banana plugs or not?

IMO, The best connection is bare wire or Eichmann bullet (silver or gold.) I like both with different systems.

The amp is more important than the cable as long as the cable is properly made and of adequate size and quality to do the job of supplying current.

If you stick with bare wire, when you strip the insulation and retwist the wire. do NOT touch the copper with bare skin. Use either cloth or ppapaer towels only to keep your body oils/sweat/salt off copper.
And monster bananas are junky anyway.
Use bananas with a good connection. Like AudioQuest.
Bananas are great if you want to switch wires a lot. otherwise stick with bare wire.

Bare wire. Just cut into some new wire every so often to get rid of oxidation.