03-20-15: Tls49Thanks for providing the link, Tony. Definitely worthwhile reading, IMO, for anyone interested in the subject. And it is refreshing to see effects addressed and analyzed in a quantitative manner, rather than a claimed effect simply being asserted to be audibly significant without regard to its quantitative degree.
Al, I am curious as to your opinion of the link in my post.
I note, interestingly, that his summary of the potential advantages of biwiring focuses on minimizing interaction between drivers, but makes no mention of another potential advantage that is often cited, namely reduced interaction between high and low frequency currents that is alleged to occur within the cable itself, when single-wired. An effect that I have yet to see analyzed in a quantitative manner that would support a reasonable possibility of its being audibly significant.
His concluding point, about biwiring potentially resulting in audibly significant phase shifts at mid-range frequencies, and thereby contributing to what he refers to as the "capriciousness" of biwiring, strikes me as an excellent point which I have not seen stated before. I ran some quick calculations based on typical values for cable inductance and for capacitors that are used in the high-pass sections of crossover networks. And it does seem as he indicates that in a biwire configuration a couple of degrees or so of phase shift in the mid-range could occur with many speakers as a result of that interaction.
And of course adding to all of the capriciousness and unpredictability resulting from the competing advantages and disadvantages he describes, is that having a system behave in as technically ideal and accurate a manner as possible will certainly not always be subjectively preferable. Either in itself or due to the possibility of compensating for other issues that may be present in the system or the room.
Thanks again. Best regards,
-- Al