Bi-wiring question -please help?

[micko]

Hi everyone,

I have just joined the forum and thought I might ask a question

I have just bought a Cambridge Audio 640 V2 amp/CD player and Monitor Audio RS1 speakers. I am just wondering whether to go bi-wired or not? Is there an advantage to going bi-wired? Can anyone recommend good solid cable?

Thanks in advance

Micko

[icarus]

You will get mixed reactions on bi-wiring, personally I think it is worth it, as for cables, im not too sure what too recomend. Bi-wiring makes a very small difference if any depending on your equipment and setup......

[dingus]

i would see what your speaker manufacturer has to say on the matter.

outside of Vandersteen, i dont know of any other speaker manufacturer that actually advocates bi-wiring.

[NickWH]

Why would a speaker manufacturer make provisions for biwiring and not actually recommend it? There are a few manufacturers who don't believe in it and therefore only offer one set of binding posts on all models. Adding more resistance to the connection via jumpers only diminishes performance when using a single run, so I don't see the logic.

My brother has the Monitor Audio Silver RS6. He recently went from single wire to bi-wire configuration. These are cheap cables and the difference was noticeable (stronger, more defined bass, cleaner midrange, opened up the soundstage a bit). He uses them with the Panasonic SA-XR70 digital receiver which has a bi-amp mode. So it's hard to say whether it was the bi-amp or the bi-wire that made the biggest difference.

Try it. What do you have to lose?

[E-Stat]

...outside of Vandersteen, i dont know of any other speaker manufacturer that actually advocates bi-wiring.

For starters, there's:

Avalon
Kharma
Spendor
Nola
B&W
Magnepan
Monitor Audio
Jamo
Von Schwiekert
JBL
Revel
JM Labs
Wharfedale
KEF
Avant-Garde
Paradigm
Quad
Polk
Dali
Klipsch

rw

[dingus]

i had no idea the list would be even that extensive, but, aside from Kharma who markets their own bi-wires, do they advocate bi-wiring or only provide the ability and a quick how-to?

[FLZapped]

Hi everyone,

I have just joined the forum and thought I might ask a question

I have just bought a Cambridge Audio 640 V2 amp/CD player and Monitor Audio RS1 speakers. I am just wondering whether to go bi-wired or not? Is there an advantage to going bi-wired? Can anyone recommend good solid cable?

Thanks in advance

Micko

Benifits from bi-wiring are a crap-shoot. There are multiple variables that will affect the outcome.

-Bruce

[E-Stat]

i had no idea the list would be even that extensive, but, aside from Kharma who markets their own bi-wires, do they advocate bi-wiring or only provide the ability and a quick how-to?

Some may do it merely for "fashion", but I suspect most provide the capability because they find it beneficial.

rw

[Resident Loser]

...it's like a parallel universe or something...you may wanna' check this thread out:

http://forums.audioreview.com/cables/ways-biwire-22768.html#post191696

jimHJJ(...after all, it's about wires...)

[E-Stat]

...it's like a parallel universe or something.

You provide the conspiracy theories, I tell the story of speaker designers and those who have used biwiring. I realize that Bose does not provide that capability.

..after all, it's about wires.

As for me, it's about better sound reproduction. Maybe that's why we approach such issues differently.

rw

[GMichael]

Hi everyone,

I have just joined the forum and thought I might ask a question

I have just bought a Cambridge Audio 640 V2 amp/CD player and Monitor Audio RS1 speakers. I am just wondering whether to go bi-wired or not? Is there an advantage to going bi-wired? Can anyone recommend good solid cable?

Thanks in advance

Micko

Welcome to AR.

See what you started? I was here for at least a week before I started a war.

[Gerall]

I am running the same Cambridge player into an adcom pre and adcom gfa5500 amp to Paradigm speakers. Individually one may not notice a real big difference in a single upgrade, however I did when I went to better interconnects, power cables, biwiring, and dampening mats. Also meticulous speaker placement was added into the mix. So at the end of the day from square one to all the little things, I did notice a big improvement in overall sound quality.
I see it as similar to souping up a stock car engine. Individual components add up to a significant difference in overall performance.

[Resident Loser]

I am running the same Cambridge player into an adcom pre and adcom gfa5500 amp to Paradigm speakers. Individually one may not notice a real big difference in a single upgrade, however I did when I went to better interconnects, power cables, biwiring, and dampening mats. Also meticulous speaker placement was added into the mix. So at the end of the day from square one to all the little things, I did notice a big improvement in overall sound quality.
I see it as similar to souping up a stock car engine. Individual components add up to a significant difference in overall performance.

...not quite...bore it and stroke it and you get a measurable change in displacement...put in a hotter cam, install a 4bbl or dual quads, port and polish the heads, install a Jacobs ignition, maybe upgrade your ECU chip...everything you do from changing out a stock paper air filter to a K&N to upgrading to a Borla exhaust system with less back-pressure results in actual power increases on a dyno...

With hi-fi tweaks, nothing is measurable...it's all anecdotal..."I heard this" OK just prove it...show me numbers...do it double blind...do it again!...

Of all the things you did to your gear, nothing will have a greater effect than the room/loudspeaker interface...and that, with the proper gear, will actually be measurable...

jimHJJ(...jus' keepin' it real...as the kids say...)

[mick_jr]

Help,

I just purchase a Marantaz SR6200 at a swap meet! Yea I know, "never know what you're going to get". The problem I'm having is that the only rear input that functions is the "tape input". The CD, TV in puts do not function (reciever does not recognize). I can play any unit that I wish as long as I plug it into the "tape input". Please someone help, is this a job only for the technician? Please advise if you know. Thanks,

[topspeed]

Dive into your menus and make sure all of the inputs and outputs correspond. It may be something as simple as the inputs haven't been assigned. Otherwise, either fix it or trash it and chalk it up to experience.

Remember: caveat emptor.

[George5]

I did compare bi-wiring to single wiring years ago. Let's say, you wanna spend 400 dollars to loudspeakers-cables, you can get a cheaper cable for 4x100 dollars and biwire it, or get a better cable instead for 2x200 dollars. the difference between biwiring or not with the indetical cable is very little, and almost not to hear.

if you single-wire, take attention to the bridge at the ludspeaker-terminal. if it's just a flat piece of golden brass, forget it. you have to change it with good cable-jumpers. spend the same amount of money for a better cable an single-wire your loudspeakers. this is far better.

george

[musicman1999]

Bi-wiring can help sometimes, bi-amping will always help.

bill

[Luvin Da Blues]

Some may do it merely for "fashion", but I suspect most provide the capability because they find it beneficial.

rw

I think the double terminals are for bi-amping first and can be used for bi-wiring, no?

[Jack in Wilmington]

Welcome to the Forum.

As a new member, tell you what I'm going to do. I have a pair of Straightwire Maestro speaker cables ( each 8 ft long). These are set up for biwiring. If you want to try them out just let me know and I'll send them to you. If you like them and you feel they make a difference keep them as a sort of welcome gift. If you don't notice any difference you can send them back. Now how's that for a deal. Jack

[filecat13]

I think micko has left the building.

Where's John Risch when you need him?