"situations where bi-wiring is just hype"

allengarman · Dec 10, 2003

The following if from the colbaltcable.com website:

Bi-wiring is a technique becoming quite popular in speaker applications. However, in our opinion, there are only a few situations where bi-wiring makes sense and MANY situations where bi-wiring is just hype. Here is what we think the complete story is about bi-wiring, and why it really does not make any sense for most people's equipment. The simple explanation for why the advantages of bi-wiring are very slight or nonexistent is that most people only have speakers built for bi-wiring, while their amplification is not. By using the same amplifier channel for both sets of bi-wire cables (both sets are connected to the same binding posts on the amplifier or receiver), the same electrical path is being used for both sets of terminals on each speaker, thus negating the core advantages of bi-wiring.

For example, most bi-wireable (we invented a new word) speakers come with some sort of plate or bar that connects the two (+) and the two (-) terminals (one for high frequency and one for low frequency) to each other. By using these plates or bars, you are "bridging" the two sets of terminals together creating only one connection point, so that you only need to make one speaker connection to each speaker.

By using the same amplifier channel (and terminals) for each set of bi-wire terminals on your speakers, you would be bridging the two sets of terminals together with your amplifier (since they share the same connection point on the amplifier). From an electrical perspective, this is NO different than running one speaker cable to the speaker, and bridging the two sets of terminals together with the bar or plate.

But wait, there's more! If you act now... (just kidding).

The only advantage in most setups (only speakers built for bi-wiring) for bi-wiring would be using twice as much physical wire (two separate runs to each speaker, thus dropping three gauge) as a standard wiring configuration.
However, if you are already using a fairly low gauge speaker cable (like our 10 AWG Ultimate Speaker Cable), there is little to be gained by "doubling-up". Plus, the added expense of running twice as much speaker cable for a barely audible (at best) difference, probably does not make too much sense.

The funny thing is, bi-wiring is actually a sound theory (pun intended, HA!), but the advantages can really only be had when it is used in conjunction with bi-amping (running more than one amplifier channel per speaker). In order to bi-amp the "right way", an external crossover between the preamplifier and each amplifier channel will be needed (so that only the high-frequency or the low-frequency parts of the signal will be amplified), and the internal crossovers inside the speakers will need to be disconnected (so that each amplifier will go directly to the corresponding speaker driver, i.e. the woofer for low frequency and the tweeter for high-frequency). WHEW! We personally don't know of too many people who will go to these extremes to take advantage of the benefits of bi-wiring, so bi-wiring just ends up getting WAY more attention than it should. We think that you should know what some of these other companies are up to out there. Straight-up and at ya partner.

abe · Dec 10, 2003

There is a good thread here on Audioholics that 'dehypes' lots of such kind of nonsenses:

another Audioholics thread

Thanks to 'Van Rip Woofer' for compiling all the info.

Abe

Yamahaluver · Dec 10, 2003

At the height of sounding foolish, having tried both bi-wired and single wired with my 12AWG Monster cables, I prefer the sound of bi-wiring for some reasons. The sounstage opens up and the highs get more air. This is strictly my impression, however I am not into exotic cables and I see no difference between my $180 Audioquest intercoonect or my $30 Radio Shack Gold series.

Audioholics · Dec 10, 2003

Sounds like Cobalt Cable has a fairly good head on their shoulders if you read the entire piece.

goodman · Dec 11, 2003

I would be inclined to agree with the persuasive argument against bi-wiring, but I hesitate by reason of the following: Axiom Audio encourages bi-wiring. Even more compelling to me, Richard Vandersteen is strongly in favor of bi-wiring his speakers, stating it has some of the advantages of bi-amping. My fiance, who has a pretty good ear, thinks that my Axiom M60s sound fuller and richer when bi-wired. As for me, I couldn't tell the difference. (My bi-wires are Monster's less-expensive ones-about $140.00 for a 12' pair. The two pairs of wires are enclosed in one sheath. Somewhere, I read that the two pairs should be separately sheathed and kept at least one inch apart.) So did I fall for "snake-oil" again? I dunno.

Yamahaluver · Dec 11, 2003

Goodman,

What your girlfreind hears is exactly what I hear when i bi-wire. I am using a pair of Monster for each speaker.

gene · Dec 11, 2003

Gentlemen;

The advantages of biwiring are minimal, but if you hear a difference than by all means go for it!  The reduced DC resistance and inductance of paralleling two sets of wires could be advantageous.  However, be mindful if you select high capacitance cables that you have just doubled your pair to pair capacitance.  Also be mindful that just because you think you hear a difference, doesn't necessarily follow that there is a difference.  Biwiring looks cool and that alone is reason for doing it

I will eventually address this topic in a cable article.  

Bi-amping is a whole other ball of wax that definately makes a difference if properly done!

abe · Dec 12, 2003

Well, Thiel and Dynaudio do NOT recommend biwiring.

I am VERY surprised that any one can HEAR the difference between single wiring and bewiring. Human hearing can't go lower than 0.5dB and it takes a lot of electronics to make that kind of difference, i.e., 0.5dB. How can by reduing resistance by half, biwiring make audible difference is simply beyond me!

Speakers have two set of binding posts are NOT for biwiring, but for biamping which is, again, not to be done by simply hooking up two amps. Lots of recording studios use biamping but with rather sophisticated setup.

Abe

Yamahaluver · Dec 12, 2003

On my Yamaha speaker manual it is mentioned how to bi-wire as well as bi-amp the speakers.

The sound when bi-wired has nothing to do with loudness, just the charecter itself.

BTW: my bat ears extend up to 23KHz when last tested in NY at J.W. Manny, one of the leading audiologists there.

Must be all the virgin blood in Transylvania

Audioholics · Dec 12, 2003

abe : I am VERY surprised that any one can HEAR the difference between single wiring and bewiring. Human hearing can't go lower than 0.5dB and it takes a lot of electronics to make that kind of difference, i.e., 0.5dB. How can by reduing resistance by half, biwiring make audible difference is simply beyond me!

I'm not arguing with your main point per se, but the 0.5db number you state relates to amplitude differences, not differences in quality of sound reproduction.

goodman · Dec 15, 2003

For some interesting ideas on bi-wiring, go to "vandersteen.com," click on "faqs," and then click on "What is bi-wiring and what are the advantages?"
Richard Vandersteen says that bi-wiring works best when the cables are kept at least an inch or two apart, because high-current bass frequencies create a measurable field around the wires that expands and contracts with the signal and then modulates the smaller signals, especially the low level treble frequencies. By separating the cables, you keep the treble cable out of the field of the bass cable.
He bases his findings upon experiments run in the early '80s. He says the benefits are most obvious in the midrange and treble. He states that the improvements are not subtle and that a moderately priced bi-wire set will usually sound better than a single run of more expensive cable.

dis · Dec 16, 2003

I read that vandersteen article and I have been thinking about it. Keep in mind that the article did say the improvements are *not* subtle.

The part they mentioned about modulation. If any modulation does occur then this will happen long before the signal reaches the amplifier output. Provided the speaker wire has low resistivity and low reactance there should be little change between input current and the current entering the speakers in both magnitude and phase. Therefore since the change in current is small any newly introduced "modulation" cause by the speaker wire should therefore be "subtle".

But then again what do I know...

gene · Dec 16, 2003

Sounds like more snake oil.  What people fail to forget is the back emf still gets back into the power amp so who cares if you eliminate it for a few feet of cable.  Biamping is far more advantageous and for that topic I will defer you to read the following article:

Benefits of Bi-Amping

Guest · Dec 16, 2003

Bi wire or not to Bi wire I think it is up the listener if you think your system sounds better wired one way than the other than go for the better way. Everybody is going to have his or her opinion as the saying goes everyone’s got one. But the only thing I would suggest is try biwiring with a cheaper set of wires before going out and spending the money on some expensive cables. Personally I think if the speaker is set up for biwiring than it certainly cannot hurt to wire them this way.

Guest · Dec 17, 2003

gene : Sounds like more snake oil. What people fail to forget is the back emf still gets back into the power amp so who cares if you eliminate it for a few feet of cable. Biamping is far more advantageous and for that topic I will defer you to read the following article:

Benefits of Bi-Amping

Gene, I was about to post a link to Rod's article, but you beat me to it. Based on the work Rod has done, the work I've done, the work Roger has done, and also based on what I've been told by every loudspeaker manufacturer I've asked, bi-wiring is just another sales-hook. It is possible to simulate a crossover with a small design error, and then show that the error can be corrected using bi-wiring (and rather radical wire), but the odds of this happening fortuitously are somewhere between slim and none.

Lots of people hear a difference when they bi-wire, and lots of people hear differences when they demagnetize their CD's or put dampers on their speaker wire to "dampen mechanical resonance." "Lots of people" includes us all at times; When I hear a "metallic ringing" from a ribbon tweeter, it's as real as it gets. If it turns out later that the tweeter doesn't have audible ringing, my face probably gets a little red; I just blame in on Murphy, and try to keep smiling.

It would be interesting if some of those who have heard a difference after bi-wiring could be involved in some kind of controlled test to see if they can hear a difference between bi-wire and standard wiring under controlled conditions. It seems to me that this site attracts people who are not opposed to such testing, so do you think you might be able to pull something like that off?

gene · Dec 18, 2003

Chuck;

Your subwoofer always makes me chuckle as it reminds me of the BIG speaker from Back to the Future

Also, how are people using those doors in your house with the ESL's blocking them?  Was that intentional?

I agree and welcome controlled DBT testing by those who are willing to participate.  Finding the time is another story  

"situations where bi-wiring is just hype"

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