All About Speaker Cable Ends

Speaker cables are an important part of a Hi-Fi audio setup. After all, the end goal of your amplifier is to output A/C sound waves to your loudspeakers and then on to your ears. The speaker cables are the link between these vital components and the quality of cable as well as the connections can make the difference between a good system and great system.

When it comes to speaker cable termination ends, there are a few options and which one you choose will depend on your equipment as well as your preferences. One option that is open to all equipment is bare wire. Unlike interconnect cables where you need a specific termination plug, you always have the option with speaker cables to insert bare wire into the receptacles. From a sound perspective, this is perfectly acceptable and does not have a negative effect on the sonics; quite the contrary – because it does not introduce any other metals into the connection it is actually a great sounding connection. But there are drawbacks that are not related to sound but to elegance and convenience. Bare wire is sloppy to deal with because the strands are given to separation and when inserting into speakers or amplifiers equipped with 5-way posts you have to thread through the post and tighten down the screws. If your equipment is hard to get at this can be even more of a pain, especially if you frequently swap out your equipment. There must be a better way that is cleaner and hassle free!

Banana Plugs

Banana plugs are the most popular termination ends and for good reason. They make it easy to install your equipment (simply insert) and have a really professional, clean look. They are especially clutch if you like to frequently change out your equipment. The Mule Audio CS1 is available with silver plated copper alloy BFA style banana plugs and the Mule Audio CS2 is equipped with high quality Monosaudio pure copper one-piece blade style banana plugs. Both of these banana plugs will provide a solid, tight connection to your equipment and provide years of hassle-free service.

Spade Connectors

Another solid connection option is the spade connector. Spades are an alternative to banana plugs where in most cases either can be used (5-way binding posts). They provide a similarly solid connection and are installed by screwing down on the post. Some prefer this over the banana plug because the tightness of the connection can be varied based on how tight the spade is physically screwed down. Another advantage spades can have over banana plugs is physical flushness where they have a lower profile providing clearance in tight setups (banana plugs by nature protrude outward while spades point downward). On some vintage equipment spades are the only connection available so obviously they are the go to in those situations. The Mule Audio CS1 is available with one piece machined gold-plated copper alloy spade connectors that have two widths to accommodate different size binding posts. They are screw down which eliminates the need for solder which is preferable as it does not introduce another metal into the signal path.

Flexible Braid Connector

What to do when your older/vintage equipment only accepts bare wire? Sure, you could just run it that way but as mentioned above that isn’t the cleanest solution. Enter the Flexible Braid Connector. These unique connectors mimic bare wire and allow you to have a proper termination for your vintage speakers and amplifiers. The Mule Audio CS1 is available with Flexible Braid Connectors.