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TEACH ME ABOUT BI-WIRE

I see a lot mentioned about bi-wiring. I am not familar with this. I know you must have speakers that can be bi-wired and they are configured for bi-wire by removing a buss bar to seperate speakers and/or crossovers within the cabinet. I have also read that you need to have an amp that has bi-wire capability (two left and two right speakers outputs - and not to be confused with speakers A & B).

Can someone explain what takes place within each speaker when it is set up for bi-wiring? What are the advantages and disadvantages if any? What if my amp only has one set of left and right speakers outputs (but has something called loops for additional amps), Can you accomplish bi-wiring if you had two amps? If so how would it work?
sfrounds
paulwp
585 posts
 
Yes, try connecting wires to both sets of terminals and leave the jumpers in (belt and suspenders), and compare the sound to biwiring without the jumpers. If biwiring makes sense, I think (and as everyone knows, I could be wrong about this) you should prefer the sound without the jumpers. The second suggestion is a "tweak" recommended by Jon Risch, who says that in some systems, people have reported better sound (I dont know in what way) from connecting just the negative jumper or shorting strap. I never could figure out what that meant for me because with my preamp I have to reverse the cables.
70242241e18c
81 posts
 
Sedond, regarding bi-wiring: if your speaker's crossover network isn't enough to isolate the tweeter from the woofer, why would some extra wire be enough?
paulwp
585 posts
 
Nobody is more skeptical of bi-wiring than I am. Even the designer of my speakers, who put bi-wire terminals on the speakers, doesn't really support the idea.

But, but. For some strange reason that has no logical basis in science my speakers sound better traditionally bi-ired than non-biwired using the same amount of wire or bi-wired using the Jon Risch "tweak" mentioned above. Even my little spl meter thinks the bass is better (more of it). But the treble is also clearer, and that just generally makes for better imaging as well as a purer sound and tighter bass.

So, try it. What's the harm?
sedond
1,391 posts
 
70242, it's the interaction of the woofer & tweeter w/the amplifier that i'm referring to, - bi-wiring puts distance between these interactions, making them happen closer to the amp, not to the speaker.
70242241e18c
81 posts
 
Sedond: The crossover reduces the interaction between the woofer and tweeter. Any back EMF produced by the woofer will be absorbed by the amplifier and rejected by the tweeter side of the crossover network, as it should be. Adding wire will not help this process.
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