Biwire Speaker Wire to two speakers

[shadowfayre]

I noticed that from Blue Jeans you can purchase Bi-Wire Speaker wire (Canare 4S11 Cable). The question I have is can I this to run wiring from the receiver to the rear of the house, split them at the rear to each of the seperate speakers? Might seem like an odd use for it, but I live in a rental, and having to run a speaker wire around the room (25+ feet) to the speakers. The speakers themselves are only about 3-4ft apart. Not a great setup for a HT.

Concerns are Interferance, noise, etc... Also thinking about that invisiwire, but not sure about having to repaint the walls... Having a bunch or wires running all over the room is driving me craze!

Thanks,

 

[markw]

In theory yes, but you do realize that the other end only has one connection, doncha?

I noticed that from Blue Jeans you can purchase Bi-Wire Speaker wire (Canare 4S11 Cable). The question I have is can I this to run wiring from the receiver to the rear of the house, split them at the rear to each of the seperate speakers? Might seem like an odd use for it, but I live in a rental, and having to run a speaker wire around the room (25+ feet) to the speakers. The speakers themselves are only about 3-4ft apart. Not a great setup for a HT.

Concerns are Interferance, noise, etc... Also thinking about that invisiwire, but not sure about having to repaint the walls... Having a bunch or wires running all over the room is driving me craze!

Thanks,

IOW, it would simply send one channel to two speakers, not two channels to two speakers. Is that what you want?

 

[shadowfayre]

Did not realise that... The picture only shows one end. So there went that. Thanks!

Back to running two velocity cables around the room...

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Just my .02 cents, but from everything I've read, bi-wiring adds nothing to the soundstage. Biamping is a better alternative if you have a separate amp.

 

[mkossler]

I'm kind of glad this came up, since it will be one thing to check off on my basement HT construction list. I read somewhere in my travels that the only advantage bi-wiring brings is the ability to bypass the internal speaker crossover. That got me to wondering how this is possible, since there is no (in my case) bypass switch on the speaker. I suppose, in my ignorance, that I could see the possibility of some theoretical advantage to having a full spectrum signal sent to each driver (or set of drivers), but that seems a bit of a stretch.

Can anyone explain the theoretical advantage that bi-wiring brings, if any, and if Buckeyefan's assessment is the general consensus?

I may as well admit I haven't searched on past threads for this topic, so a "search the damn past threads, noob" response would be totally understandable ...

 

[jaxvon]

The "theory" (read: quack logic) behind biwiring is that you use two cables, sometimes one of a heavier gauge with both cables terminated to the amplifier and one terminated to the HF posts on the speaker and the other to the LF posts. The thinking goes that the bass frequencies will go down one cable and the high frequencies down the other. Electrons, of course, can't choose which way to go because they're carring low frequency or high-frequency information. They always follow the path of least resistance. In reality, bi-wiring reduces the resistance of your cable run. This is a good thing. But becuase it's usually done with two cables haphazardly laid around, the inductance and capacitance are all over the place. Of course, if you have issues with resistance, then you just need to invest in a bigger cable.

Bi-Amping uses an external crossover to send the signal from the preamp to two separate amplifiers (one for LF and one for HF). Then each amp has one cable connecting it to the respective binding post on the speaker. Bi-amping is actually useful because it allows you to dedicate a beefy amp to your low frequency reproduction that sucks most of the power. In effect, because you're using two amps, you gain headroom and reduce the chance of clipping your amps and therefore reduce the chance of damaging your speakers with dirty power and having harsh sound.

 

[Dumar]

Back to running two velocity cables around the room...

I'm not familiar with the cable you mention, but it sounds like it's pre-terminated for a bi-wire setup. You can still service your speakers with one cable: just buy some quality 2-pair (twisted if possible) in 12 or 14 gauge and terminate the ends appropriately.

Can anyone explain the theoretical advantage that bi-wiring brings, if any, and if Buckeyefan's assessment is the general consensus?

As jaxvon points out, there is no advantage theoretical or otherwise. The reduction in resistance is negligible.

 

[mkossler]

Actually, now that I drew out a representative schematic, I not sure I see how there would be a measurable impedance drop at all in the case where the high and low frequency driver connects are just bridged when not bi-wired. No point to it, as far as I can see - so be it.

FWIW, differing cable lengths would be so slight as to have no appreciable effect on impedance. As far as inductance goes, unless you taped the wires together I doubt you'd have to worry about induction-induced EMI. If resistance is a problem, I don't know about going larger, but I'd think that getting higher-quality oxygen-free wire and taking some care with the interconnects would probably get the job done .

Dumar,
Thanks for the opinion. No doubt it is shared by most. Not to be pickin' nits, BTW, but any argument, however mistaken, made for taking some action (including bi-wiring), is originated based on benefits that are by definition "theoretical" - that is, postulated but unproven. {anal mode = off}

 

[mtrycrafts]

I read somewhere in my travels that the only advantage bi-wiring brings is the ability to bypass the internal speaker crossover. That got me to wondering how this is possible, since there is no (in my case) bypass switch on the speaker.

Yes, good wondering biwiring doesn't bypass the crossovers, it cannot





I suppose, in my ignorance, that I could see the possibility of some theoretical advantage to having a full spectrum signal sent to each driver (or set of drivers), but that seems a bit of a stretch.

Absolutely a stretch

 

[mtrycrafts]

I noticed that from Blue Jeans you can purchase Bi-Wire Speaker wire (Canare 4S11 Cable). The question I have is can I this to run wiring from the receiver to the rear of the house, split them at the rear to each of the seperate speakers? Might seem like an odd use for it, but I live in a rental, and having to run a speaker wire around the room (25+ feet) to the speakers. The speakers themselves are only about 3-4ft apart. Not a great setup for a HT.

Concerns are Interferance, noise, etc... Also thinking about that invisiwire, but not sure about having to repaint the walls... Having a bunch or wires running all over the room is driving me craze!

Thanks,

Maybe we should ask: what are you after? Running only one bundle of wire to your speakers from one side of the room to the speakers?
You can hook up that bi wire cable at the amp, one pair to the left amp and the other pair to the right amp and at the speakers, you hook up one pair to one side, a bit of wire extension from the other pair in the bundle to the other speaker and you have stereo with one cable bundle run.
Is that what you are trying to do?

 

[shadowfayre]

Yes.. One cable from amp to the rear then the idea was to split to the two rear channels. But I believe the original response mentioned that the wire is one bi-wire on one end. I dont want to use the rears with only one output off the reeceiver. Kind of defents the purpose of 5.1/7.1. I might have to make my own bundle with two speaker wires. Thanks again.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Yes.. One cable from amp to the rear then the idea was to split to the two rear channels. But I believe the original response mentioned that the wire is one bi-wire on one end. I dont want to use the rears with only one output off the reeceiver. Kind of defents the purpose of 5.1/7.1. I might have to make my own bundle with two speaker wires. Thanks again.

I don't think that cable has only one pair at one end and splits inside to two pairs but then I haven't examined one
You can always get two runs of 12/14ga and tie them together or computer shrink wrap them at a foot apart, or something. Then you don't have to extend one pair by the speakers.

 

[shadowfayre]

Where can one get wires shrink wrapped?

 

[Dumar]

Thanks for the opinion. No doubt it is shared by most. Not to be pickin' nits, BTW, but any argument, however mistaken, made for taking some action (including bi-wiring), is originated based on benefits that are by definition "theoretical" - that is, postulated but unproven. {anal mode = off}

Ya ... ok. To properly answer your original question: the "theoretical" advantage said to be gained by bi-wiring is improved sound quality.

You raise an interesting point: who originally postulated an improvement in sound through bi-wiring?

And BTW ... you were pickin nits.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Where can one get wires shrink wrapped?

My suggestion was to get shrink wrap and do it yourself.
Look in your phone book for elecronics stores. They usually carry long ones, 3 or 4 ft long of many colors and sizes. One near me does

 

[Dumar]

Yes.. One cable from amp to the rear then the idea was to split to the two rear channels

Like I said in the post above: buy yourself some quality 14 or 12 gauge twisted two-pair.

It comes pre-wrapped.