American cable maker Tributaries has introduced the Tributaries Locking Spade Lug, a new spade connector designed to give a more secure and reliable connection between its speaker cables and the binding posts of loudspeakers and amplifiers. From November 2026, it is fitted as standard to the Series 6 Mark II and Series 8 Mark II Star-Quad speaker cables, at no extra cost.
The problem with ordinary spades
Many audio enthusiasts prefer spade lugs because they offer a large contact area. The downside is that a conventional spade can work loose over time, as speakers, equipment and their surroundings vibrate. Anyone who has stripped a binding post while trying to keep a slippery spade tight knows the frustration. The Tributaries Locking Spade Lug is designed specifically to solve that problem.
Gripping grooves, like a lock washer
The Tributaries Locking Spade Lug has gripping grooves across virtually its entire contact surface. When the binding post is tightened, these grooves improve the mechanical engagement between spade and post, so the connection resists loosening caused by vibration. Installation is also simpler: the spade seats securely with normal hand tightening, reducing the need for tools that could damage binding posts.
“A spade connection can be extremely effective, but only if it remains securely tightened,” says Joe Perfito, founder and president of Gordon J. Gow Technologies, the parent company of Tributaries and Clarus. “Our new spade uses a specially designed contact surface that resists loosening caused by vibration, much like a lock washer.”
Two cable series
On the Series 6 Mark II Star-Quad speaker cables, the Tributaries Locking Spade Lug is made of gold-plated brass. The cable itself uses two 11 AWG oxygen-free copper conductors in a star-quad layout, which according to Tributaries reduces inductance and distortion. The Series 8 Mark II combines the same locking geometry with gold-plated tellurium copper and uses linear crystal copper conductors. Both cables come with a woven outer jacket and are stocked in lengths from 4 to 12 feet, with custom lengths available. For another approach to high-end speaker cabling, see our article on Shunyata Research’s Theta Series speaker cables.
Why it matters
A small connector change may not sound like big news, but a loose spade can cause poor contact, noise or even intermittent signal loss. A connection that stays tight without overtightening the binding posts is a practical improvement that every owner of these cables will appreciate.
Pricing and availability
From November 2026, the Tributaries Locking Spade Lug is standard on Series 6 Mark II and Series 8 Mark II Star-Quad speaker cables at no additional cost. Tributaries does not list cable prices online; these are available through dealers. More information is available on the Tributaries website.
Key specifications
- Product: Tributaries Locking Spade Lug
- Design: gripping grooves across the contact surface
- Series 6 Mark II: gold-plated brass
- Series 8 Mark II: gold-plated tellurium copper
- Cables: Star-Quad, 2x 11 AWG conductors
- Lengths: 4 to 12 feet, custom on request
- Availability: standard from November 2026
- Extra cost: none
