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Is bi-wiring worth it?


Marios

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On ‎12‎/‎1‎/‎2016 at 9:00 AM, wvu80 said:

I have an Onkyo TX NR717.  It has a specific feature via the on-screen display menu where I can set my speakers to bi-amp, so I used two discrete sets of cables (4 cables total) OUT from the AVR for bi-amp.  I have never understood what the 717 is doing, or how it is separating the signal or output power.  I've had lots of people guess, and there is nothing official from Onk.

 

I have seen this on various receivers before and it really is a nice option to have. What it does is allow you to use 4 of your receivers amp channels to drive a single pair of bi-ampable speakers adding additional watts. My Sunfire Receiver does not have that option but what I've done is used 4 channels anyway in bi-amp fashion and just set the processor to "party" mode which runs all selected channels in stereo. It worked as far as adding additional power that was noticeable but it did not allow for any surround modes obviously so it ended up just being an interesting experiment. 

 

 

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  • 6 years later...

So if I have 100w per channel left has two speaker 50w per speaker if hook two speakers. Right channel same. 
 So if I bi-wire my towers it will give 50w to subs (low) then 50w to tweeters ( highs) the tower dose not have to split signals with circuitry any longer. 
 I personally notice difference not huge but better highs n mids. Worth it 

kinda like jumping up your cartridge one notch on your TT. 
 

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39 minutes ago, Wes said:

So if I have 100w per channel left has two speaker 50w per speaker if hook two speakers. Right channel same. 
 So if I bi-wire my towers it will give 50w to subs (low) then 50w to tweeters ( highs) the tower dose not have to split signals with circuitry any longer. 
 I personally notice difference not huge but better highs n mids. Worth it 

kinda like jumping up your cartridge one notch on your TT. 
 


That method still uses the internal crossover in the speaker.

And it doesn’t split the 100 watts in the way you’re describing either.

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On 12/29/2022 at 5:31 PM, Wes said:

So if I have 100w per channel left has two speaker 50w per speaker if hook two speakers. Right channel same. 
 So if I bi-wire my towers it will give 50w to subs (low) then 50w to tweeters ( highs) the tower dose not have to split signals with circuitry any longer. 
 I personally notice difference not huge but better highs n mids. Worth it 

kinda like jumping up your cartridge one notch on your TT. 
 

No 

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On 12/29/2022 at 2:31 PM, Wes said:

So if I have 100w per channel left has two speaker 50w per speaker if hook two speakers. Right channel same. 
 So if I bi-wire my towers it will give 50w to subs (low) then 50w to tweeters ( highs) the tower dose not have to split signals with circuitry any longer. 
 I personally notice difference not huge but better highs n mids. Worth it 

kinda like jumping up your cartridge one notch on your TT. 
 

It depends on the thickness of the wire.  If you have 100 wpc and use wire that is twice as fat then it will get 66 wpc and the smaller wire will get 33 wpc, the other watt gets lost in friction.  😝

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  • 5 months later...

I’ve bi-wired my Klipsch R26 speakers along with the running of speaker cables to the Dolby Atmos top speakers. I’ll comment on the top Dolby Atmos speakers first. It is unequivocally the biggest sham selling point. Now I have my speakers connected to a Denon X4200 AVR. Yes, I realize that the X4200 is quite dated and am upgrading in the near future. For me I will forego the so called Dolby Atmos speakers on top of the towers and go for top of the wall angled downwards speakers. Also in the near future when I upgrade I will be sure to set up front wides. A personal  'tweaked ‘ method that I do is I have installed two top front and two top rear ceiling speakers. Now since the package that I bought for my ceiling speakers has five speakers I put the last of the five speakers overhead of my sweet spot connected to the center channel. The sound is definitely enveloping. 
Now as far as bi-wiring towers, or any other bi-wire capable speakers I will save my speaker cables for another, better use. 
ROCK ON MY DUDES! 

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  • 4 months later...

Bi-wiring is a way of connecting your speakers to your amplifier using two pairs of wires instead of one. Some speakers have two sets of terminals for the high and low frequencies, which can be separated by removing the jumpers or bridges. Bi-wiring is supposed to reduce the interference caused by the different currents in the speaker cables and improve the sound quality. However, not every speaker can be bi-wired, and not everyone agrees on the benefits of bi-wiring. Some people think it is a marketing ploy, while others claim to hear a noticeable difference in clarity, resolution, and spatial imaging. The best way to find out if bi-wiring is worth it for you is to try it yourself and compare the results. You will need two sets of speaker cables and a speaker that has the option for bi-wiring. Alternatively, you can also invest in a better quality single wire or a better crossover for your speakers, which may have a more significant impact on the sound performance. Ultimately, the choice is yours and depends on your personal preference and budget. I hope this helps you understand bi-wiring better.

Edited by Samhoward
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On 12/29/2022 at 5:31 PM, Wes said:

So if I have 100w per channel left has two speaker 50w per speaker if hook two speakers. Right channel same. 
 So if I bi-wire my towers it will give 50w to subs (low) then 50w to tweeters ( highs) the tower dose not have to split signals with circuitry any longer. 
 I personally notice difference not huge but better highs n mids. Worth it 

kinda like jumping up your cartridge one notch on your TT. 
 

NO

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I tried biwiring on various speakers decades ago. Including my big Alnico Tannoy. I was not convinced. It can create a kind of pseudo-spatiality with some speakers. But my main subjective criticism is that the timing between the musicians becomes less exciting, and that strong impulses such as Lee Morgan's trumpet on Art Blakey's -Moanin'- are washed out. Conclusion, yes I hear the effect of bi-wiring, but in my case to the worse.

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