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Do I really need to Bi-Wire?

Hi folks. I have been upgrading my system recently (and have been badgering you all asking for advice on other components - thanks!). Anyway, I am now considering biwiring my speaker cable. The reason I haven't done it yet is that the stereo pair I have are quite good and I have been given to believe that biwiring would only produce subtle improvements. My system is Bryston 3bst amp, Bryston bp20 preamp, Arcam Alpha 7 CD player, B&W Nautilus 805 speakers. The speaker cable is Interlink House Stealth PC Premier - 260 individual strands of copper per cable - two cables feed each speaker (4 runs of cable just for stereo pair), silver lugs on the end ($250 for demo pair - normally supposed to be much more expensive - maybe $500 per pair). The build quality is great, and I'm very happy with the sound. Will biwiring be just a very subtle improvement or is it really worth it? Also, should if it's worth doing, should I get a second pair of the same cables or use a different pair for the bass or treble. I'm looking to spend under $300 on the new pair. Thanks for your advice!
128x128outlier
khrys
446 posts
 
I have found the improvements from biwiring to be substantial, even over an internally biwired configuration(ie + & - from amp going to 2 sets + & - to speaker). I am told that even with an amp with a good damping factor there is enough electrical energy traveling back from the woofer down the cable to the amp to interfere with the treble/midrange signal heading to the speaker from the amp. Whatever the case true biwiring made a very noticeable difference in my system. I would also keep the cables as similar as possible, identical if possible. I have heard several systems using the same cable except "silver on top" like Gthirteen and they sounded great. Don't mix brands or geometry however.
outlier's avatar
outlier OP
381 posts
 
Thanks guys for the great advice. I think I'll take the plunge and get a second stereo pair for the 805s - I'll probably get the same pair as before just to be on the safe side.
trelja
3,224 posts
 
Outlier, do these speaker cables have individually insulated copper conductors? I will presume they do not(too many conductors to insulate). And that is why I will recommend getting a pair of AudioQuest Indigo, Forest, Cobalt, or Midnight. Will cost you less than $200. Run them to your mid/HF binding post, and your current wire to the LF(not as critical of wire). I think you may be really surprised. The stranded wire can cause a lot of edginess, glare, haze, and shrillness. Perhaps, this may be the key to unlocking the true potential of your system. Good Luck!
marcy
34 posts
 
I have recently added another pair of Stealth Premier cables using my B&W N804's. As I was hoping that the bi-wire would make a substantial change for the better, it didn't. The changes were very subtle for the better. I think the Premier cables are wonderful using the supplied jumpers or bi-wired but the difference was not substantial.
dustych
53 posts
 
The thing about bi-wiring is that it effectively lowers the gauge, which is a good thing (less resistance). The other alternative you may want to consider is upgrading your jumper. Finally, if you do bi-wire, make sure they are exactly the same length. I realize electricity flies at the speed of light, but, and especially if you use anything with noticeable resistance, capacitance and inductance characteristics, it may cause phasing problems.
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