odd binding posts won't fit spade or banana do i

so a spade or banana is more or less the same as the pasty she had on, it protects the goods. but is it okay to strip it off? knowing the oxidation and dirt consequences.

My ProAcs actually came with a recommendation to use bare wire and some force when screwing down the connectors... According to their literature, when you screw down the terminals on bare wire, you actually deform the wire bringing metal to metal contact under pressure so no oxidization. If you are really worried, you could restrip them in 6 months or a year... YMMV.

The obvious answer for why high end cables come terminated is that you can charge more for them and they are more convenient .Also sexier looking. The simple truth about spades and bananas is that nothing sounds as good as nothing. Requiring the signal to make extra jumps into other materials and surfaces has to degrade the sound. When I have a terminated wire I use it that way , when it comes bare I do not terminate it. If you are worried about oxidation use a good contact cleaner. Simply fastening and unfastening the wire , which most of us do regularly, will keep it clean. Stan