One run of good quality cable with jumpers made of the same cable is better than 2 runs of an inferior cable if cost is an issue.
If Bi-Wiring is an option, should I choose Bi-wiring over single banana with free jumpers
Hello All!
Newbie here : ) I have a pair of speakers (MartinLogan Motion 40i) that have, according to the website, "dual five-way binding post speaker terminals which allow bi-amping or bi-wiring." As you can see in the top right photo of the speaker terminals in this link, the speakers came with free jumpers (the jumpers look like just a sheet of conductive metal) between the 4 terminals.
https://www.martinlogan.com/en/product/motion-40i
So when purchasing speaker cables, placing the best quality connection over cost, should I:
1. (Cheapest) Get single banana plugs and use the included free jumpers, or
2. (More costly but will it be WAY better?) Get Bi-wire speaker cables and remove the free jumpers.
3. Get single banana plugs, and find some high quality jumpers to replace the free included jumpers.
If it doesnt matter much to sound quality, it seems option #1 is best as its cheapest. However my goal is to get the best/most efficient connection so i suspect options #2 or #3 might be the way to go?
Many thanks for any advice!
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- 44 posts total
@alan60 +1 Get the best quality cable you can. Then later when you have exhausted other improvements in power cords, interconnects and direct lines... bet some good quality jumpers. I always try to approach one thing at a time in ascending order of effect, which also allows me to spread out the cost over a very long time... and experience each change to make sure it is cost effective. |
I suspect some speakers benefit more from biwiring than others; some manufacturers will recommend it. Some cable manufacturers now make special biwired sets, so you have four connectors for each cable, so you only run the two cables--less visually objectionable. I suspect that the more demanding and high-quality the system, the more benefit from biwiring. |
@steve_a001: Here is a 15 minute video in which Danny Richie of GR Research tells you all you need to know on the subject of bi-wiring (and bi-amping):
https://youtu.be/908BWw1Bx4U?si=qJ_sOf1LhzPNigzM
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I upgraded and went Biwire at the same time. I noticed an improvement right away, which I attribute to the Biwire. Then an improvement after a couple of hundred hours, which I attribute to the cable upgrade. Looking back, I should have made one move at a time. Quality jumpers may have led to the same result. |
- 44 posts total