Bi-Wiring

fox

This question has probalbly asked before but not that I have seen since beginning part of this forum. What really are the advantages to bi-wiring...or is it more of a personal choice?

Grimster74

Fox, first, Welcome to the Forum. For some it makes a difference, for some, it does not. Me for example, it did make a difference. I now have a much better mid section, seems my accurate and more detailed. This is a question that is always being tossed around. What I would suggest is to make a set of bi-wires before going out and spending $100 bucks. Thats what I did and then went out a purchased a pair of Monster M1.4's. Hope this helps. By the way, what speakers are you running and can they be bi-wired.

fox

I am also using the RTI70's for the fronts.
This will at least give me something to think about. I appreciate your thoughts.

John K.

Fox, the question has been asked many times before(e.g. see this reply and links)and the facts are still the same. Bi-wiring is essentially meaningless except that using two wires is equal to using one wire three gauge numbers heavier. No, it shouldn't be a matter of personal choice unless your choice is to waste time and money.

ezc

Fox,

If the question is will it make a difference I can say on my system it did. Id say try it & see for your self. Run another pair of wires to the speakers & remove the jumpers & see for your self! If it does make a difference that you like than go out & buy yourself a good set of bi wire cables that suit your taste. Its all about finding what you like! There is always bigger & better but getting what you have to preform to your personal taste is what its about. If the speaker manufacture made the speakers able to bi wire try it! If you dont like the sound take the seccond pair of speaker wire off & re install the jumpers. You want to be open minded & try different things & get your system the best it can be! If you become close minded beacuse someone tells you not to do it it dosnt make any difference & its a waste of money you loose! It wont cost much to add a seccont pair of speaker wire to try it & if not happy just remove the wire & put the jumpers back!

RVJII

John K

Thanks for the information! I have been recently looking into this myself and found quite a few conflicting claims. After reading the information at Cobalt and then talking to a very knowledgeable EE I feel I know the answer on bi-wiring.

Apparently, there are some circumstances where it would make a difference but that would assume that you would be pulling HUGE current loads from the amp. (We are probably talking about SPL's that would shatter the windows in your house.) Assuming that this is not the case, then if you have quality speakers and amp (I assume anyone reading this does) there should be no humanly detectable difference. If you are a bat on the other hand...

So, without trying to offend the proponents of bi-wiring (trust me, I'm really not...if I thought it would make a difference I'd spend the cash) it really seems that any percetable differece is an illusion aimed at justifying the cost.

Just a note: If you look at Polk specifications when they mention 4 5-way binding posts they list them as "bi-amp" with no mention of bi-wire. Somehow I doubt that this is an oversight and just provides for another data point.

RVJII

This has got to be the most complicated and debated subject known to man. It seems that it would be easier to come up with the "Grand Unification Theory".

Here are a few links with some interesting points of view...differing of course.

http://www.sonicdesign.se/biwire.html

http://www.soundstage.com/synergize/synergize031998.htm

http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/biwiring.htm

Personally, I am so confused that I think that I am just going to go with it. I figure that it probably can't hurt.

I hope that I never hear the word bi-wire again...