Bi Wiring - Any Good

Crossovers can be "parallel" or "serial". In the former the bass and treble signals are split before processing; in the latter the signal passes through some components before it is split. Almost all crossovers are "parallel" because they are far easier to design. A "serial" crossover cannot be biwired. A "parallel" crossover can be biwired, and since it is fashionable all of them offer dual binding posts. Biwiring usually improves the sound, but it is not clear why, as the only difference is splitting the signal two meters further up the wire. Could it be that biwiring is like using a thicker wire? I noticed that the more simple the crossover, the better the improvement.

I just built a set of bi-wires for my paradigms and the sound is so much better. These bi wires are built like alon black orpheus wires and cost me about 60.00 to build. you can find out how to build them at www.tnt-audio.com. They are called the fffr i think. They use cat 5 wire.

Bi-Wire works best if the speaker has the X-over sections separated (hi-pass / low-pass). Actually, just separating the X-O improves most speaker's sound. Have done this on DCM TimeWindows, NHT Super Zeros (had to relocate the X-O outside the cab). In both cases, restructuring the X-O made the speakes sound better; wider soundstage, better imaging, tighter bass, clearer highs. Going to bi-wire improved the sound again, but not as dramatically as the X-O work. OTOH, w/ better designs built w/ sep. X-O boards, going from single to bi-wire, the change in sound is not as noticable. One idea that doesn't seem to work (at least not for me) is to use diff. type cable for the lows and highs (ie: 10 ga monster for the lows and DH Silver for the highs). I've tried it sev. times and have yet to find a combo that sounded as good as matched bi-wire runs.

I view all of this as suspect and voodoo. But, after listening to a bunch of cables, I selected a bi-wire with one one of those "mystery matrix" thingees in them. Oh well, trust your ears.

I view all of this as suspect and voodoo. But, after listening to a bunch of cables, I selected a bi-wire with one one of those "mystery matrix" thingees in them. Oh well, trust your ears.

Biwiring is a scam only unless your going to biamp your equipment with the same amps running left&right speakers. Its just so cable companies get on the ban wagon. IS there a differences yes but its not better than single wiring . try taking your the binding post out of your speaker then connect the high terminals to the bottom bind post:disconecting the top u now then turned it into a single wire connection now u will hear the difference cause theres no jumpers involved and they most definitly make a diff. you will hear the diff. believe me go try and Email back. enjoy the maze Mgwatt

It does indeed work, however, only if the crossover was properly designed in the first place! You can now buy budget loudspeakers for $199/pr which have "bi-wire" inputs, but the chance that the crossovers in these units are any good from a "single wire" input standpoint is questionable. Remember on thing, all of the caveats that go along with component matching (in this case amplifier/cable/loudspeaker) are at work here, but with DOUBLE the variables. Bi-wiring is not a magic fix for a poor sounding system. Get all of the other aspects of your system "right" and then, as they say in England, "suck it and see". The golden rule of audio is as follows "if it sounds good to you, it is good". No amount of further advice is required.

Sometimes it works,I think crossovers need to be designed with the extra wire inserted into the crossover in mind. Many speakers have split crossovers as an afterthought. I have always perceived more detail and more impressive imaging when bi wiring but also less coherence between the different drivers. I think a lot of the differce also comes from the extra conductor material. Do a true comparison:run double cable but listen with and without the terminal links. In the end I have always preferred single wiring, it is more euphonic and coherent with more beauty in the mids.

I tried it and it works. You hear less strain in the midrange when a bass passage occurs in the music. This improvement is the result of having a separate path for hi's and low's. You can convert any speaker to bi-wiring by changing the crossover inside the speaker. All you do is separate the common ground on the crossover. You have to add another set of +/- terminals and another run of wire. (the - or grounds will be connected to each other only at the amplifier terminals)

Its to my understanding when you use two seperate wires vs one the amp reed a drop in the imprdence so if you bi-wire and 8ohm speakers the amp playes 4ohm and in case the power is dobbled that why is sounds briter and the bass is lower because it not sharring X amount of current.

I use no name 10 ga wire and recently spent the $20 to try the bi-wire thing. With my meager stuff (energy 5.1's) it did seem to improve the imaging and lower bass.I went back to single wire for a while and I didn't notice much until my friend commented on the difference. It's back to bi-wire now.

Not anymore,most better manufactures are going into singel wire...10 years ago I'd say yes

Not anymore,most better manufactures are goig into singel wire...10 years ago I'd say yes

Check out Robert Harley's book: The Complete Guide to High End Audio (1999 edition). Explains bi-wiring usually improves sound but for reasons that are not entirely clear.