systems on my pc outputting sound all at once
Does the Nakamichi end turn? That is, the end that you plug in, does it spin. I require a good banana plug for DC power supply purposes, and with some of these plugs, the end spins freely?? I am thinking of purchasing the Nakamichi solder type.
Novice question I have a Sony dn1080 and I bought fospower plugs but they are too fat to fit in the terminals. 1. Does banana clips have thinner ends? 2, the Sony has no black cap protectors but have a gold inner sleeve, do I need to take that out to fit the banana clip inside ? Sorry for the naive questions but I struggling to resolve this, thank you
Are they Nakamichi or Nakamachi? Very difficult to lock a 12 gauge wire in there by the way. I had to flatten the bare wire tips with a pair of pliers to get at least one lock screw to lock, and kept the second ones in my drawer.😤
At timing 2:17 you show the Monster QL GFP-H QuickLock Flex Pin Connector 2. Both you and I love them (for spring loaded speaker terminals). Too bad they are long discontinued and you can't find them anywhere anymore (new). There is another company that makes something similar, but with internal screws and much cheaper quality (sellers usually sell six pair at a time, totally unnecessary for most speaker owners). Time marches on.
From these "Nakamichi" plugs there are right-angle versions out there. I would like that, but now I wonder, whether the silver color cover is metal or plastic. As two right angle connector might touch each other when plugged in, and will cause short if the cover is also conductive. Can you please check the cover material?! Thanks!
Boa tarde ! Esse ultimo plug banana da nakamichi, pode ser usado no sistema que voce mostrou flexivel, ( 2mm ) caixas com sistema de molas na conexão ? Obrg
I have the nakamichi ones and they are no good with 14awg wire because it’s impossible to get the screws all the way down which ends up blocking the cover from being screwed on. I would pick any of the others over them.
What's your opinion on the stinger banana plugs? I have two silver black/red pairs and a gold red/black pair. I intend to use them for my car stereo. Do banana plugs impede heavy booming bass or enhance it?
Surprising how many little things that you don't learn right away getting into audio as a hobby. I had no idea cable pants were a thing. I wonder what else I'm missing.
You'd be surprised how many people use these Nakamichi banana plugs these days, they are affordable but of high quality, and yes they come as 24 karat gold plated. Made in China these days not in Japan anymore, but that's irrelevant as they are made to a high standard and are fantastic.
The nakamichi ones are nice. Thats what I use. I tried to get 8 gauge wire in some for my car sub for quick disconnect and good luck lol. It worked, but the aluminum sleeve wouldn't go around it. But they work great for home theatre!
Im glad i saw youre thread. I was concerned 10AWG would be a problem. I can live with just some heat shrink round the half screwed in screws. Did you you 'tin' the ends of the wire as well?
I have seen two distinctly different styles of those Nakamichi plugs, one type insulates the metal (aluminum) barrel or cable pants leg as you would say from the jack, but it's still metal and therefore conductive and could short against something and maybe blow an amplifier. I think there's another type where the metal pants leg is electrically at the same potential as the audio signal to the speaker, which is a definite bad idea . Either way I would suggest putting some heatshrink tubing or some type of rubber insulator over the Jacks.
the spring loaded clips in the cup are not my preference since the contact area is limited to a knife edge which defeats the purpose of using monster cable or other similar.
i didnt know these exist, i was looking for a strain called "banana jack" but now i know im not supposed to jam twisted wires in your units receiver. i think ill pick these up if i find them.
So… I’ve just ordered lots of banana plugs… with the 2 screws to make a secure fitting for the speaker wires. But the difference being is…. I’m not actually using that thin stranded copper wire; that you have shown in your video clip; that you normally buy from Amazon. I’m using electrical solid copper wire… hopefully for extra sound quality, that it will give. And also… the whole point of using banana plugs… as opposed to just fitting bare copper wire into the amplifier’s terminals….is to make sure that the fitting is fully secure. Saturday 15th October 2022. U.K. Southampton
I like terminals that are made for crimping. The wire end soaked in DeoxIT Gold or a similar solution could be crimped for very long lasting reliable connection. But any screw clamping of a multi-strand wire just can't be that reliable. Unless that multi-strand wire end is inserted into a good quality ferrule.
I’ve found that many banana plug connectors I’ve used and looked at are made with cheap or lower quality base metals/alloys, and ..extremely thin “gold” plating that actually tarnishes and oxidizes- which real or purer gold won’t do. Also, those with the longer “leaf spring” design, the connection is tightest for the first insertion only, they then significantly loosen (they compress and narrow) in subsequent insertion cycles so they need to be flared back out with a small screw driver or other tool. If you look more closely, less than half, sometimes even less than 1/3 of the inserted length of the plug, actually makes contact with the interior cylinder surface of the binding post. For these reasons, I recommend only.. BFA/Z banana plugs (or spade lugs). The BFA/Z banana plugs are more common in Europe, but are slowly catching on more here in the US. They offer a much larger contact surface, and much higher expansion pressure within the post. For any connector, personally I prefer solder (higher silver content) over a screw connection. A screw connection will so easily be made too loose, even slightly- thus reducing conductivity; or too tight, crushing individual wires, even breaking/ripping them. And also as you said, the connection will eventually oxidize, which increases resistance (sometimes dramatically). For higher conductivity - find connectors that use copper only as the base metal, then over this-real gold plating. Some may like silver plating. Also, (not your fault of course) spring connectors in audio equipment aren’t so good. Fortunately, it’s very easy, and very inexpensive to change them out to gold binding posts. Parts Express, Ebay, and others offer them. Thanks for sharing your video!
I bought 8 or 9 different brands from Amazon and electronic stores. That gives you a lot to compare. There is a difference in the insert tightness between them. So the plugs and jacks.... I need 15 amps at least, 20 or 30 even better.
fyi if u dont use the last screw for the rubber and instead make the wire longer and solder it too you get more surface area that is connecting with the banana plug.
Thank you thank you for this video. I was struggling with monster plugs - nothing I did made them work. I was scared I was going to have to pay someone 💰to come and install a simple 2 channel analog Onkyo. Found your video and ordered the Nakamichi banana plug 24 k gold plated off amazon and everything was up and running in no time. They are soo much easier to install than monster banana plugs - it’s almost fool proof. 😊 Thank you
Thanks for the video! Very informative. Any suggestion for a banana plug that would accommodate a 4 twist 16awg cable? Effectively the same size as 4AWG...
Normal banana plugs actually fit in the older speaker style terminals, how I know I tried it it fits but it might not stay put as well as the ones made for that terminal but why pay more for them?
Boa noite ! Obrigado pela explicação. Você foi o único na internet que vi, que usou plug banana para Bornéu quadrado de caixa acústica. Voce recomenda esse último rígido para esse tipo de conexão borne quadrado ? Obrigado !
Banana plugs are best avoided if possible. Although they are convenient if you are often connecting and disconnecting speakers they have limited contact area in the socket and are often a loose fit. They also add another unnecessary contact surface. If your amplifier has binding posts with a hole in them for wires use them instead. Spray the bare ends of the wires with deoxit and tighten them down firmly. This makes a far superior connection to any banana plug as it forms the largest contact area possible with the wire strands and they also eliminates an extra contact surface.
I had always used 16- 18 ga lamp or sheathed power cords as speaker wire after tinning the exposed conductor with solder .Never banana plugs before but now I may have to try them.
Don't, you never make a connection for the purpose of making another connection for no reason, unless you're swapping speakers out on a regular basis and need convenience, use bare wire on both ends.
@@poserwannabe1 I move my speakers around on a regular basis so I'll probably just be using the banana plugs on the new speakers and subwoofer I just built because I splurged and bought 5 way binding post terminal cups for them. I did that purely just for looks
Some of the comments below are a bit rude . Who cares how it's pronounced . As far as nakamichi being a great brand that's on them farming out high profit tweaks . It was a company that didn't change with the times . Building the best and most expensive Tape decks when CD's dominated the market . Maybe if the company was still relevant people would know how to pronounce it . Great video by the way
I prefer dual banana plugs from Pomona or other sources. However most amp and speaker manufacturers do not honor the 3/4" spacing. I think it is because in most European countries these banana plugs will easily fit a 220 volt electrical outlet
I still can't understand why they make the jackets out of conductive metal? Makes me paranoid about shorting out my amp. One set i covered them with clear heatsink.
Iv'e got those Nakamichi all through my systems. Even on the Subwoofer in the car to make taking it out when needed. They are easy to buy & pretty cheap as well.. Thats a plus for me
The Nakamichi plugs are fake btw. They’ve never been near the Nakamichi factory. For thin wires, they are ok but for 12awg, the grub screws don’t go all the way back in so the cover will no longer fit. I dumped them in the bin and bought Ugreen plugs which don’t have a cover that doesn’t fit.
Hello and thank for sharing. I have the Wire by Sewell, 12 AWG, with Silverback Banana Plugs, OFC, 259 Strand and wanted to know if they would fit in my stereo receiver's center and surround right and left "spring clip" as is?
I use a vintage Yamaha amp with my Advent Large Stack speakers I use these spades for the speakers UCEC Y Plug 45 Degree Spade Connector for speaker wire DIY 8 Pack (4 Black 4 Red) And these for the amp part Silverback Flex Pin Connectors, For Spring-Loaded Inputs, 6 Pairs Very good for your do it yourself plugs
I have just paid for 10 Nakamachi plugs from ebay cheap as French fries and the quality is not quite the opposite very well made and is easy to install.
Nice vid! Could I suggest making a vid on how to properly measure baffle step and diffraction when designing a crossover (instead of just using the manufacturer's published response curve and guessing)? I can make a response look nearly dead flat on crossover sims and such using the manufacturer's published response curve, but I'm still working how to properly accommodate for the actual baffle step and (more importantly) diffraction when I actually stick the driver(s) in the box.
I will definitely do this. I have a tier on Patreon where they decide what videos come out next. But I'll add that to list next time the vote comes around.
the problem with the nakamichi is the metal is brass, not copper. the "gold" plating is thin and cant compensate for the poor conductivity of the metal. If you must use a connector over the wire, spades are better. If you must use banana, get pure copper, gold plated, and seal it with shrink wrap or silicone at wire connection points to keep out oxygen.
The second ones you showed that you like are pretty useless, if you're going connect it like a regular wire just use the wire it'll be a better connection because it's direct
Unless you you have to switch out speakers and amps I wouldn't use Banana plugs at the very least at the speaker end . Speakers vibrate that's what they do . From least to worst they create static or the wires slip out and short . Read all the 1 star reviews on Amazon they usually have a common theme . Barrels rotate causing static, barrels brake causing replacement or repairs . locking plugs are better as far as static but the same with wires slipping out or set screws falling lout out or stripping . After seeing your video I agree the braided wicker seems to be the best of them . It does add a connection it will lesson performance by a fraction it might prevent slippage and shorting . I don't know if I would call that a banana plug ?? If I was going to recommend a banana plug it would be a parts express locking banana plugs . They are expensive . Second it would be a crimp on plug . I also recommend securing it to the speaker cabinet to prevent fatigue and breakage . The monster wicker is called a flex pin / tip not banana plug and it's the one I would strongly recommend overall but it's not a banana plug.
All those banana plugs stick out too much. So I stopped buying all of those in place of 4mm banana bullet connectors, I never have to worry about these sticking out past the terminals.
Informative video, never knew about the "floppy ended" style.. i might get a few of those. .... i appreciate how compact the Monster cable ones are..hmmm i wonder if a right angle banana plug exists.
Thank you. Those flex pins are really nice for certain applications. By the way, they do make 90's. Even that Japanese brand that I can't pronounce correctly does, lol: www.amazon.com/Jili-Online-Speaker-Connector-Banana/dp/B071LPMHSF/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1517686858&sr=1-9&keywords=right+angle+banana+plugs
way late to game, but.... I have had 3 or 4 different brands ( including Nak. ) actually pull apart with the divided ' plug in' left in the socket, separated from the wire assembly part. just press fit, no real secure attachment. I've taken to covering the joint between the ' banana plug' part and the body with thin rubber cement, not for insulation but security.
@@deropol05tried several diff brands. I like the assembly quality of the Nak but the fact they have pulled apart with the divided 'plug' still in the speaker socket is unacceptable to me. Not doing it again but I'd probably look for more expensive better design, IF available. ???
@@rickc661 yes it seems that high quality is a statement used EVERYWHERE that means nothing anymore. I'll probably just stick to bare wire to my screw posts if I have problems.......I appreciate your opinion and reply. Best wishes.
@@deropol05 the problem for me - back of the receiver, all the wires - just ugleee and difficult. IF starting over, I'd use heavy duty spades ( M'cable type)for the speakers, compromise between ease of banana's but much sturdier.
@@rickc661 same problem here back of amp, 3 audio stands, 2 reel to reels and all that is a real mess. Going to check out the spaids..... haven't had time to worry about these things for years. Bought a new amp, new monoprice audio stands figured I'd try and do it right this time. I do have a yt channel...might get around to posting. I appreciate your time and advice. Thank you !
Ok, I'm a year late, but... a dab of blue loctite threadlocker. The soft kind that you can easily undo by hand of course, the blue, not the crazy strong stuff you have to heat up.
i find the nakamichi horrible in regarding to the cover getting loose and me keeping tightening it, speaker cable is tight no probs, but the conver is annoying.
Funny you say that, if you are constantly moving them, you can have that issue, which is one thing they could definitely improve. Overall, they are my favorite for value. But I tend to agree with you. Great point
correct obviously im constantly moving them otherwise why bother with banana plugs anyway just use bare wire, dont u agree? they were my fav until recently had to tighten many of them!! whats wrong with the monster ones other than theyre fat? I found spreading the wire easy around those serrated edges...u do it once then the whole thing is tight and I like the rubber feel...
I found some discrepancies in your evaluation process. You find some too long to be used for wall mounted speakers, and yet the ones you do prefer have that exact issue of being too long. So my take away from this video is that there really isn’t an ideal banana plug for all types of speakers and the various connections. Well none that have been constructed as of yet. I do like the first ones you listed, for their ease of use. However, I didn’t know about the oxidation issue that can develop over time within the speaker wire. Thanks for that info. I’m thinking about prefabricated braided speaker wire with connectors already attached as an option. My hesitation stems from their price point. Not cheap. Ugh!
and to add to discrepancy... he doesn't like some plugs because of connection and degrading quality of signal, but then assuming those are his speaker wires, he uses copper claded aluminum instead of just copper?
My favourite are the nakamichi. The second monster plugs are just stupid, just put the wire in the speaker and skip having to put those banana plugs on.
Your not being fond of the first Monster banana plugs seems illogical if you favor the second ones shown, the ones with the dangling wire protruding from the end. I say that because both plugs have the same basic connection point where the wire contacts the plug, where the wire should be spread (bent down and around, 360) uniformly around the base piece before screwing down the prong piece. I have the first kind that you reviewed (also spades, which have the same base piece) and, as best as I could, uniformly spread the wire around the entire outer surface of the base piece. I use Monster Original Speaker Cable, which is 12 gauge. The large gauge makes it easier to spread the wire. Once completely spread, it appears like a hollow mushroom, from a top down view. The last part of the process is tightening down the prong part over the spread wire of the base part, like fitting a custom made hat over a perfect bowl cut. I came here being curious to find out how an actual installation was done with this particular Monster banana plug. Personally, I don't like the idea of just bending over the unseparated wire then attaching the prong part. I feel that there is a much more quality connection by spreading as explained above than just bending it over a portion of the base piece.
I don’t like the connection of either of them. However, the ones I did recommend is because of the connection point on the end if you have spring terminals, those are probably some of the best types of banana plugs you can get keep in mind, there’s not many choices.
You must just be too young to remember the fancy pants Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck. Still worth reading, wish Techmoan would get one. www.tonepublications.com/old-school/nakamichi-dragon/
Yeah, i heard that too.... they used to be a great company, but they went down hill like a lot of other companies. I still have the Dragon cassette deck from them many many years ago. Plus i had 2 8 inch subs of theirs that i had in my car back in the 90s, those 2 little 8's hit really hard, they were amazing subs. Too bad their stuff is just a pale comparison to what they use to be.
The second screw (the one at the end) on those Nakamichi-plugs is NOT for screwing down on the Isolation! It's ALSO used to screw down the bare wires! The most important thing about bananas next to being just conveniant when switching speakers and amps is to have the most possible surface area on the conductive material! If you have two screws to screw down a copper wire, USE THEM FOR JUST THAT!
your so right listen to this guy
I agree. Never screw insulation. What i like to do on these, is toss away the light aluminum screw on cover, and covers it with shrink tube. this give a very thin Banana termination, and avoids possible shorts once plugged in. since I always use 3:1 Shrink tube with hot adhesive inlay, this makes them pretty permanent, and you will never have oxidation problems with them. Comments anyone ?
@@CasusBelli1000 Good idea. I just watched his cable making tutorial but the good plugs aren’t on parts express anymore
Either way it's not a really good connection for a stranded wire. Unless you use a good quality ferrule. Otherwise those screws have a tendency to cut thru individual wire strands.
You're right and from a conductive point of view, just screwing wires directly into the speakers and amps terminals would be the best solution. But I doubt this would be audible in any way and especially when you're experimenting with speakers and amps, good bananas are just the most conveniant way to go for.
Here’s how to say the brand name: Nah-kah-MEE’-chee. Thanks for the video! I have two set screw design plugs and am using both screws on the wires. I thought I could make it better by soldering the exposed bare wires - I don’t think this is a good idea because once soldered, they will not give. With bare wires, when the screws are tightened, the wires will smash in and give a nice tightening and will stay tight. I plan to cut off the soldered ends, restrip to fresh, bare wire, and reassemble.
Thank you for posting this video! I have vintage speakers and I needed to know if there was anything I could use as a converter or adapter. So that I could fix my speaker wires. Whoo, there IS an answer! I am NO longer lost! THANK YOU!!!
Thank you for liking my comment Toids DIY Audio 😊👍
I only use the Nakamichi plugs but I'm pretty sure both locking set screws are supposed to bite on to the wire and not the insulation. I also prefer to tin the wire and clean off flux residue with Isopropyl alcohol.
Btw Nakamichi ( you pronounced it nagamachi) was one of the best if not the best cassette decks in the world, and they made other components for a while. It’s a shame they’re gone cuz they made some amazing equipment. I myself have a Nakamichi cassette deck from the early 90’s and it’s very high quality. Check out the Nakamichi Dragon if you want to see a crazy cassette deck. Love your content. Thanks.
Why even have the second monster banana plugs, at that point you might as well just use bare speaker wire
thats what I do.
Jimmy Jimjoe Maybe tin the tip of the wire to capture the strands, and make them easier to work with.
Less chance of different wires touching eachother and shorting the amp
eceiver
Nah-kah-mee-chee.
Yeah, sad how much they have fallen, they used to produce world class audio equipment including a $2000.00 cassette deck called Dragon back in the 80’s.
@@Shawn-wy1pb I'm pretty sure these bananas nothing even close with real Nakamichi :) Just Chinese love use some good names on cheap crap :)
I have a bunch of these. I definitely doubt it's real Nakamichi. How he pronounced Nakamichi hurt my Ears.
Mike Lucey .....Exactly......!
Don’t you just hate it when people can’t pronounce words words right but will make up their own pronunciation.... lol....🤣
@@Shawn-wy1pb I had a Nak Dragon. One of my all-time favorite pieces of audio gear. I also had the Nak 730 Receiver.
6:14 no that bottom one isn't for your wire cover it's also for your copper, it's for 2 points of contact on the wires.
Hello. The plugs that you are showing at 3:00 are the type that I need but I can't find any. Could you tell me specifically what that particular type are called?
Thanks
These things, as mentioned in a couple other comments, have metal exteriors on the fat part of the units. They're not insulated to be separate from the terminals or wire, so they of course will short every time they bump something they shouldn't. This, if you're lucky will shut down the amp with the safety device such as circuit breaker or fuse, leaving you buzzkill dead air, or worse yet, barbecue your amp if they're no safety device. Some suggest putting rubber shrink wrap to mitigate this..., that stuff is so thin I wouldn't trust it under load; plus, why should I have to go through all that when it's easier to put the copper right into the terminal the old fashioned budget way, then cut back an inch when oxidation starts 20 years later? Do blind tests and stop the ego hype and you'll find that jamming decent gauge copper into the terminal is perfectly fine even to a well trained ear. OR, for heaven's sake just encourage the audio manufactures to follow the professionals' approach with basic plug-in quarter-inch plugs/jacks like they do in just about every concert, club, church, amphitheater, and DJ setting. You can plug in and out instantly, hundreds of times and it still has literal professional quality sound, since that's what the professionals use. Anything better is still limited to that bottleneck anyway, since that's what was used in the initial performance. Sheesh. Stop stroking egos with the gold and the audiophile brand names and take a realistic look at commercial grade common sense connections. They are FAR more durable, cost less, have better sound transmission than the human ear can detect, and make more sense in more additional ways than I could type here.
Been using for years, and no issues.
I don’t ever wanna use the direct wire-to-terminal connections ever again! One☝️little strand of wire strays, you’re cooked! Unless of course your amp has a safety fuse or governor. Then the painful process of trying to find which speaker wire could be causing the short-circuiting (out of a 7.1 system or worse) starts. Did it only last night, and it wasn’t a nice exercise! Added the Nakamichi banana plugs… and voila! Problem solved!🤸🏽😎👍🏼
What guage wire are you using with the Monster banana plug seen @ 0:45 ??
The Nakamichi plugs have nothing to do with 'the' Nakamichi brand of cassette deck fame, I checked, however they are every bit as good as the reviewer states, I just fitted 48 of the little blighters and have the holes in my left hand to prove it.
They will accept 4mm cable, just tighten the screws in gradual steps to allow the cables to relax, lightweight is good, binding posts are not all well made so the lighter the better.
IMHO spending more would be an extravagance and a waste of money.
Good review.
Hawkfum O'Dee..... Some people are just lazy and don’t have any patience in taking their time to things the right way.... obviously.... most of these connectors should have pants on them .... because the ones the you pay hundreds for have pants on them ... this guy doesn’t have the patience..... lol
@@jaaron2834 Btw not sure if you're blind or just stupid, but he showed his custom built cables with pant on them several times while referencing their use constantly in his videos. Goes to show *SOME* just don't have the ears... or brain.
Spade lugs provide more contact, and you don't have to worry about the eventual compression of the banana plug. Banana plugs are incredibly convenient though. WBT and some others make bananas that flare with the turn of a pin in the back, ensuring mire long term contact.
That is a great point!
I think your comment should have more thumbs up . I still like the flex tip better because the tend not to slip out . I would recommend spades also and have used them in the past .
I like a combo, myself. Spades for putting on the speakers where you can much more easily get back there and screw them on, and banana plugs to go into the amp where you're often fumbling around in the dark behind some cabinet.
I use spade on one end and banana (Nakamichi's) at the other end.
I find it more practical :)
Gene from audioholics made a pretty good point on spades being loose over time. Im pretty sure i remember having to tighten them each time. Still undecided as i like the idea of full contact.
Very fantastic it teaches me a lot very important thank you and greetings and blessings from Bangladesh 😊🎉👋👍😊
"Nag-a-mauchee"? Bahahahaha! Damn, man, it's Nakamichi...kind of a big name in audio.
They made a really cool tape deck called the Draygoon.
Hi Todd I wanted to know what would be good bananna plug that fit just right in this Facmogu F900S 160W amp perfectly please let me know thanks
thanks man i learned quite a lot about the different kinds of banana plugs i just got into the whole concept of it after purchasing a near 4000$ 5.1 system to go along with my other 4 systems on my pc outputting sound all at once
Does the Nakamichi end turn? That is, the end that you plug in, does it spin. I require a good banana plug for DC power supply purposes, and with some of these plugs, the end spins freely?? I am thinking of purchasing the Nakamichi solder type.
Novice question I have a Sony dn1080 and I bought fospower plugs but they are too fat to fit in the terminals. 1. Does banana clips have thinner ends?
2, the Sony has no black cap protectors but have a gold inner sleeve, do I need to take that out to fit the banana clip inside ? Sorry for the naive questions but I struggling to resolve this, thank you
Thank you for your video, that´s what am I searching for...
Are they Nakamichi or Nakamachi? Very difficult to lock a 12 gauge wire in there by the way. I had to flatten the bare wire tips with a pair of pliers to get at least one lock screw to lock, and kept the second ones in my drawer.😤
At timing 2:17 you show the Monster QL GFP-H QuickLock Flex Pin Connector 2. Both you and I love them (for spring loaded speaker terminals). Too bad they are long discontinued and you can't find them anywhere anymore (new). There is another company that makes something similar, but with internal screws and much cheaper quality (sellers usually sell six pair at a time, totally unnecessary for most speaker owners). Time marches on.
From these "Nakamichi" plugs there are right-angle versions out there. I would like that, but now I wonder, whether the silver color cover is metal or plastic. As two right angle connector might touch each other when plugged in, and will cause short if the cover is also conductive. Can you please check the cover material?! Thanks!
Where can i buy the banana plugs with 2 screws that you recommend? Please let us know. Thanks!
Boa tarde ! Esse ultimo plug banana da nakamichi, pode ser usado no sistema que voce mostrou flexivel, ( 2mm ) caixas com sistema de molas na conexão ? Obrg
Are the aluminum sleeves on the Nakamichis conductive?
I have the nakamichi ones and they are no good with 14awg wire because it’s impossible to get the screws all the way down which ends up blocking the cover from being screwed on. I would pick any of the others over them.
What's your opinion on the stinger banana plugs? I have two silver black/red pairs and a gold red/black pair. I intend to use them for my car stereo. Do banana plugs impede heavy booming bass or enhance it?
Surprising how many little things that you don't learn right away getting into audio as a hobby. I had no idea cable pants were a thing. I wonder what else I'm missing.
Lol, of course. Who want's there cable running around naked
You'd be surprised how many people use these Nakamichi banana plugs these days, they are affordable but of high quality, and yes they come as 24 karat gold plated. Made in China these days not in Japan anymore, but that's irrelevant as they are made to a high standard and are fantastic.
The nakamichi ones are nice. Thats what I use. I tried to get 8 gauge wire in some for my car sub for quick disconnect and good luck lol. It worked, but the aluminum sleeve wouldn't go around it. But they work great for home theatre!
Im glad i saw youre thread. I was concerned 10AWG would be a problem. I can live with just some heat shrink round the half screwed in screws. Did you you 'tin' the ends of the wire as well?
@CM yeah I had to just to fit them in the hole easily lol. And just put heat shrink around the screws instead of the aluminum sheathing.
@@1ohmwrecker cool. Ill prob just take the old nakamici's off my old wires and use them. Cheers
I have seen two distinctly different styles of those Nakamichi plugs, one type insulates the metal (aluminum) barrel or cable pants leg as you would say from the jack, but it's still metal and therefore conductive and could short against something and maybe blow an amplifier. I think there's another type where the metal pants leg is electrically at the same potential as the audio signal to the speaker, which is a definite bad idea . Either way I would suggest putting some heatshrink tubing or some type of rubber insulator over the Jacks.
Thank you for your video I have asked everyone how to convert speaker wires and No one would tell me anything. even music stores.
You're Welcome. I;m glad to have helped.
If you asked them how to "convert" when you probably meant "connect" that might be why they couldn't help.........
the spring loaded clips in the cup are not my preference since the contact area is limited to a knife edge which defeats the purpose of using monster cable or other similar.
i didnt know these exist, i was looking for a strain called "banana jack" but now i know im not supposed to jam twisted wires in your units receiver. i think ill pick these up if i find them.
So… I’ve just ordered lots of banana plugs… with the 2 screws to make a secure fitting for the speaker wires. But the difference being is…. I’m not actually using that thin stranded copper wire; that you have shown in your video clip; that you normally buy from Amazon. I’m using electrical solid copper wire… hopefully for extra sound quality, that it will give.
And also… the whole point of using banana plugs… as opposed to just fitting bare copper wire into the amplifier’s terminals….is to make sure that the fitting is fully secure.
Saturday 15th October 2022. U.K. Southampton
I like terminals that are made for crimping. The wire end soaked in DeoxIT Gold or a similar solution could be crimped for very long lasting reliable connection.
But any screw clamping of a multi-strand wire just can't be that reliable. Unless that multi-strand wire end is inserted into a good quality ferrule.
Can't wait to play my Nakamachi Dragon with my new banana plug speakers connection!
I’ve found that many banana plug connectors I’ve used and looked at are made with cheap or lower quality base metals/alloys,
and ..extremely thin “gold” plating
that actually tarnishes
and oxidizes-
which real or purer gold won’t do.
Also, those with the longer “leaf spring” design,
the connection
is tightest for the first insertion only,
they then significantly loosen (they compress and narrow)
in subsequent insertion cycles
so they need to be flared back out with a small screw driver or other tool.
If you look more closely,
less than half,
sometimes even less than 1/3 of the inserted length
of the plug,
actually makes contact
with the interior cylinder surface of the binding post.
For these reasons,
I recommend only..
BFA/Z banana plugs
(or spade lugs).
The BFA/Z banana plugs are more common in Europe,
but are slowly catching on more here in the US.
They offer a much larger contact surface,
and much higher expansion pressure within the post.
For any connector,
personally I prefer solder (higher silver content) over a screw connection.
A screw connection will so easily be made too loose, even slightly- thus reducing conductivity;
or too tight, crushing individual wires,
even breaking/ripping them.
And also as you said, the connection will eventually oxidize, which increases resistance (sometimes dramatically).
For higher conductivity -
find connectors that use copper only as the base metal,
then over this-real gold plating.
Some may like silver plating.
Also, (not your fault of course)
spring connectors in audio equipment aren’t so good.
Fortunately, it’s very easy,
and very inexpensive to change them out to gold binding posts.
Parts Express, Ebay, and others offer them.
Thanks for sharing your video!
I bought 8 or 9 different brands from Amazon and electronic stores. That gives you a lot to compare. There is a difference in the insert tightness between them. So the plugs and jacks.... I need 15 amps at least, 20 or 30 even better.
fyi if u dont use the last screw for the rubber and instead make the wire longer and solder it too you get more surface area that is connecting with the banana plug.
If I have a banana plug where the tip is attracted to a magnet, is that a problem?
Thank you thank you for this video. I was struggling with monster plugs - nothing I did made them work. I was scared I was going to have to pay someone 💰to come and install a simple 2 channel analog Onkyo. Found your video and ordered the Nakamichi banana plug 24 k gold plated off amazon and everything was up and running in no time. They are soo much easier to install than monster banana plugs - it’s almost fool proof. 😊 Thank you
Are there any performance differences?
Thanks for the video! Very informative.
Any suggestion for a banana plug that would accommodate a 4 twist 16awg cable? Effectively the same size as 4AWG...
a) connect wires direct to binding post OR b) cut some strands out - like a pro !!
Do you know anyone who makes a solder-able banana plug?
Normal banana plugs actually fit in the older speaker style terminals, how I know I tried it it fits but it might not stay put as well as the ones made for that terminal but why pay more for them?
Boa noite ! Obrigado pela explicação. Você foi o único na internet que vi, que usou plug banana para Bornéu quadrado de caixa acústica. Voce recomenda esse último rígido para esse tipo de conexão borne quadrado ? Obrigado !
My issue is the that the plugs ends differ in different models. Some fit sluggishly , or hard to get the in and some in between. I have a Yamaha amp.
Banana plugs are best avoided if possible. Although they are convenient if you are often connecting and disconnecting speakers they have limited contact area in the socket and are often a loose fit. They also add another unnecessary contact surface. If your amplifier has binding posts with a hole in them for wires use them instead. Spray the bare ends of the wires with deoxit and tighten them down firmly. This makes a far superior connection to any banana plug as it forms the largest contact area possible with the wire strands and they also eliminates an extra contact surface.
Ha ha I just knew the Nakamichi corrections would be forthcoming.
I had always used 16- 18 ga lamp or sheathed power cords as speaker wire after tinning the exposed conductor with solder .Never banana plugs before but now I may have to try them.
Don't, you never make a connection for the purpose of making another connection for no reason, unless you're swapping speakers out on a regular basis and need convenience, use bare wire on both ends.
@@poserwannabe1 I move my speakers around on a regular basis so I'll probably just be using the banana plugs on the new speakers and subwoofer I just built because I splurged and bought 5 way binding post terminal cups for them. I did that purely just for looks
@@justins.1283 all good, you have a reason to make the extra connection, most people don't. In your situation I agree, cheers
16-18 gauge? I use 12 or 14 gauge for my speakers.
@@poserwannabe1 I sometimes move my speakers around depending on what song I'm playingor sometimes switch to a different pair of speakers all together
very good observation about oxidize at 1.00 thank u i never thought of that but are u sure about it? thanks.
Thank you. I am sure. I've seen it many times, unfortunately.
Can have a wire with two different kinds of banana plugs on each side?
yes
@@Toid Thank you for the quick answer
What is the size of Nakamachi ?
Hey thanks for the mention! great video!
You're welcome. Glad to use your products. You make some fantastic banana plugs!
@@Toid can you use banana plugs on spring terminals?
Some of the comments below are a bit rude . Who cares how it's pronounced . As far as nakamichi being a great brand that's on them farming out high profit tweaks . It was a company that didn't change with the times . Building the best and most expensive Tape decks when CD's dominated the market . Maybe if the company was still relevant people would know how to pronounce it . Great video by the way
I prefer dual banana plugs from Pomona or other sources. However most amp and speaker manufacturers do not honor the 3/4" spacing. I think it is because in most European countries these banana plugs will easily fit a 220 volt electrical outlet
I still can't understand why they make the jackets out of conductive metal? Makes me paranoid about shorting out my amp. One set i covered them with clear heatsink.
Iv'e got those Nakamichi all through my systems. Even on the Subwoofer in the car to make taking it out when needed.
They are easy to buy & pretty cheap as well.. Thats a plus for me
The Nakamichi is my absolute favorite and durable.
agreed . I bought the WGGE which is the same as the last ones you demoed.
The Nakamichi plugs are fake btw. They’ve never been near the Nakamichi factory. For thin wires, they are ok but for 12awg, the grub screws don’t go all the way back in so the cover will no longer fit. I dumped them in the bin and bought Ugreen plugs which don’t have a cover that doesn’t fit.
Do you think it is worth crimping a ferrule onto the end of the wire before terminating it into a banana plug?
Yes that helps in a few ways...
Can i just solder the ends and seal the exposed wire with liquid electrical tape and avoid buying the plugs?
Hello and thank for sharing. I have the Wire by Sewell, 12 AWG, with Silverback Banana Plugs, OFC, 259 Strand and wanted to know if they would fit in my stereo receiver's center and surround right and left "spring clip" as is?
Check out the QED Screwlock banana plugs. Their system gives more contact area than all of the above.
I'll have to check them out. Thanks for the tip
Are they the airlock type
I use a vintage Yamaha amp with my Advent Large Stack speakers I use these spades for the speakers
UCEC Y Plug 45 Degree Spade Connector for speaker wire DIY 8 Pack (4 Black 4 Red)
And these for the amp part
Silverback Flex Pin Connectors, For Spring-Loaded Inputs, 6 Pairs
Very good for your do it yourself plugs
I use the Sewells, they have the two screw system and they are very affordable.
N - A - K - A - M - I - C - H - I
I have just paid for 10 Nakamachi plugs from ebay cheap as French fries and the quality is not quite the opposite very well made and is easy to install.
the deadbolt ones are my favourite because they're the easiest to fit
Nice vid!
Could I suggest making a vid on how to properly measure baffle step and diffraction when designing a crossover (instead of just using the manufacturer's published response curve and guessing)? I can make a response look nearly dead flat on crossover sims and such using the manufacturer's published response curve, but I'm still working how to properly accommodate for the actual baffle step and (more importantly) diffraction when I actually stick the driver(s) in the box.
I will definitely do this. I have a tier on Patreon where they decide what videos come out next. But I'll add that to list next time the vote comes around.
the problem with the nakamichi is the metal is brass, not copper. the "gold" plating is thin and cant compensate for the poor conductivity of the metal. If you must use a connector over the wire, spades are better. If you must use banana, get pure copper, gold plated, and seal it with shrink wrap or silicone at wire connection points to keep out oxygen.
Any recommendations on such banana plugs?
I have the the middle ones, but a different brand. I hate them. They are way to thick, for no good reason. It makes for a tight fit.
The second ones you showed that you like are pretty useless, if you're going connect it like a regular wire just use the wire it'll be a better connection because it's direct
It's for quick disconnecting & reconnecting without fraying the wires & breaking them off.
Unless you you have to switch out speakers and amps I wouldn't use Banana plugs at the very least at the speaker end .
Speakers vibrate that's what they do . From least to worst they create static or the wires slip out and short .
Read all the 1 star reviews on Amazon they usually have a common theme . Barrels rotate causing static, barrels brake causing replacement or repairs .
locking plugs are better as far as static but the same with wires slipping out or set screws falling lout out or stripping .
After seeing your video I agree the braided wicker seems to be the best of them . It does add a connection it will lesson performance by a fraction it might prevent slippage and shorting .
I don't know if I would call that a banana plug ?? If I was going to recommend a banana plug it would be a parts express locking banana plugs . They are expensive . Second it would be a crimp on plug . I also recommend securing it to the speaker cabinet to prevent fatigue and breakage .
The monster wicker is called a flex pin / tip not banana plug and it's the one I would strongly recommend overall but it's not a banana plug.
Right Angle 24k Gold Plated Banana Speaker Wire Cable Screw Plug Connectors
“Nah-ga-mah-chee”. Almost...
All those banana plugs stick out too much.
So I stopped buying all of those in place of 4mm banana bullet connectors, I never have to worry about these sticking out past the terminals.
You should make a vid for RCAs too. Cheap RCAs tend to have no hold strength and locking RCAs are superior.
The only banana I will use is from Deltron, Mouser part numbers 174-5791 and 174-5795. Solder only, and they never wear out.
I cost the wires with solder that makes I think a better connection. Maybe someone will disagree.
Watched it through. I am looking now for the 2 minute version.
Informative video, never knew about the "floppy ended" style.. i might get a few of those. .... i appreciate how compact the Monster cable ones are..hmmm i wonder if a right angle banana plug exists.
Thank you. Those flex pins are really nice for certain applications. By the way, they do make 90's. Even that Japanese brand that I can't pronounce correctly does, lol: www.amazon.com/Jili-Online-Speaker-Connector-Banana/dp/B071LPMHSF/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1517686858&sr=1-9&keywords=right+angle+banana+plugs
right angled plug - any good technician could bloody soon make one .............
way late to game, but.... I have had 3 or 4 different brands ( including Nak. ) actually pull apart with the divided ' plug in' left in the socket, separated from the wire assembly part. just press fit, no real secure attachment. I've taken to covering the joint between the ' banana plug' part and the body with thin rubber cement, not for insulation but security.
Way late too.... been into hi fi for many years but never used banana plugs. Using naks now.....which ones do you find best ?
@@deropol05tried several diff brands. I like the assembly quality of the Nak but the fact they have pulled apart with the divided 'plug' still in the speaker socket is unacceptable to me. Not doing it again but I'd probably look for more expensive better design, IF available. ???
@@rickc661 yes it seems that high quality is a statement used EVERYWHERE that means nothing anymore. I'll probably just stick to bare wire to my screw posts if I have problems.......I appreciate your opinion and reply. Best wishes.
@@deropol05 the problem for me - back of the receiver, all the wires - just ugleee and difficult. IF starting over, I'd use heavy duty spades ( M'cable type)for the speakers, compromise between ease of banana's but much sturdier.
@@rickc661 same problem here back of amp, 3 audio stands, 2 reel to reels and all that is a real mess. Going to check out the spaids..... haven't had time to worry about these things for years. Bought a new amp, new monoprice audio stands figured I'd try and do it right this time. I do have a yt channel...might get around to posting. I appreciate your time and advice. Thank you !
Thanks for sharing.
Great info.
Don't really need to put the aluminium sleeve on at all - provides min support to cable tho'.
why do u need connectors? why dont u just use the wire?
Nope. My favorite is the same as yours. My only complaint is occasionally losing the cap. It'll unscrew and wander off.
Ok, I'm a year late, but... a dab of blue loctite threadlocker. The soft kind that you can easily undo by hand of course, the blue, not the crazy strong stuff you have to heat up.
i find the nakamichi horrible in regarding to the cover getting loose and me keeping tightening it, speaker cable is tight no probs, but the conver is annoying.
Funny you say that, if you are constantly moving them, you can have that issue, which is one thing they could definitely improve. Overall, they are my favorite for value. But I tend to agree with you. Great point
correct obviously im constantly moving them otherwise why bother with banana plugs anyway just use bare wire, dont u agree? they were my fav until recently had to tighten many of them!! whats wrong with the monster ones other than theyre fat? I found spreading the wire easy around those serrated edges...u do it once then the whole thing is tight and I like the rubber feel...
Use some green Locktite thread lock on the threads and they will stay.
There is some from monoprice that I use all the time
I found some discrepancies in your evaluation process. You find some too long to be used for wall mounted speakers, and yet the ones you do prefer have that exact issue of being too long. So my take away from this video is that there really isn’t an ideal banana plug for all types of speakers and the various connections. Well none that have been constructed as of yet. I do like the first ones you listed, for their ease of use. However, I didn’t know about the oxidation issue that can develop over time within the speaker wire. Thanks for that info. I’m thinking about prefabricated braided speaker wire with connectors already attached as an option. My hesitation stems from their price point. Not cheap. Ugh!
and to add to discrepancy... he doesn't like some plugs because of connection and degrading quality of signal, but then assuming those are his speaker wires, he uses copper claded aluminum instead of just copper?
My favourite are the nakamichi. The second monster plugs are just stupid, just put the wire in the speaker and skip having to put those banana plugs on.
Your not being fond of the first Monster banana plugs seems illogical if you favor the second ones shown, the ones with the dangling wire protruding from the end. I say that because both plugs have the same basic connection point where the wire contacts the plug, where the wire should be spread (bent down and around, 360) uniformly around the base piece before screwing down the prong piece.
I have the first kind that you reviewed (also spades, which have the same base piece) and, as best as I could, uniformly spread the wire around the entire outer surface of the base piece. I use Monster Original Speaker Cable, which is 12 gauge. The large gauge makes it easier to spread the wire. Once completely spread, it appears like a hollow mushroom, from a top down view. The last part of the process is tightening down the prong part over the spread wire of the base part, like fitting a custom made hat over a perfect bowl cut.
I came here being curious to find out how an actual installation was done with this particular Monster banana plug. Personally, I don't like the idea of just bending over the unseparated wire then attaching the prong part. I feel that there is a much more quality connection by spreading as explained above than just bending it over a portion of the base piece.
I don’t like the connection of either of them. However, the ones I did recommend is because of the connection point on the end if you have spring terminals, those are probably some of the best types of banana plugs you can get keep in mind, there’s not many choices.
Not to be the banana plug police Nakamichi not negimaki
Honestly I was not sure how to pronounce it. Thank You!
You must just be too young to remember the fancy pants Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck. Still worth reading, wish Techmoan would get one. www.tonepublications.com/old-school/nakamichi-dragon/
Nah-kah-me-chee ..lol
it's not Nakamichi either, it's pronounced Ta-ma-got-chi
Yeah, i heard that too.... they used to be a great company, but they went down hill like a lot of other companies. I still have the Dragon cassette deck from them many many years ago. Plus i had 2 8 inch subs of theirs that i had in my car back in the 90s, those 2 little 8's hit really hard, they were amazing subs. Too bad their stuff is just a pale comparison to what they use to be.
Pure copper wire won't be hard to fan or spread the strands. If the wire is stiff.........find some more wire.
I dont understand the point of the deadbolt plugs with the flexible end. Just use the cable without the plug.
the nakamichi has an issue you cannot use with 10AWG
Sewell are just the same as nagamachi but even cheaper.