All twisted up now, need advice!
dainis
Posts: 11
I've been looking at wire and have a few questions (in order of difficulty).
1) Old wire -- how old is too old? I purchased some Monster (12g?) about 18 years ago when I got my Monitor 5Bs. They look okay, no discoloration indicating oxidization (may want to scavange these for bi-wires -- see next question).
2) Bi-wire: if they say 12g bi-wire, is it 12g at the amp end or 12g both the low and high frequency speaker terminals (and something thicker at the amp end)? If I make my own bi-wire, how can I determine the gauge and the amp end where I combined the wires? (No bi-wired speakers, yet. I am still using my 5Bs, but will eventually upgrade).
3) Twisted wire (as opposed to your sister): why do some mfrs. twist the 2 conduits around each other, like a DNA strand? Some say that since the opposite currents cross each other at 90 degrees and eliminate or induce e-m fields. Any validity? Granted they look cool, but want ear-candy, not eye-candy.
4) Are more strands better? Theory says that a single wire is best, but generally unmanagable at thick gauges. But having an infinite number of infinitely narrow strands (ugh! who thought calculus would rear its ugly head when discussing speaker wire!) is equal to the single thick wire.
5) And then there is the theory that the higher frequencies travel along the outer portion of the conduit and the lower frequencies travel along the center, hence the need for different size strands and time-calibrated wire (now physics rears its ugly mug!).
I guess that's it for now. And my wife wonders why I can't sleep at night!
1) Old wire -- how old is too old? I purchased some Monster (12g?) about 18 years ago when I got my Monitor 5Bs. They look okay, no discoloration indicating oxidization (may want to scavange these for bi-wires -- see next question).
2) Bi-wire: if they say 12g bi-wire, is it 12g at the amp end or 12g both the low and high frequency speaker terminals (and something thicker at the amp end)? If I make my own bi-wire, how can I determine the gauge and the amp end where I combined the wires? (No bi-wired speakers, yet. I am still using my 5Bs, but will eventually upgrade).
3) Twisted wire (as opposed to your sister): why do some mfrs. twist the 2 conduits around each other, like a DNA strand? Some say that since the opposite currents cross each other at 90 degrees and eliminate or induce e-m fields. Any validity? Granted they look cool, but want ear-candy, not eye-candy.
4) Are more strands better? Theory says that a single wire is best, but generally unmanagable at thick gauges. But having an infinite number of infinitely narrow strands (ugh! who thought calculus would rear its ugly head when discussing speaker wire!) is equal to the single thick wire.
5) And then there is the theory that the higher frequencies travel along the outer portion of the conduit and the lower frequencies travel along the center, hence the need for different size strands and time-calibrated wire (now physics rears its ugly mug!).
I guess that's it for now. And my wife wonders why I can't sleep at night!