no bananas for 800i's?and bi-wire from sub?

organ

Is there any way to use banana plugs on the 800i's. Do the plastic caps come off? I am currently using bare wires but want to get banana or spade plugs. Which is better?

My second question is bi-wiring from my PSW650. The sub out on my receiver is filtered way to high and I got way better sound using speaker cables instead. I have my system bi-wired through my sub. Now the question. What gauge wires should I use from the receiver to sub and sub to speakers. Here's what I'm thinking of upgrading to. 10gauge from the receiver to sub, 12gauge from sub to LF and 14 or 16 from the sub to the HF.

thanx

RuSsMaN

The plastic plugs do come out. Bi-wire through the sub? Uh, no. Doubt you would notice anything, but the placebo affect may be high.

Why different wire guages for highs and midbass? If I was to bi-wire rt800's, I would make or buy a 14/4 or 12/4 biwire cable, and wire directly to the amp/receiver.

Cheers,
Russ

ps, if you search on 'bi-wire' or 'sub hook up', you will find very long, tedious, and repetitive discussions on the matter.....

organ

I had them wired directly from the receiver before(single wire) and I tried bi-wiring through the sub a week ago and I thought it sounded much better. The sound just opened up big time and I heard things I never heard before, biggest difference is during low night listening. I remember reading a thread once on audioreview.com and a person said you gain the same results when bi-wiring through a sub. Finally, what is the placebo effect?

thanx

RuSsMaN

...if you ALREADY did it, and it sounds better to you, then we are typin' away for no reason. The difference you noticed in sound was probably due to the removal of the brass jumper, but I still would be willing bet you'd like it even more, wired to your rec/amp. Or save yourself the expense, and make a speaker-wire jumper.

Low night listening can be great. We all know that electrons flow better at night.

Cheers,
Russ

organ

Thanx for your replies. I had Accoustic Research 16 gauge wires to replace the jumpers before. The reason I bi-wire through my sub is because I like to have the speakers crossed at 80hz using the switch on the sub. I don't want to use the sub out because it sucked compared to the speaker outs. The sub played deeper and smoother with the speaker cables. I guess the sub out is crossed at 120hz. I have my sub crossed at around 90hz. This is the only option I have if I want to bi-wire and use speaker cables for my sub.

I guess you are correct. For some reason, I keep getting the feeling that my system sounds better at night. I'm a late-night basement dweller living in my parent's house.

TroyD

...the mall is open but no one appears to be shopping.

organ

what? Sorry man, I don't get it.

TroyD

Russ has just lost the plot over there.....


Troy

RuSsMaN

...and he's mad cause he lives in Alaska, and he wont get to hear his system at night for quite some time......

Cheers,
Russ

SERENITY NOW!!!!

Aaron

Spades are better than bananas, generally. If you're set on bananas, all you do is thread your binding posts all the way down and then plug the bananas into the hole on the top of the binding post. You don't have to remove anything. I agree with Russ; biwire from your receiver. If your receiver has L&R preouts, run those to your subwoofer and in your receiver's settings set your subwoofer to OFF and mains to LARGE. This configuration will yield the best sound. One possibility for improved sound in the evening is the quality of the power improves since fewer people are using it late at night. If you live in a densely populated area, this is possibly the reason. This might sound nuts, but it has been experienced by some people.

Aaron

TroyD

.....Kill joy.


Jack London

juice21

organ, weren't you trying to say is sounds better even at low-levels? not that it sounds better at night than in the day, just that usually, as neighbors, kids, whatever go to sleep, the level on the system goes down to respect others, hence low-level night listening?

or am i just as lost as others, on what you were getting at?

organ

Aaron, there are black plastic caps blocking the the top where the banana plugs are suppose to go in. I'm in class right now, I'll try to remove them after school. AutoCad is soooo boring. I have no pre-outs on my receiver and the only option I have to bi-wire is the conncection I have right now. Please read my previous posts above. About the late night thing. I don't think it's only the power because it seems quieter at night as well(less noise), there are less cars passing by, less busses, and of course less ghetto punks showing off their car sound systems. Thanx for your reply.

Aaron

I thought by plastic caps you meant the binding posts. I guess since you don't have preouts then this is the best way to go (since you say it sounds better than using the sub out). Yeah, reduction of ambiant noise makes a big difference. I experience that here at school but have no problems with it at home.

Aaron