Various types of springclip speaker outputs are found on less-expensive receivers and amps (and on the inputs of some entry-level speakers). They all work more or less the same: press the button or lever, insert bare wire from the stripped end of a speaker cable into the opening (twist the wire so the strands stay together), release the button, and the springloaded clamp grabs the wire. Since the internal clamp is usually an edge-to-edge affair, most spring-clip connectors make electrical contact over a comparatively small area. Nevertheless, they’re usually adequate for speaker connections when maximum power levels are below 100 watts or so.

Binding posts accept nearly any form of speaker wire or cable and make a solid contact over a large area. After twisting the strands tight, you insert the wire through the horizontal hole in the post and clamp it under the knurled knobs by turning them down. If the wire is terminated with U-shaped spade lugs, the knobs spin down to hold these flat at the bottom of the posts. Wire with pin terminators (shown) is connected through the holes and the knobs tightened against the pins. And if your speaker wires have banana plugs on the ends, simply plug these into the holes on the ends of the binding posts, which are designed to take them. Now, that’s versatility.

Named for its slightly bulging shape, this easily inserted plug makes a large-contact-area connection as it’s pushed home into its corresponding jack, usually on the end of a multiway binding post. That makes it the preferred connector for high-power hookups, as from a receiver or power amplifier to speakers. Occasionally banana plugs are molded into pairs called dual bananas, though not all gear (especially speakers) accommodates their standard spacing.