Bi-wire/ Do it!!!!!!!!!Rt800i's

STUFFMD · May 2002

Hello all,
For what it's worth, just got done Bi-wireing my RT800i's after reading Polks issue of The Speaker Specialist, and man I can't believe the difference it has made all around, highs, lows, mids, imaging, wow, these speakers do have some highs....Highly recommended, No reason not to try, it's only wire, you can always put it back if you don't like it.. Thanks to Paul DiComo for the article.

Rt800i's main
Onkyo 797 Reciever
Psw 350
245 centers (front and back)
Fx 300i Rears

Dr. Spec · May 2002

Yep, mine sounded better bi-wired too!

I also found a big difference going from a cheapy non-name digital fiber optic connection between the DVD and the receiver to a Monster Cable digital coax. Wow! The slight but fatiguing harshness went totally away, the bass was deeper and tighter, and the highs were like I had installed new tweeters.

I had originally figured digital was digital - boy was I wrong.

Of course, a high quality fiber optic would have probably yielded a similar improvement over the crap fiber optic.

The moral of the story - don't use crap cables, interconnects, connections, or terminations - it's just not worth the savings.

Spec

kanicker · May 2002

Keep in mind that sometimes the reverse can be true.
(note: I greatly prefer digital coax over digital fiber)

I had monster digital coax linking my DVD to my reciever. I found myself in radio shack staring at digital coax cable for 4.99 clearance. So i picked it up to give it a shot. Sound quality "seemed" improved in the highs according to more than one pair of ears. I say "seemed" beacuse I believe the ability to distinguish such things is negligible 90% of the time. But better is better whether its pschological or not.

I read somewehre that someone had blind tested a modified coathanger against a $90 digital coax cable, and the subject could not tell the difference.

Yes, I know it sounds like an urban legend, but it wouldnt surprise me if it were factual.

mantis · May 2002

hear we go again on the wire thing..look out.

disneyjoe7 · May 2002

Well I never tried BI-WIRING, But I did replaced the cheap gold bar with "Good Wire", And I didn't believe the difference.

I think replacing that "Gold Bar" with a BI-WIRED or Just replacing with a wire is making the difference, For what we are hearing

tony27 · June 2002

what about bi-wiring the cs400i? any benefits?

mantis · June 2002

Yes,
bi wiring makes a big big difference in sound quality.This is one upgrades that really make a big difference.
The same holds true for the center channel.I own the cs400i and when I bi wired it, the clearity was much better.The voices sound much more natural now.

juice21 · June 2002

Originally posted by tony27
what about bi-wiring the cs400i? any benefits?

go for it! i have mine biwried and love it...

TroyD · June 2002

Here is a pretty good thread on bi-wiring.

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=389&highlight=biwiring

Pay attention to the comments of Bob McG, they (IMO) are right on the money.

Troy

Ron-P · June 2002

I have RT55s.

First, I wired them up using the factory gold plate. Had them set up this way for several months.

Second wire job I replaced that gold plate with a small piece of 12 gage speaker wire. Noticed a decent increase in the sound stage.

Third wire job I replaced that small piece of wire with a length of 12 gage for the lows and a length of 16 gage for the highs, both coming off the receiver. Noticed an increase in sound stage over the above. Ran it this way for several months. Then, I switched it back to single wire with the jumper. Right off, the soundstage seemed to collapse and the speakers became more localized. So, I ran it this way for several weeks, or longer, just to be sure.

After that, I biwired them back up and could not be happier. I noticed a substantial difference with biwiring and ran the tests over many months to prove it. In my rig, biwiring makes a difference. In yours, it might not. But, it is worth the small investment to try it.

Some say it is a waste and not worth the time or money. Just because they did not notice a difference does not mean it doesn't work. Test for yourself.

Peace Out~:D

seaslug · June 2002

STUFFMD,

I am always trying to get more from my HT setup, but my Onkyo 797 manual says that I should never run two wires from the same terminal. I assume that Onkyo does not believe that the amp can handle the load over a long period of time. Mind if I ask specifically how you negotiated this problem without a separate amp (type of cable, connectors, settings, etc.)? Since we have a similar system, your input would be very helpful. Thanks!

Receiver: Onkyo TX-DS797
Mains: RT800i's
Center: CS400i
Surrounds: RT35i's (soon to be f/x300i's)
Rear surround: CS245i
Sub: PSW450
Cable: Monster XP (14 gauge)

"Je pense, donc, je suis." -- Rene Descartes

juice21 · June 2002

seaslug, running two cables from one terminal to the same speaker (different binding post) will not cause any problems to your reciever. i think what your manual is probably trying to avoid you doing, is running two cables from one terminal to 2 seperate speakers, therefore changing the load capacity put on the receiver. you can purchase premade biwire cables, or you can make them yourself. my suggestion to you would be to purchase some 12AWG to pair with the 14AWG you are already running. if you want a clean connection at the reciever end, purchase some bananna plugs that can accept both wire gauges together, twist both the 12AWG and 14AWG cables together at the rec. end, attach them into the bananna plug, and wala! one banana into your recs. terminal. run the 12AWG to the lower posts on your 800's, and the 14AWG to the upper posts. remember to REMOVE the factory jumper before doing this! have fun and good luck...

STUFFMD · June 2002

Hello Seaslug,
Yes Onkyo, suggests not to wire this way as well. I wrote the company and that was their response, and to no direct reason why not to do it, it was kind of that just cuz, syndrome. To this date noone has given me a good reason not to to do this to 1 set of speakers alone. The concern and in the Onkyo manual that I got was not to hook up 2 sets of speakers at one time, as juice 21 has pointed out.
Like I said in the opening thread, I used the hookup shown in the speaker specialist( which I was pretty dam proud they were using an Onkyo for the setup). One set of wires for one frequency, screwed down normally, then Monster banana plugs piggybacked from the same corrisponding plug, for the second set of frequencies. At this time I am using Starter Monster XP cable. But the difference was substantial.
I understand there is a concern with damage to the amp over time, I have not heard anyone suffering any problems with this setup, but I am willing to take that chance, like I said the difference was substantial.
I just recently purchased my FX 300's. You will very much enjoy the difference.

Reguards StuffMD

mantis · June 2002

RonP,
you Bi wiring post just made my day, my hat is off to you.That was one of the best posts I have read in a long time.

mantis · June 2002

that was such a good post i read it again,now this time...cheers!!
Its Beer time

Bi-wire/ Do it!!!!!!!!!Rt800i's

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