bi-amp cable hard to find?

[Jake123]

Hi, I was just recently reading different websites about bi-amping and it helped me quite a bit with some question I had regarding this subject.
I still have a few more!
As I'm preparing myself to buy an amplifier(outlaw 7700) and bi-amp my front speakers, I seem to have a hard time finding cables that are neatly bunched up for bi-amping(not bi-wire). And, I don't want to run two set of wires to each speakers.
I have found lots for bi-wiring but i want to use those extra channels for something(bi-amp). Can someone give me a few cable names or web sites that i can find good but affordable bi-amping cables(not bi-wiring).
Also, I was looking behind the back of the outlaw 990 and the amp 7700 and they both look like female connection in order to connect them together, so that would mean if i want to bi-amp with a y-splitter, i would need one with male connectors on both end. (unless i'm seeing wrong)
But they don't make em that way! Why?
And finally, what about an XLR Y-splitter( for using that good balanced circuitry).
Wouldn't that be better to bi-amp?
Can anyone help me complete my bi-amping journey.

P.S I have read all the pros and the cons about bi-amping and still decided to use up all my channel, so no need to comment about not hearing any discernable difference in sound. Actually Anthem recommends it and i believe in what they say!. But please do comment and give suggestion on anything else!
> Thank you
> Jake
>

 

[j_garcia]

There would be no difference between a biwire cable and a biamp cable.

www.bluejeanscable.com Has them or you can buy the Canare 4S11 wire and DIY.

 

[Jake123]

There would be no difference between a biwire cable and a biamp cable.

www.bluejeanscable.com Has them or you can buy the Canare 4S11 wire and DIY.

Now wait a minute, I'm confused, a bi-wiring cable is when you have one wire with a + and a - on one end and then it convert to 2+ and 2- on the other. (one amp pushing that one bi-wireable speaker)

Bi-amping cable should be 2+ and 2- on both ends. How else can you get two amplifier to push that one bi-wireable speaker (one set of - and + for the woofer and the other set of + and - to the trebble and highs). Now, since i'm using two amplifier to push my speakers that would mean another two sets of + and - on the other end. At least that's how i thought it was done.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Jake - Just get some 4 conductor wire of any gauge you want. If you want 12 gauge speaker wire, then you want 12/4 wiring. If you want 14 gauge, then it is 14/4 wiring you want.

Just slap some bannana plugs on there and you are good to go.

Generally speaking, 12/4 cable is hard to come by, but 14/4 is easy to find.

Likewise, you shouldn't have an issue with RCA Y-adapters of most varieties. Typically you run an RCA cable to short RCA Y-adapters, female in, dual male out.

 

[j_garcia]

Now wait a minute, I'm confused, a bi-wiring cable is when you have one wire with a + and a - on one end and then it convert to 2+ and 2- on the other. (one amp pushing that one bi-wireable speaker)

I see what you are saying, but I have actually not seen wire like that because 1) my speakers aren't biampable and 2) biwiring is useless so I would never look for wire of this type. The way I would biwire, if I were to do it, would be to use a second set of wires piggybacked via stackable bananas, but that is just me...

4 conductor wire would be the way to go, like I originally suggested.

 

[OttoMatic]

Hi Jake,

Bi-wiring and bi-amping "cables" are generally exactly the same thing -- just two pairs of the same +/- speaker cable. If you had your speaker wired "normally" (one cable) and wanted to go to bi-wiring or bi-amping, you would just need to buy exactly the same speaker cables you already have.

The remove the straps on your speakers and connect one speaker cable to the "top" and the other cable to the "bottom" of the speaker terminals. For either type of wiring setup (bi-wiring or bi-amping) your speakers are now ready!

It's at the other end where the distinction is made. If you connect both of those speaker cables to one set of output terminals at your amplifier, you are bi-wiring. If you connect one of them to one amp, and the other to another amp, you are bi-amping.

This article quickly summarizes the differences of bi-wiring, passive bi-amping and active bi-amping (you are probably interested in passive bi-amping). Also, don't get too hung up on the perceived benefits of any of these configurations if you just want to get it going. Set it up, try it out, see if you can hear a difference.

Good luck!

 

[OttoMatic]

OK, went back to read your original post again...

And, I don't want to run two set of wires to each speakers.

I see that you want to keep it clean. Like the other posters have described, I do believe there is a 12/2 out there. Just Google for "four conductor speaker wire". I just use two cables. I laid them out where I wanted them and just used little zip ties to bind them neatly to each other. Unless you get close, it looks like a single cable.

Also, I was looking behind the back of the outlaw 990 and the amp 7700 and they both look like female connection in order to connect them together, so that would mean if i want to bi-amp with a y-splitter, i would need one with male connectors on both end. (unless i'm seeing wrong)
But they don't make em that way! Why?

They do normally seem to come as single-male to two-female... You could use something like this and the just use your normal RCA cables. If you need a specific length, you could make your own if you're into that kind of thing..

And finally, what about an XLR Y-splitter( for using that good balanced circuitry).

I'm sure they're out there somewhere, but I would probably end up making my own. Bluejeanscable will probably make you whatever you want... They might also have the four conductor speaker wire -- have a look over there.

Wouldn't that be better to bi-amp?

Well, as you know, the major benefit to balanced connections is their noise rejection over long distances. I use one for my sub because it's a long run, but I use the unbalanced outs for my main amps because I have more RCA cables, and my amp also has built-in double RCA jacks for bi-amping, so it's more convenient. I love the look and positive fit I get from the XLR connectors, but I don't think it makes much difference sound-wise if your runs are short (I think all my RCA cables are about 1m long). Also, since these amps aren't a truly balanced design (they just add on the extra circuitry to get a balanced connection), it's just more electronics to go through, and some people might think it's another opportunity to screw up the sound. If your runs are short, go with the cables you have handy.

P.S I have read all the pros and the cons about bi-amping and still decided to use up all my channel, so no need to comment about not hearing any discernable difference in sound. Actually Anthem recommends it and i believe in what they say!

Good thinking! Set it up and see if you hear a difference. Good luck!

 

[zumbo]

Whole page of 1F to 2M, or, 1M to 2F Y adapters:
http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-bin/category/AudioAdapters

1F to 2M, or, 1M to 2F:
http://search.impactacoustics.com/?SH=A=rca+y~B=rca+y~D=12~E=0^1^2^EUPopIndex~G=2584^2~H=ImpactAcoustics~K=4~L=1~M=2~N=2~&SI=71e14eb0-6d3c-43fb-9057-f080f4bda5c4&LAP=0&Action=2&AnswerID=1021

Canare 4S11 Cable: Finished, or unfinished:

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

Raw Canare 4S11 @ .80c per foot:
http://www.westlake-electronic.com/store/search/1/detail/1/item_no/CAN10043/index.htm

XLR Y:
http://www.amazon.com/Monster-CableLinks-Y-Adapter-MCL-MX2FX/dp/B000HHHGTY