Current testing methodology is v1.2
Why buy separate speaker wire and banana plugs when you can buy them pre-made?
If you already have speaker wire then you might only be looking for banana plugs to use with the speaker cables you already have. If that’s the case then head on over to our best banana plugs post.
The Mediabridge banana plug cable marries the best in features, build quality and price. OFC copper cable with gold-plated banana plugs gives you great audio quality transference in addition to the multiple length options you can choose from.
If you don’t already have speaker cables and you have an idea of the length of the speaker cable you might need then why not just buy the speaker wire with banana plugs already fitted?! Effortless.
Benefits of Banana Plugs Speaker Wire
Banana plugs make a world of difference for your Hi-Fi set up. A few of the benefits include:
- Easy to change speakers between amps and components
- Reduce effort to get behind amps to rewire the cables
- Ability to quickly change configurations e.g. change from a bi-wire set up to change to Dolby Atmos set up instead – assuming you have the speakers.
- Reduces wear-and-tear on speaker wire ends and the amp and speaker wire poles
- Reduces the risk of stray wires crossing over to other speaker poles
- Cost-effective to buy them together (cheaper)
- Most importantly…a better connection point for a better audio experience.
Things to note:
1: Banana plugs have a universal fit for speakers and Hi-Fi amps. This doesn’t mean they will fit all units and speakers, but if your Amp or Speakers have the ability to fit Banana Plugs, then any of these will be sufficient. Most speakers or audio amps purchased in the last 20 years will usually be fine.
2: Banana plugs are not the only termination options for connecting your speaker cables, but they are the easiest with a quick pull and then a push you can move things around without putting too much pressure on your back, your HiFi amp or your speakers.
3: Gold and copper are considered excellent, affordable conductors of electrical signal – hence why they are always a standard in speaker wires and plugs.
4: When buying these cables most are sold in single cables. So if you have 2 speakers, then consider 2 cables. Unless it’s stated.
Best speaker wire with banana plugs
1. Mediabridge 12AWG Ultra Series Speaker Wire with Gold Plated Banana Plugs
These cables have really been road tested so come highly recommended. They tick all the boxes when it comes to performance, quality and price.
The Download
Mediabridge also made our best banana plugs post so it seemed quite likely they would make it into this list.
These have well secured, soldered wire points to the banana plugs which should give a long and audio rich life.
The cable is a 12 gauge (12AWG) OFC copper cable – standard for any use and plenty based on lots of audiophile tests to prove that thickness is over rated (thin cables are a different story)
The Mediabridge SWT-12B-06B comes in multiple pre-made lengths including 3ft, 6ft, 12ft, 18ft and 25ft. If those speaker cable lengths don’t match your needs then you must indeed have an exacting requirement.
We’d always recommend going a little longer than shorter as you might move house, rearrange the living room or you might just need a few more inches as you play with speaker placement and toeing in trials and tribulations.
If it’s really important to you there is a 16 gauge (AWG) banana plugs speaker wire from Mediabridge available too. You can see that one here.
Stuff I like
- Comes in multiple length options
- OFC Cable
- CL2 rated for in-wall use
- Solid 12 AWG (Guage)
- Gold-plated Banana plugs
- Colour coded for ease of use (Red and Black)
Where to get it
2. Silverback Speaker Wire with Banana Plugs – 12AWG
If you need really long speaker cables or if you just don’t like the sound of soldered terminations (preferring screwed pins instead) then these are a great choice. OFC Copper with a high strand count means good audio transference.
The Download
The Sewell Direct Silverback speaker cable comes in slightly more expensive than the Mediabridge model. Sewell also have a great reputation for affordable, reliable and well-made speaker wires and banana plugs, these are no exception.
At first glance, the banana plugs look a little like the common Nakamichi ones you can buy overseas, but they’re not…although they are mostly the same. They just come pre-installed.
This video shows a similar banana plug configuration from another brand.
While we would expect a more permanent banana plug termination on these there are some benefits to having a removable banana plug on the end, if needed. One benefit being if you need to you can change them to another cable later, or have one end with banana plugs and one end without – depending on your speaker configuration.
The strand count is high at 259 which is great and above average and the copper cable is 99.9% oxygen-free (OFC).
An OFC cable should be a minimum expectation and unless you have a specific need for a cable gauge then going for a 12 AWG (Gauge) cable should be your minimum in our opinion. We don’t see a benefit to go higher but you probably shouldn’t go lower for a decent Hi-Fi or Home Theatre set up.
Length options are crazy: 3ft, 6ft, 10ft, 15ft, 25ft, 50ft, 100ft, 200ft (seriously, how far away ARE your speakers)
Stuff I like
- So many length options and some are loooooong
- OFC Cable
- 12 gauge (AWG)
3. AmazonBasics Speaker Wire with Banana Plugs
For the price it’s hard to ignore these. While we’d probably choose the Mediabridge first for a decent Home Theatre/Hi-Fi set up, there is no real reason to avoid these for most audio applications.
The Download
It’s always hard to go past the price of AmazonBasics products. They’re always reliable and fit the pocketbook of even the leanest audiophile.
These AmazonBasics speaker wire with banana plugs tick all the boxes for length, OFC, cable build materials, CL2 rating and gold plating.
Length options are sensible – coming in 3 pre-made cable lengths. These being 3 ft, 6 ft and 12 feet long.
Like the Silverback, by Sewell above, these are a screw finished termination.
There is just something about the simplicity of the banana plugs and termination that we really like. They have a solid design feel, a little texture on the base of the banana plug for grip and a narrow tip which helps avoid clutter in either your speakers or Hi-Fi amp.
If you live by the ocean then the corrosion-resistant housing will be a consideration.
Stuff I like
- 3 intelligent pre-made speaker cable lengths
- OFC Cable – 99.9% oxygen free
- CL2 rated for in-wall use
- Gold plated banana plugs
Where to get it
4. Deadbolt Speaker Wire with Banana Plugs
We like these and they could be more of a contender but for the narrow banana plug tip which doesn’t give us oodles of confidence if it was to be wiggled too hard. If you’re a sensitive audiophile then recommended.
The Download
Sewell make the list twice with their Deadbolt banana plugs speaker wires, mostly because we’re fans of the Deadbolt wire securing format and how it secures the copper strands to the banana plug itself.
Basic colour coding and a nice firm grip pattern make these easy to work with.
Pre-made cable length options are: 3ft, 6ft, 15ft, 25ft and 50ft. If you need that in meters you’ll need to ask Alexa for a conversion.
It’s like the wiring on these is similar to the Silverback as the strand count is 259 also. We prefer this termination option, so we’d recommend these above the Silverback.
Stuff I like
- 24k gold banana plugs
- 259 strand count
- Deadbolt termination is a solid option
- OFC cable
Where to get it
Conclusion
As you can see there are some common elements with these speaker wires. The main one being the variable lengths for each model to suit the needs you have to reach your speaker.
It’s a great way to save some time and get a product that is built for a specific purpose without you having to build your own speaker wires with banana plugs on the end.
Read also: 7 Best Flat Speaker Wires
Questions or comments – put them here
Endless hours of experimentation, professional work, and personal investment in Home Theatre, Hi-Fi, Smart Home Automation and Headphones have come to this.
Former owner of Headphones Canada, a high-end headphone specialty retailer.
This post was last updated on 2025-07-31 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.