Banana plugs with 1/4in??

Hey, folks. I'm getting ready to purchase a pair of bookshelf speakers for ***entertainment purposes***. Ha. 
Basically, I'm curious as to if there are some sort of converters for those weird exposed red/black wire things that I don't know the name of... to a 1/4in TRS plug? Also, are those generally powered, or do they need external power?
 
I've never really worked with them except for on a home stereo system. Thankz

there are different ways to hook up speakers from a say - stereo amp. Usually a type of prong connector is used unless the stereo amp or equipment provides another type of connection. usually bare wire maybe tinned (soldered ends) can be used and again on the speaker (if a stereo speaker) where you run the speaker wire (usually at least 16 gauge instead of 18 gauge like a regular type electrical cord without the ends on it) . On older usually professional equipment banana plugs used to be used where you screw the wire into the ends of the banana plug and tighten up the usually tinned wire (so it does not unravel) on the post where the screw is tightened by a screwdriver and tightens the wire up so it does not come lose on the connector. Because amps give off sort of AC voltage and not are DC voltage like a phone-connection wire ran in the house up from the basement and smaller in gauge.
 
If running longer length speaker wire to deliver all the signal to the speakers then even up to 12 gauge wlre can be used but for about up to 50 feet of wire - 16 guage is big enough. If smaller gauge wire is used, it better be way shorter and actually 16 gauge wire to be sure may be better.
 
It all is an electrical circuit like inside of the stereo amp or mono amp where all of that is designed to boost the signal up so sound is heard by the mechanical actions of the speaker (or transducer) which is similar to a microphone (transducer) that changes the electrical sound into a mechanical action that makes - sound (noise-call whatever you want to - music).
 
You may find an adaptor and you may not any more but you can always attach the wire (either by soldering it to a 1/4" balanced lead or unbalanced plug or buy a plug that can be used to make the connection. As to an adaptor from a 1/4" balanced connection or XLR connection to a banana plug in type plug-in may not be possible anymore.
 
Things change so in the end some creativity may have to be had. The only thing to do is look up connections for speaker connections and see what it is that is sold - like at an electrical hardware store in the area that deals in such equipment. Usually such places sell ham radios, other type equipment like that and not a usually thought of hardware store, but sell antennas for TV, shortwave radios, other connections and wire for hooking up many, many things and either you can make your own connection with a soldering gun or your own microphone cables, or even guitar cables with wire and ends bought where you make your own connections for whatever in that field of industry, and certainly not probably a wal-mart or that type of hardware store that sells, hot- water heaters, wrenches, hammers or equipment like that.
 
http://www.cablestogo.com/learning/connector-guides/audio
 
The banana type connections are not the same as in some old equipment where both wires were on one connection of a plastic type base where you screw in the wires and both wires were on one connection, but still about the same except the connections shown there are separated - as long as you know, one is colored red (usually for postive) and one is colored black on the connection somewhere for negative lead - but to make sure the speaker is moving out making sure you found the positive and negative connection - you take a battery like a 9 volt and click the speaker (won't hurt it unless you keep it on the speaker) to find out whether the speaker moves forwards or backwards in the way you think it should be hooked up. If you have the leads correct to the speaker the speaker will move towards the front of the speaker cabinet and not back into the cabinet and then you have the speaker connected correctly as to positive and negative leads from the amp when you hook it all up.
 

Lamp cord wire is usually made up a smaller gauge wires twisted together, whereas speaker wire is made up of bigger gauge wires twisted together, although a electrical circuit plugging in a lamp is less voltage - the amperage can be much larger -thus perhaps death from a bare lamp cord, whereas the voltage is higher coming out of a big musical power amp or stereo amp, the amperage is way, way smaller - thus usually not death hooking up speakers.

A little humor there - but a shock will tell you that you goofed up if you are still alive.
 

Speakers mostly fall under 2 categories for Musicians. PA speakers and Studio Monitors. 
 
Home Stereo and Studio Monitor speakers are very similar in design and sizes. They also use the same Red and Black  Binding post connection system if they are passive. Studio monitors will use good quality binding posts. Home stereo gear might have binding posts or those clip in connectors. 
Some brands place the binding posts so that they can also use a banana jack but not many. 
Professional PA Audio will have Banana plugs but this is only at the power amp end and the speakers use 1/4" TS or Speakon connections. 
The Banana Jack is therefore an optional quick connect system for some Binding post connections. 
Plain wire can be used # 16 / #14 for studio, # 12 for PA. Do not use Audio Patch cables for passive speakers. They might look the same but they are not usually large enough guage. 
 
So for passive Monitors or Home stereo:
We normally just use the binding post system as it is a solid connection that can't pull apart. Not much point in the Banana jack for a system that stays connected, they are mostly used for portable systems. You can buy them at Radio Shack for under $10. They also come pre made on PA speakers cables. 
 
It's nice to have tinned ends or termination like these. 

 
 
 
Red and Black binding posts or clip type connections on a speaker indicate it is passive. 
 
1/4 " jack or Speakon connector on a PA speaker indicate it is passive. There will be no other type of connection. 
 
XLR or RCA connectors will indicate the speaker is active. And there can also be 1/4". 
Active speakers will always have an AC power connections and a level control so it's idiot proof .