AudioQuest SureGrip 500 Speaker Connectors

The AudioQuest SureGrip 500 is a speaker connector with a solid, one-piece conductor made of high-purity Purple Copper, available as a banana plug or multi-spade, and in sets of 4 or 6. The silver layer sits directly on the copper, and the cable is cold-crimped rather than soldered.

Between the 300 series and the 500 series there's no marketing leap, but a material change: away from beryllium copper, toward a solid piece of Purple Copper with no seams, sleeves, or interlayers.

Why the 500 series?

Every connector is a break in the signal path — the only question is how many parts and metals it's made of. The SureGrip 500 is machined from a single piece, with no brass sleeve and none of the usual nickel undercoat beneath the precious-metal layer. AudioQuest calls this directly applied silver "Hanging Silver." Add to that the Cold-Weld principle: a set screw cold-presses the cable end into the conductor, with no solder as a third metal in between.

Set of 4 or 6 — what you get

The set sizes aren't a bulk discount, but two different use cases. AudioQuest calls the 4-piece set "Full Range": four connectors terminate a normal speaker cable run completely, two at the amplifier and two at the speaker. The 6-piece set is called "BiWire": two connectors at the amplifier, four at the bi-wireable speaker. Both sizes cover one speaker each — for a stereo pair, you need two sets.

Who is the SureGrip 500 for — and who isn't it for?

For systems where the speaker cable itself is already decent and the contact point shouldn't remain the weakest link. Gauges up to 9 AWG fit. Honestly: if the other end still has bundled stranded wire hanging off it, upgrade there first — a solid Purple Copper connector on thin bell wire is expensive cosmetics. We'll tell you where the bigger lever is in your setup.

Our verdict

The 500 series is the point where connector quality can be justified technically rather than merely claimed: one conductor, one metal, a defined clamping pressure. Anyone who already has a good cable lying around gets the matching termination here. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil, we clarify plug type and set size beforehand so nothing surplus ends up in a drawer.

Technical data

• Type: speaker connector, banana or multi-spade
• Series: AudioQuest SureGrip 500
• Conductor: solid, one-piece, high-purity Purple Copper
• Coating: silver, directly applied ("Hanging Silver," no interlayer)
• Clamping principle: Cold-Weld — set screw cold-presses the cable, solder-free
• Cable gauge: up to 9 AWG (approx. 6.6 mm²)
• Banana connection: common standard banana jacks
• Multi-spade connection: screw binding posts from 6.4 to 7.9 mm (1/4" to 5/16")
• Set sizes: 4-piece ("Full Range") or 6-piece ("BiWire"), each for one speaker
• Included: 4 or 6 connectors, depending on the variant chosen

Frequently asked questions

What is the 6-piece set for?

For a bi-wireable speaker. There, the cable splits at the speaker into two pairs of terminals: two connectors go to the amplifier, four to the speaker. That's why AudioQuest lists this set size as "BiWire." Without bi-wiring, the 4-piece set — which the manufacturer calls "Full Range" — is enough.

What's different about Purple Copper compared to the 300 series material?

The 500 series uses a solid, one-piece conductor of high-purity Purple Copper; the 300 series uses a body made of beryllium copper. The difference lies in purity and construction: no seam, no sleeve, no second metal in the signal path. In both cases, the silver layer sits directly on the conductor with no interlayer.

Does the multi-spade fit under my binding post?

The 500 series' spade lug is designed for posts with a 6.4 to 7.9 millimeter shaft diameter, and so fits the vast majority of common screw binding posts. No spade lug works on pure sockets without threads — there, use the banana version instead.

Why get the SureGrip 500 at HD Zürisee?

Because we treat cable and connector as one component, and we'll handle the termination for you if you like. Our team in Wädenswil has been in this business for over two decades and will tell you honestly when a different step in your chain would bring more.

Pairs well with

To go with it, you'll find Speaker Cables, the rest of our range of Connectors, and the entire AudioQuest range.