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Speaker jumpers and hook up choices Question

For many years now speakers come with 4 terminals for bi amp/bi wiring. research has shown few people do either but it continues. Whe I has in the audio biz it was one set regarless of the speaker and life was good. With 4 terminals it can be an endless choice of jumpers and hook up methods and they all make the speaker sound different. In my case I would use one of three hook ups regardless of jumpers used

1) Cables to the low side . Jumpers feed the high side This make the most sense to me
2) Cable to the high side Jumpers feedn the low side. Not sure why one would do this.
3)Pos cable to the low side and neg to the high side. This one sounds way different then the other two and in most cases better WHAT IS IT DOING?? What is happening when you use this hook up?

Thanks
128x128geph0007
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
The diagonal configuration you refer to in no. 3 results in low frequency currents and high frequency currents each having to go through one jumper during their round-trip from the amp to the speaker and back. While when connecting both conductors to either the bottom or the top, as described in nos. 1 and 2, one of those currents would be going through two jumpers, and the other through none.

However, assuming good contact integrity, good quality jumpers, jumpers that are minimal in length, and assuming the equipment is in an equal state of warmup when the different configurations are tried, I have no idea why or if the diagonal configuration would sound significantly different than the other two configurations in most cases.

Regards,
-- Al
zd542
5,339 posts
 
"For many years now speakers come with 4 terminals for bi amp/bi wiring. research has shown few people do either but it continues."

What research are you referring to? On this web site the opposite is most likely true. Most people biwire if the speakers allow for it.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
5,119 posts
 
"For many years now speakers come with 4
terminals for bi amp/bi wiring. research has shown few
people do either but it continues."

"What research are you referring to? On this web
site the opposite is most likely true. Most people biwire if
the speakers allow for it."

Zd542... you think so? Maybe we should do a new thread
and see. I haven't bi-wired in decades, even if my
speakers allowed it.

IMHO, good quality jumpers and good quality speaker
cables will almost always sound better.

I'm going to start a new thread and ask this very
question...
zd542
5,339 posts
 
At the very least, its given serious consideration. I think the big issue is weather to use 2 single runs of lesser cable, or one better cable and jumpers. Personally, I take it on a case by case basis. My Vandersteen's need to be biwired for best sound. My Wilson's don't even have the option. With most other speakers, I usually prefer one higher quality run over 2 lesser cables.

Also, I was referring to this website in particular. You'll probably find that more people biwire here, than anywhere else. Another factor to consider, at least here, is that people often way overspend on cables.
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