Bi wire subwoofer to main speakers [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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MPI
08-21-2013, 04:08 AM
First I would like to say "HELLO" to the community as I am new to this chat site. So I have a Vintage Pioneer SX-1050 with no Sub out line wanting to hook up a BIC F12 Subwoofer. My main speakers which will are Klipsch F20's and I want to Bi wire these main speakers. Is it ok to just run 1 set of speaker wire from the back of the Pioneer to the High Level Inputs on the BIC and then run 2 sets of speaker wire from the Line out Output terminals of the BIC Subwoofer to the 4 speaker terminals of the Klipsch F20's. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Feanor
08-21-2013, 04:27 AM
First I would like to say "HELLO" to the community as I am new to this chat site. So I have a Vintage Pioneer SX-1050 with no Sub out line wanting to hook up a BIC F12 Subwoofer. My main speakers which will are Klipsch F20's and I want to Bi wire these main speakers. Is it ok to just run 1 set of speaker wire from the back of the Pioneer to the High Level Inputs on the BIC and then run 2 sets of speaker wire from the Line out Output terminals of the BIC Subwoofer to the 4 speaker terminals of the Klipsch F20's. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Welcome to AR Forums, MPI.

Does the BIC subwoofer have high-level, (speaker), outputs as well as high-level inputs? If so, I'd definitely connect the Klipsch to those BIC outputs, (bi-wired if you like), rather than to the Pioneer. This would be the safer arrangement: the Klipsch and BIC if both wired directly to the Pioneer could result in too low an impedance load on that unit which might result in damage to the Pioneer.

MPI
08-21-2013, 05:24 AM
On the back of the BIC there is a set of terminals that are marked Left and Right that say High level outs and just below those terminals there is another set of terminals that say Output to Speakers. So I'm assuming run 2 sets of speaker wires from the Pioneer to the High Levels on the BIC with 1 set being for left side and the other set being for the right side then run 4 sets of wires from the output to speaker terminals on the back of the BIC with 4 sets of wire to the Klipsch with 2 sets for the right and 2 sets for the left. Is this correct? Thaks

Hyfi
08-21-2013, 05:29 AM
what do you expect to get out of the bi-wiring?

Are you using different gauge wire for upper and lower connections?

MPI
08-21-2013, 05:35 AM
I will be using 16AWG for all the wiring.

markw
08-21-2013, 05:45 AM
Just try plain vanilla wiring first. Receiver to sub speaker ins, and sub speaker outs to your klipschs.

Who knows what goes on in between those two terminals inside. Besides, the BIC will be doing all the heavy lifting and filtering out the lows from your mains anyway.

Hyfi
08-21-2013, 05:45 AM
I will be using 16AWG for all the wiring.

So you will not be gaining anything. What is your reason for bi-wiring? Just because the speakers have 2 sets binding posts?

Have you ever set them up as a single wire and compare to bi-wire to see if you really gain anything?

In theory, you would want smaller gauge for the upper and larger gauge for the lower to have any gain in this setup since you would be sending the exact signal to both with same gauge wires.

JohnMichael
08-21-2013, 06:00 AM
My suggestion would be to run a larger gauge wire such as 12 gauge to the subwoofer and then use your 16 gauge to your speakers. Instead of bi-wiring use some of the 16 gauge wire to make jumpers from the low and high speaker terminals. Some speakers sound just as good with copper wire jumpers instead of the brass plates supplied by the manufacturer as if you had biwired. I agree keep it simple.

Hyfi
08-21-2013, 06:06 AM
My suggestion would be to run a larger gauge wire such as 12 gauge to the subwoofer and then use your 16 gauge to your speakers. Instead of bi-wiring use some of the 16 gauge wire to make jumpers from the low and high speaker terminals. Some speakers sound just as good with copper wire jumpers instead of the brass plates supplied by the manufacturer as if you had biwired. I agree keep it simple.

Agreed and that is what I was trying to get at. Running same gauge wires as b-wire does not really gain anything.

MPI
08-21-2013, 06:37 AM
Thanks to all for your help. I'm going to try without bi-wiring and use the 12 gauge wire to the Sub from the Pioneer SX-1050 then use the 16 to the mains from the Sub without the jumper plates provided by the Mfg.

Feanor
08-21-2013, 07:51 AM
On the back of the BIC there is a set of terminals that are marked Left and Right that say High level outs and just below those terminals there is another set of terminals that say Output to Speakers. So I'm assuming run 2 sets of speaker wires from the Pioneer to the High Levels on the BIC with 1 set being for left side and the other set being for the right side then run 4 sets of wires from the output to speaker terminals on the back of the BIC with 4 sets of wire to the Klipsch with 2 sets for the right and 2 sets for the left. Is this correct? Thaks

Yes, that's correct. However I doubt that you'll see any advantage from bi-wiring.

MPI
08-21-2013, 09:53 AM
Just finished up and WOW the system sounds magnificent. Crystal clear and very solid sounding. Do I need to set the crossover on the back of the Sub to any certain frequency. It starts at 60 and goes as high as 120. I also left the Phase at 0. Thanks again

Hyfi
08-21-2013, 10:24 AM
short answer is yes, but lots of factors. You don't want the sub to be louder than the main speakers and you don't want the frequencies to overlap too much. Looks like your speakers go 38Hz-23KHz ± 3dB so start at 60 and bump it up a little at a time if needed.

MPI
08-21-2013, 10:44 AM
I will try some testing. I also have a Mitsubishi 55 inch HDTV one of the big boxes from back in the day. How can I get that bad boy to work for sound thru the Pioneer SX1050 on to the speakers hooked up to the Pioneer. I'm using a Comcast HDMC which is a Motorola model # DCH3200. Any HELP is much appreciated.

markw
08-21-2013, 11:00 AM
Do either the TV or the cable box have red/white analog audio outputs?

If so, figure out how to activate them and feed them into an "aux" input on the receiver.

MPI
08-21-2013, 11:28 AM
Yes. There is 1 set of White and Red RCA plug ins that say Audio out at the bottom of the TV that is not being used. I'm already using my AUX on the stereo for my Ipad to play music. What other RCA plug ins on the stereo can be used on the stereo to get the sound out of the TV thru my stereo speakers

markw
08-21-2013, 12:11 PM
Youy can use the "Tape In" jacks. simply pressthe "tape Monitor" button the front of the receiver to select what's being input there.

Or else you could get something like THIS (http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-28750-Composite-Selector/dp/B0032ANC8M/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1377115718&sr=1-4&keywords=audio+input+selector+switch) which will allow you to plug in up to four devices into your "aux" input. ...just ignore everything on it except the red/white jacks. Your local Walmart probably sells something similar.

MPI
08-22-2013, 04:31 AM
I tried this last night but still no sound. I even tried to go thru the AUX of the receiver and still no sound. So what am I doing wrong. The TV is Mitsubishi WS55 series hooked up to a Comcast Motorola HDTV tuner/model # DCH3200. My receiver is old Pioneer SX-1050. Thanks

markw
08-22-2013, 06:23 AM
I repeat:


Do either the TV or the cable box have red/white analog audio outputs?

If so, figure out how to activate them and feed them into an "aux" input on the receiver.You may need to read your owners manual for these.

This (http://<u>This]</u>) should be your cable box. If you did what is described here, there may be something wrong with your cable box.

Hyfi
08-22-2013, 06:29 AM
Connecting an A/V Receiver, TV, and VCR
1.
Connect a stereo audio cable to the
AUDIO OUT L
and
R
connectors on the DCH receiver
and the
INPUT L
and
R
connectors on the A/V receiver.
2.
Connect a video cable to the video out connector on the DCH receiver and the cable/TV
video connector on the A/V receiver.
3.
Connect a stereo audio cable to the
VCR AUDIO OUT L
and
R
connectors on the A/V
receiver and the
INPUT AUDIO L
and
R
connectors on the stereo VCR.
4.
Connect a stereo audio cable to the
OUTPUT AUDIO OUT L
and
R
connectors on the
stereo VCR and the
VCR AUDIO IN L
and
R
connectors on the A/V receiver.
5.
Connect a video cable to the input video connector on the stereo VCR and the video
VCR OUT
connector on the A/V receiver.
6.
Connect a video cable to the output video connector on the stereo VCR and the video
VCR IN
connector on the A/V receiver.
7.
Connect a video cable to the input video connector on the Stereo TV (SDTV) and the
TV/monitor output video connector on the A/V receiver.
If your equipment supports it:

The digital audio optical (optical S/PDIF)
or digital audio (COAXIAL S/PDIF) audio
outputs may be used in place of the stereo audio outputs (audio l and r). In most
cases these outputs offer a higher level of audio quality, including support for
Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.

S-Video connections may be used in place of the standard composite video
connections. In most cases, S-Video offers a higher level of standard definition
video quality than composite video.
These video connection methods do not support HD video. If you have an HDTV, see
Connecting your DCH Receiver to an HDTV – Video Only
on page
17.

MPI
08-22-2013, 06:34 AM
I did and the TV manual says to turn the speakers off on the TV which I did. I also have a newer Pioneer DVD player that is not hooked up to the receiver but is hooked up to the TV. Maybe between the cable box and the DVD player I have something not correct?

Hyfi
08-22-2013, 07:07 AM
hard to say what you have without seeing it. Maybe you can disconnect everything and put it back together one at a time as per guides