Factory jumpers or speaker wire?

jeff reimer
jeff reimer Posts: 16
edited December 2003 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Just wondering what the general consensus is on this subject. I have the RTI100'S and removed the jumpers and used speaker wire (16 GA). I dont know if I can tell a difference or not. Just wondered what everyone else does and why. Thanks for the responses.
Post edited by jeff reimer on
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  • PhantomOG
    PhantomOG Posts: 2,409
    edited December 2003
    it seems like everyone here seems to think speaker wire is better than the jumpers. haven't tried it myself but i'll get around to it someday.
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  • John K.
    John K. Posts: 822
    edited December 2003
    Jeff, any material which has even a reasonable amount of electrical conductivity can be used over that distance of 2" or so without audibly affecting anything. Even pieces of a wire coathanger could be used since the higher electrical resistance of steel as compared with copper would be insignificant over such a short distance. Speaker manufacturers don't sabotage their own speakers; the connector between the binding posts is a non-factor.
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  • Loud & Clear
    Loud & Clear Posts: 1,538
    edited December 2003
    Originally posted by John K.
    Jeff, any material which has even a reasonable amount of electrical conductivity can be used over that distance of 2" or so without audibly affecting anything. Even pieces of a wire coathanger could be used since the higher electrical resistance of steel as compared with copper would be insignificant over such a short distance. Speaker manufacturers don't sabotage their own speakers; the connector between the binding posts is a non-factor.

    Ah, a bit of logic. Nice.

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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited December 2003
    Jeff,

    Have you tried to see how they sound biwired? If that doesn't do anything for you I would say use speaker wire and put the brass jumpers away in storage in case you ever sell your speakers.

    Paul
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited December 2003
    Try it, your ears will let you know.

    Try listening to the same piece of music with the jumper and then again with the jumper removed. Better yet have an assistant to the switching around so that you don't know what the configuration is. That way you don't have any pre-concieved ideas about what you are hearing. A bit extreme perhaps, but at least you can listen objectively and not subjectively.
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  • jeff reimer
    jeff reimer Posts: 16
    edited December 2003
    Bi-wiring is my nexyt experiment. Probably just using Monster wire doing it "homemade". I am just too cheap to take the plunge on a set of pre made wires.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited December 2003
    If you want to try bi-wiring on the cheap, get Radio Shack's 18awg solid core "hook-up" wire. Its very inexpensive and got a nod from Stereophile magazine as a good wire.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited December 2003
    I cut the insulation about 3 inches down, slid it up enough so I could wrap it around the bottom post, stripped enough of the end to wrap it around the top post. No jumper at all.
    Make it Funky! :)
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