Bi-wiring is a DIRECTIONAL double run of speaker cables terminated “2 - 4 “ ..... single amp to upper and lower speaker posts on each speaker in lieu of a link or jumper connection.
In contrast Bi-amping is separate “2- 2” X 2 ( one full set per separate amp) I.e. 4 - 4 configuration
Shotgunned speaker configuration is a doubled up 4 cable thickness instead of just 2) configured 2 - 2 with a similar short jumper pair linking the upper and lower driver speaker posts on each speaker
Without prejudice that the absolute audio performance benefits are ALWAYS system dependent, a section of the high-end quality build hi-end speaker cable brands are actually moving away from bi-wiring (2 - 4 configuration) in favour of the shotgunned cable runs and jumpers above.
Biamping ... Different story.
E.g. NORDOST
http://www.nordost.com/downloads/NorseJ ... ctions.pdf
CHORD
http://www.chord.co.uk/help-and-informa ... ngle-wire/
".... Many hi-fi and home cinema loudspeakers have two pairs of binding posts. This allows the speaker to be either bi-wired using two sets of loudspeaker cable or bi-amped using two amplifiers.
As a general rule (and there will always be exceptions) we tend to find that bi-wiring will open out the sound stage and increase perceived levels of detail. However, single wiring will often sound the most musically coherent. There is also an issue with single and bi-wire speaker cables. In all the research we have carried out, a single wire speaker cable out-performs a bi-wire cable of equivalent cost. This makes a lot of sense; the single wire speaker cable has two high quality conductors and the bi-wire cable requires four. So for a given budget, we believe that a single wire cable will always out-perform the equivalent bi-wire cable, so much so that we no longer produce dedicated bi-wire cables..."
MY EXPERIENCE
I experimented with various brand bi-wires versus shotgunned in my $40K 2-channel system.
For me, a pair of shotgunned NORDOST Frey’s with their matched FREY shotgunned jumpers bested all comers , single, bi-wire or bi-amped ......full stop. I concur with the mfg articles above ..... The audio performance improvement differences were not subtle IN MY SYSTEM.
in contrast VANDERSTEEN supports bi-wiring speaker arrays ..... So go figger!!!
My integrated is a $15K hi-end, hi-current, 170 WPC into 8 ohms Quality build 60-lb. heavy beast , with massive power supplies. (the WPC output rating is meaningless in isolation) with a vast surplus of “grunt.”.
There is no danger of ever blowing any of my 4-way speaker drivers unless one stupidly inserted a different (cheap) amp driven so hard to the extreme that it starts to clip and thus distort. This is Usually only experienced by fools with cheap build gear and near deafness hearing health but still overkranking out party hard rock at Deafening levels..... and/ or with completely grossly mismatched equipment and speakers)
FWIW
In contrast Bi-amping is separate “2- 2” X 2 ( one full set per separate amp) I.e. 4 - 4 configuration
Shotgunned speaker configuration is a doubled up 4 cable thickness instead of just 2) configured 2 - 2 with a similar short jumper pair linking the upper and lower driver speaker posts on each speaker
Without prejudice that the absolute audio performance benefits are ALWAYS system dependent, a section of the high-end quality build hi-end speaker cable brands are actually moving away from bi-wiring (2 - 4 configuration) in favour of the shotgunned cable runs and jumpers above.
Biamping ... Different story.
E.g. NORDOST
http://www.nordost.com/downloads/NorseJ ... ctions.pdf
CHORD
http://www.chord.co.uk/help-and-informa ... ngle-wire/
".... Many hi-fi and home cinema loudspeakers have two pairs of binding posts. This allows the speaker to be either bi-wired using two sets of loudspeaker cable or bi-amped using two amplifiers.
As a general rule (and there will always be exceptions) we tend to find that bi-wiring will open out the sound stage and increase perceived levels of detail. However, single wiring will often sound the most musically coherent. There is also an issue with single and bi-wire speaker cables. In all the research we have carried out, a single wire speaker cable out-performs a bi-wire cable of equivalent cost. This makes a lot of sense; the single wire speaker cable has two high quality conductors and the bi-wire cable requires four. So for a given budget, we believe that a single wire cable will always out-perform the equivalent bi-wire cable, so much so that we no longer produce dedicated bi-wire cables..."
MY EXPERIENCE
I experimented with various brand bi-wires versus shotgunned in my $40K 2-channel system.
For me, a pair of shotgunned NORDOST Frey’s with their matched FREY shotgunned jumpers bested all comers , single, bi-wire or bi-amped ......full stop. I concur with the mfg articles above ..... The audio performance improvement differences were not subtle IN MY SYSTEM.
in contrast VANDERSTEEN supports bi-wiring speaker arrays ..... So go figger!!!
My integrated is a $15K hi-end, hi-current, 170 WPC into 8 ohms Quality build 60-lb. heavy beast , with massive power supplies. (the WPC output rating is meaningless in isolation) with a vast surplus of “grunt.”.
There is no danger of ever blowing any of my 4-way speaker drivers unless one stupidly inserted a different (cheap) amp driven so hard to the extreme that it starts to clip and thus distort. This is Usually only experienced by fools with cheap build gear and near deafness hearing health but still overkranking out party hard rock at Deafening levels..... and/ or with completely grossly mismatched equipment and speakers)
FWIW