There are several different ways to connect the cables from your receiver or amplifier to your speakers. Bare wire connections are acceptable, especially with "spring clip" terminals. However, there are other connector types that provide more solid and secure connections, especially with binding post terminals.
Spade connectors
Spade connectors feature a forked piece of metal, designed to hug the collar of a 5-way binding post terminal. The spade is then secured by tightening the binding post's cap. Spade connectors give you very secure contact.
These are compatible with most binding post terminals. A spade fits around the terminal's central threaded post, allowing you to then tighten the collar down on the spade for a snug, secure connection. But keep in mind, some electronics now have terminals that prohibit the use of spade connectors.
Banana plugs
If you have binding post terminals on your speakers and/or receiver, banana plugs are a great choice. The flexible metal collar of a banana plug is slightly wider than the center hole of a binding post. It compresses to fit when you plug it in, resulting in a very solid connection. Banana plugs are extremely quick and easy to hook up.
These will plug straight into the center of 5-way binding posts. They make a quick and convenient connection ? nothing to loosen or tighten.
Pin-type connectors
These will work with both spring clip and binding post terminals. This is probably the best type for connecting a thick, heavy-gauge wire to a small spring clip connector. On a 5-way binding post, this slender pin will also fit the hole that's back near the base of the central post (see binding post illustration, below). You can then tighten the collar down against it.
5-way binding post speaker terminals
5-way binding posts are a versatile type of terminal used for amplified, speaker-level signals, usually found on higher-quality speakers and receivers. This kind of terminal accepts 5 kinds of speaker wire connections: bare speaker wire, pin connectors, spade connectors, banana plugs, and dual banana plugs. Some binding post connectors aren't considered "5-way," because they don't accommodate every one of these connection types.
