New speaker cable - to bi-wire or not

[REK2575]

I bi-wired my spakers because I figured -- and I admit it is pure supposition on my part -- that it would be preferable to have dedicated wires feeding current into the high- and low-freq drivers rather than rely on the cheap exposed metal bridge between them.

I guess it was more of a 'peace of mind' thing -- I never thought bi-wiring would dramatically improve sound quality -- but I figured it had to be a little better than the alternative....? If you have bi-wirable speakers and can easily bi-wire them for little / no extra expense... why not?

 

[tuga]

I bi-wired my spakers because I figured -- and I admit it is pure supposition on my part -- that it would be preferable to have dedicated wires feeding current into the high- and low-freq drivers rather than rely on the cheap exposed metal bridge between them.

I guess it was more of a 'peace of mind' thing -- I never thought bi-wiring would dramatically improve sound quality -- but I figured it had to be a little better than the alternative....? If you have bi-wirable speakers and can easily bi-wire them for little / no extra expense... why not?

Well, bi-wire means twice the expense, even if it isn't a lot of money. And waste is environmentally unfriendly.

You can always replace the metal bridges with short bits of speaker wire.

 

[Midwest Blade]

I am not going to bi-wire, so I am liking the look of the Belden 5T00UP 10 AWG from blue jeans cables, so thats my first choice. However I have been looking at UK distribution but not found anything that has got me to reconsider. Yet.

I think you are on the right track with Blue Jeans Cable 10 White (as they call it), definitely a great cable for a very good price.

 

[mhardy6647]

as seen Someplace Else (and, ironically, just today!) -- this appears to be biwiring's evil Doppelgänger.

source: https://hifihaven.org/index.php?threads/new-bi-wiring-method.6235/

 

[Wes]

While no one can think of a mechanistic reason why bi-wiring would improve SQ, I've always wondered why Dick Vandersteen advocated it for his speakers, which were really nice sounding units.

 

[restorer-john]

Bi-wiring is of zero benefit compared with a single run with the same equivalent gauge.

Big benefit- the dealer makes double the profit.

 

[win]

My expensive system is not bi-wired, but my garage system is. Needed 30 foot runs, so went with Romex cable and just doubled them up on the amplifier side.

oddly, both the manual for my ELAC speakers as well as an older Yamaha amp both recommended bi wiring.

 

[pos]

It looks like the expert consensus around here disagrees with Bruno Putzeys' view on the subject

Speakers are nonlinear things, so a speaker's back EMF is distorted. If you use biwiring on a very low-impedance amp you can stop distortion generated in, say the woofer, from electrically cross-talking into the tweeter. With moderate impedance amps you can only get the same result with biamping. I think this is the only sensible explanation why biwiring sometimes sounds different. I'm not saying the effect is very big but it's hard to argue that it is always inaudible.

 

[Dmitri]

While no one can think of a mechanistic reason why bi-wiring would improve SQ, I've always wondered why Dick Vandersteen advocated it for his speakers, which were really nice sounding units.

And they still are nice sounding units IMHO and as an owner of 2ce’s....and I won’t deny bias. ; ) I wouldn’t dare send them to Amir!
Vandersteen, though he does recommend biwiring, I believe recommends biamping as the most effective route. I’m not qualified to agree or disagree...but his speakers are somewhat unique in approach, utilizing first order slopes and time aligned / phase correct designs. Mine are biwired, but only because he recommends it. His set up instructions are very thorough, and undoubtedly he is an accomplished and well respected engineer. Perhaps it makes a difference for his particular designs?
Still, he’s a slick business man as well....that extra set of terminals and requisite cross over wiring probably makes him more money in added sales than it does in the cost of providing them...
Again, not qualified in the physics of it all, but some things just feel like fairies and magic dust.

 

[Wes]

but I cannot see how it makes a difference for his particular designs...

BTW, I used to have 2cs - spent months comparing with Maggies; sold the 2c's and now 20 years later... newer, bigger Maggies

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Still, he’s a slick business man as well....that extra set of terminals and requisite cross over wiring probably makes him more money in added sales than it does in the cost of providing them...

An old story: While delivering and installing a pair of speakers in my home, the VP Marketing of a major speaker line told me that they put on dual terminal pairs in response to the almost unanimous requests of their dealers.

 

[Dmitri]

So, fairy dust, most likely.
Maggie’s have always interested me...and I won’t say I haven’t been tempted. But my understanding, they need a lot of room to “breathe”...well off the back wall. My listening room wouldn’t be a particularly good match.
I keep threatening the wife that I’m going to convert the garage into a media room. Maybe someday I’ll carry through and give the Maggie’s a chance. ; )

Enjoy your new Maggies. I’m sure they’re wonderful!

 

[Dmitri]

An old story: While delivering and installing a pair of speakers in my home, the VP Marketing of a major speaker line told me that they put on dual terminal pairs in response to the almost unanimous requests of their dealers.

Very interesting...and makes sense. From a marketing standpoint, the dealer is the companies connect to the customer...who better than to advise a company of what would improve sales...which again increases dealer profit.

I’d say something snarky here, but perhaps it’s implied....; )

 

[win]

wire gauge notwithstanding, (which is easily solved by just buying larger gauge wire) there is no topological difference between bi-wiring vs not, that's what kills me.

no matter what, there will be a chunk of metal through which both hf and lf sounds must travel.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I’d say something snarky here, but perhaps it’s implied....; )

The whole thing is snarky.............at best.

 

[tonapo]

New bluejeans cable is here and installed, Belden 5T00UP 10 AWG, I actually bought some black sheathing as well for the cable as I think it helps hide it a bit more in my room! I have bare wire into the amp, and locking banana plugs into the speaker, single wired as discussed. The cable it replaces is actually Chord 16AWG, I don't remember checking that before. Anyway, job done, thanks for the help everyone!

 

[paddycrow]

I went with bi-amping for my home theater's front and center channels simply because I had 14 channels of power amp and just 11 speakers. I can report that it makes absolutely no difference.

 

[waynel]

So perhaps the blue jeans Belden 5T00UP 10 AWG cable as an alternative, over the Canare 4S11? I am in the UK, there looks to be about £10 difference in price for the cables for two 4m runs of terminated cables.

In my opinion the Canare looks much nicer

 

[waynel]

My speakers have dual sets of terminals. I use Canare 4S11 but don’t biwire. I have noticed that the jumpers work well and the bass is much better with them there than removed.

 

[win]

I have noticed that the jumpers work well and the bass is much better with them there than removed.

It's funny because I noticed that stuff tends to work better when it's plugged in vs unplugged too.