Von Schweikert VR-4JR Bi-Wire


I just bought a set of VR-4's and wish to bi-wire them. My challenge is that the distance from the top speaker post to the bottom is about 25". I don't, for looks sake only, want to run two separate cables.

The first cable I tried, a cheap one thank goodness, didn't reach both speaker posts. I've heard that Analysis Plus is a good match but am not sure they would reach either. Does anyone know of a bi-wired cable that would match the VR-4's distance challenge while still sounding great? Thanks for any insight you can all shed.

M
moondoggy69
This question has been raised with respect to VS speakers regularly here. I have the VR5 and chose, for now, to use two runs of cable (Audio Art SC5, cheap, flexible and easy on the ears). I went this way as VSA stated rather bluntly that it was the best arrangement for their speakers. In terms of neatness, if you buy the cable long enough, the top run can dangle down behind the speaker and not dominate when lying in a pair across the floor (their combined size seems less visually intrusive than some of the mega-size cables one can buy. The Anti Cable would take this approach to the extreme, they are probably invisible from 10ft they are so thin.

But as others have noted, several companies make a biwire that is joined at the amp end and split apart early enough at the speaker end to span that 24" gap (Analysis Plus for one, which Albert used (uses?) in the speakers). As Mfsoa also noted, using a jumper to link the modules in conjunction with a good run from amp to speaker can work very well -- have a word with Moon Audio who will make such a run for you that they feel works very well with VSA. But in fact you can use any cable that can be made in 3ft pair.

FWIW, the Audio Art cable is cheap, well terminated and really good sounding. I suspect Rob who runs the company would make up a pair for you too if you asked.
Thanks to all for your useful feedback. I'm going to try giving Acoustic Zen a whirl. I had never heard of "Herbies Big Fat Black Dots" before this but now am anxious to incorporate them as well. Thanks again!
...and one more thing. Albert Von Schweikert now produces his very own speaker cables for his very own speakers. Imagine that!!! You can find a review on enjoythemusic.com under Rick Becker auditioning of the VR-4 Sr MK2 He did a pretty good job there, he did! The other fellow's name that produces cables specificly for The Von's is one Paul Garner, not Paul Varner. He's worth talking to. btw The price for those Verbatim cables in Texas(?) here on the gon are about 1/2 price. Have fun
If you jacket your seperate cables, you will loose the benefit of bi-wire. On another idea...don't think that a marketed cable by a speaker or amp manufacturer is a preferred combination. I thought so, but was bitten hard when I realized how awful the cables were. The electronics are wonderful.
Thank you so much for bringing this up! I ran my Alpha Quad Actives into the woofer posts directly (which I highly recommend: damping factor and all that) and then ran a pair of Guerrilla Audio pure silver speaker wires from there to the tweeters bypassing the jumper plates and woofer to tweeter jumper altogether. Synergistic Research uses this particular approach to bi-wiring and has an interesting article that you may find interesting.

Cohesion, I get it now! Voices are less sibilant and more liquid. There is a much greater sense of air and ambience.

Appreciatively