these days the argument appears to be the converse - is it in some way disadvantageous (besides the cost) to bi-wire? If we can't prove it is better, we need to show whether it is worse - if only to stop all the argument and hyperbole.
Should I Bi-Wire or Use Jumpers?
I recently upgraded my 7 year old Kimber 4pr to Speltz Anti-Cable and this made a huuuge improvement... but I want to take it to the next level.
I'm currently using a pair of PSB Stratus Mini's, which can be bi wired but only have one single run of anti-cable along with the stock jumpers in place. My Denon PMA 2000ivr also has a and b speaker outputs for bi wiring.
My question is - will it make any difference if I use a double run on Anti-Cable to bi wire vs. a single run with the addition of anti cable jumpers? The price difference between the two is only about $50.00 so this isnt a concern but jumpers would be slightly easier to manage.
Oh yeah, If my current speaker wire has spades, can I also use jumpers with spades? For example having two sets of spade connections in ony binding post ( speaker wire and jumpers) or will this degrade the sound? Maybe a better option would be banana plugs for the jumpers.
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Geez, another bi-wiring myth thread? Can any of you you who insist that bi-wiring is advantageous please explain to me the physics behind how it is supposed to work? Can any of you guys please explain to me why the effects of bi-wiring cannot be measured by an audio analyzer or any other test equipment that I am aware of? Can any of you folks please educate me as to why there is not a single published double-blind test (to my knowledge) that confirms the sonic benefits of bi-wiring? Just curious... |
Whether or not bi-wiring is a benefit or not remains an open debate and I know some speaker manufacturers don't do it because they feel it's a detriment (ala Dynaudio). I've run both bi-wire systems and standard runs, and I'm not sure that I can reliably say that it's always a benefit. However, the one thing that is important with bi-wiring is that you actually use TWO sets of cables per speaker. If you use a cable that's set up for "internal" bi-wiring, all you're doing is splitting a single run in two somewhere along the way to accomodate a speaker's bi-wire connection. To gain any benefit, you really need two separate runs. |
Unless you find someone with your specific set up or you can borrow the cables you are going to buy with jumpers and bi wire and try them. I would guess more of the time bi wire will sound better, not all the time but most of the time. This is the problem with cables there is no all the time answer. |
I had been using bi-wire because when I first started with audioquest cabling, it sounded better. I went that way for years, with many different companies, but just recently found that putting in really good cables for a single run easily was outperforming the previous cabling bi-wired. In my mind I think that if the manufacturers made the speaker with two terminals you should bi-wire, but presently, that is just not the best sound for me. (JM Labs Electra 926 speakers) |
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In principle biwiring should provide some degree of improvement in accuracy, but subjectively that may not be preferable. See the following threads, especially my posts near the end, in which I provide a technical explanation: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1247245568 http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1247016622 Regards, -- Al |
If your system sounds a little light weight, bi-wiring usually will help to get a fuller bodied sound. I also have found jumpers to surfice, but try connecting the main speakers wires to both sets and listen to which may sound better ( I connect to top and jump to bass). Bare wire will sound best if that feasible. |
I agree with Audiofeil. I own and have owned many different pairs of speakers however never the PSB Stratus Mini's. In my systems sometimes bi-wiring sounded better and sometimes cable jumpers sounded better. Im sure there is a reason for that and once it was explained to me in a technical fashion. Unfortunately Im electronally challenged and did not understand the verbal explanation. I have no doubt that several members of the Audiogon community are capable of giving the explanation. I prefer the bananas on jumpers that have a knob on the back for expanding the width for a nice secure tight fit. |
I don't agree that bi-wire is better. This is a myth. Actually it depends on the amp, speaker, and listener. I've heard instances in which jumpers outperformed bi-wiring. Also multiple spades are unnecessary in the majority of jumper configurations. Most speaker terminals accept bananas terminations as well so a pair of jumpers with bananas at both ends (or one for that matter) make double spades moot. |
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