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Marc B.
09-15-2004, 05:15 PM
I'm using an Onkyo 55 watt receiver.
I have my Polk RT55i speakers Bi-wired.
Does this take away any sound or power going to them.
I can't tell if it sounds better or worse.
Any help with this?

Thanks,
Marc

woodman
09-15-2004, 06:25 PM
I'm using an Onkyo 55 watt receiver.
I have my Polk RT55i speakers Bi-wired.
Does this take away any sound or power going to them.
I can't tell if it sounds better or worse.
Any help with this?

Thanks,
Marc

This is a controversial subject - to put it mildly. To those with an education in electronics (myself included), the consensus is that it's a waste of time since it really doesn't alter the electrical circuit between the amp and the speaker in any way that stands up to scientific scrutiny. Only those with a willingness to believe in anything that someone offers with a claim of performance improvement, is it a viable thing to do.

The fact that you can't tell whether it sounds better or worse should be about all of the evidence necessary to put you solidly in what's called the "naysayer" camp. Congratulations.

N. Abstentia
09-16-2004, 03:33 AM
Either way, it definitely should not sound worse unless you have some bad wire or something. Worst case scenerio is that you're doubling the thickness of your speaker wire which is a good thing.

kexodusc
09-16-2004, 05:14 AM
Woodman:
I trust your expertise and opinion on such matters...I've read and have been told that biwiring will reduce EMF from a woofer's magnet to the tweeter because it sends it back to the amp instead of to the tweeter.
I've also been told to always connect a single wire setup to the terminals that drive the midrange, so the current doesn't have to run through the jumper, hence being compromised.

Are both of these points hogwash? I quite honestly can't hear a difference in my setup, but in fairness I haven't sat down for hours at a time focusing on listening for improvements, and don't really know what I should be listening for as far as potential improvements. Maybe I just didn't give it enough time, or notice the subtle differences? Maybe this is just B.S. and I'd be wasting my time?

Any thoughts? Thanks.

FLZapped
09-16-2004, 06:41 AM
I'm using an Onkyo 55 watt receiver.
I have my Polk RT55i speakers Bi-wired.
Does this take away any sound or power going to them.

No, not at all.



I can't tell if it sounds better or worse.
Any help with this?

Thanks,
Marc

Bi-wiring is another one of those things that takes a lot of analyzing to even get numberic results as there are so many variables - all tied to each users individual system.

So it is a crap-shoot.

It is supposed to take advantage of your amplifier's internal impedance to increase the isolation between the two halves of the speaker system. While it may do that, it may or may not create anything audible.

-Bruce

woodman
09-16-2004, 09:10 AM
Woodman:
I trust your expertise and opinion on such matters...I've read and have been told that biwiring will reduce EMF from a woofer's magnet to the tweeter because it sends it back to the amp instead of to the tweeter.

There's an itty-bitty, teensy-weensy speck of "science" involved there ... but the question has to be: is this audible? To which I say: NO ... not unless the listener creates the audibility through the power of his ABEs (his Attitudes, Beliefs, and Expectations).

I've also been told to always connect a single wire setup to the terminals that drive the midrange, so the current doesn't have to run through the jumper, hence being compromised.

This is pure, unadulterated "old wives tale" without even the itty-bitty, teensy-weensy shred of science to back it up. Total BS.

Are both of these points hogwash?

Yeah ... pretty much so. That's what makes the entire subject pretty much a waste of anyone's time.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

You asked for 'em ... you got 'em ... Toyota.

kexodusc
09-16-2004, 09:17 AM
You asked for 'em ... you got 'em ... Toyota.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I expected you to tell me. I've already got a big enough mess o' cables, don't need to start doubling everything :D