To Bi-wire or not to Bi-wire: That is the question!

[ihatejazz]

In my long years as a serious audiophile I am recalling why I never attempted to bi-wire only to re-count the speakers that graced my set-up since the days I was a very proud owner of a Bose 901 VI, Acoustat Spectra 11, Apogee Stage, Quad Esl-63, Celestion SL700(exception), Thiel 2.2, ML-CLS IIz, Duntech Sovereign 2001, Genesis V, Genesis II, Quad ESL-63 (again), Wilson Watt/Puppy 5.1. All the aforementioned speakers except the SL700 were not bi-wireable! Enter the Apogee Duetta Signature.

It was sold to me by Windy for a steal and I have long wanted to own one. I was so disappointed with its lean sound that I wondered if my tastes changed. It came without jumpers so I got some cheapos and connected them so I could savor the sound. Was I disappointed! I quickly had to peddle it and found a sucker in NOCTILUX whom I gave easy terms as long as he gets them out of my house. A day before he picked them up someone left a pair of extra speaker cables and I decided to give it a spin by experimenting to bi-wire. Boy, the sound came alive and never heard such transparency in a speaker not to mention the added dynamics it gave out. I could not back out from my promise so Noct came by to pick up those lovely speakers. Up to this date I keep asking him when he is going to sell them back to me.

Now I am using a defunct Hales Concept 5, trying to squeeze out every ounce of juice it can produce. So far I have been quite successful making it sing a tune but it just dawned on me, hey I should try bi-wiring! I just did right away, as I write, my new 2nd pair of speaker cables arrived and I must confess I just maxed out every ounce of juice these monsters can produce

[macolive]

Hey ihatejazz!

What speaker cables are you using? You might want to try the Acoustic zen Sartori Shotguns or Double Barrels.

[m_shoe_maker]

In my long years as a serious audiophile I am recalling why I never attempted to bi-wire only to re-count the speakers that graced my set-up since the days I was a very proud owner of a Bose 901 VI, .....

That's my boy

[stereophile]

In my long years as a serious audiophile I am recalling why I never attempted to bi-wire only to re-count the speakers that graced my set-up since the days I was a very proud owner of a Bose 901 VI, .....

That's my boy

Kaya naman pala ...

If a speaker is bi-wireable, I bi-wire! You max out it's performance.

[JackD201]

You're gonna have to bi-wire your NEW speakers too buddy! Analysis Plus or Verbatim cables recommended by the manufacturer.

[keith]

You're gonna have to bi-wire your NEW speakers too buddy! Analysis Plus or Verbatim cables recommended by the manufacturer.

You got that right JackD. Or how about just a decent jumper?

ihatejazz, pleasure meeting you!

[ihatejazz]

You're gonna have to bi-wire your NEW speakers too buddy! Analysis Plus or Verbatim cables recommended by the manufacturer.

You got that right JackD. Or how about just a decent jumper?

ihatejazz, pleasure meeting you!

Same here! Hope you can be around when we set up Jack's Aries next week.

I am using (what else?) Clearaudio speaker cables. They're not commercially popular but they work

[JackD201]

According to Kevin Malmgren the datalink was incorporated for convenience and aesthetics considerations as well as a better option to a DIY jumper, BUT bi-wiring is still the recommendation as the X-over is optimized for it.

[ichabod]

What got me curious about your post is not about bi(uy) wires, but about your pechant for speakers. I see that you had on two occasions owned a Quad. What made you change your mind on them? There are some folks I know who'd like to get them. Maybe it would pay to listen to what you have to say. Just heard a Quad 11 yesterday. Reminds me of the spendor S 3/5 sound. But these Quads are impeccable in build quality. A royalty for a speaker!

[ihatejazz]

What got me curious about your post is not about bi(uy) wires, but about your pechant for speakers. I see that you had on two occasions owned a Quad. What made you change your mind on them? There are some folks I know who'd like to get them. Maybe it would pay to listen to what you have to say. Just heard a Quad 11 yesterday. Reminds me of the spendor S 3/5 sound. But these Quads are impeccable in build quality. A royalty for a speaker!

Electrostatic speakers are a very hard speaker to please. Either you love it or hate it. There are days when the sound seem magical but there are days when they really sound terrible. I am a big fan of panel speakers but it is always struggle. If you notice the line-up speakers I have owned in the past the majority are either electrostats or ribbon panel speakers. The lure is always there. "Should I give it another try?" was always in the back of my mind. My biases changed when I was using the Wilson Watt/Puppy 5.1. It is very electrostatic like with huge dynamics. It made me realize what is lacking in panel speakers.

Again the lure of electrostats caught my fancy. I auditioned a pair of original CLS's barely two months ago. I thought would be IT (again) but when I compared it with my lowly Hales I had to return them.

I finally sealed the coffin on them. (for today. I may eat my words later)
on electrostats.

[noctilux]

I quickly had to peddle it and found a sucker in NOCTILUX whom I gave easy terms as long as he gets them out of my house. A day before he picked them up someone left a pair of extra speaker cables and I decided to give it a spin by experimenting to bi-wire. Boy, the sound came alive and never heard such transparency in a speaker not to mention the added dynamics it gave out. I could not back out from my promise so Noct came by to pick up those lovely speakers. Up to this date I keep asking him when he is going to sell them back to me.
snip

Oh well, Georgie, Porgie, you can't always kiss the girls and make them cry.
Win some, lose some. It was just serendipitous that the Duetta Sigs ended up in the hands of a good an worthy friend. Gimme a Watt/Puppy for the same price, and I won't hesitate to give you MY apogees.

Anyway, looking forward to your Goldfinger. I'm sure you will make a lot of women happy with that.

your good friend
Nocty

[Kier]

On a bi-wiring configuration, do you guys use a same gauge of speaker cable on both high frequency & low frequency.
Ecosse & Kimber are using different guage of cable on HF & LF, Kimber are using lesser strands of wire on the HF while Ecosse prefer a solid conductor on HF.
What are your opinions on this?

[JackD201]

Kier

Part of the fun is to be able to mix and match, personally I use 12 guage Silver for the hi/mid modules and 9 guage OFC for the bass modules. Wala, trip lang.

[bugsy]

On a bi-wiring configuration, do you guys use a same gauge of speaker cable on both high frequency & low frequency.
Ecosse & Kimber are using different guage of cable on HF & LF, Kimber are using lesser strands of wire on the HF while Ecosse prefer a solid conductor on HF.
What are your opinions on this?

Great question. With questions like this this thread may stretch on forever. Audio being such a subjective hobby that anyone or everyone can be an expert instantly. You deal with people who are objective and a lot of ass-holes who are so opinionated so you will hear 1001 ways on how to skin a cat alive

[ihatejazz]

On a bi-wiring configuration, do you guys use a same gauge of speaker cable on both high frequency & low frequency.
Ecosse & Kimber are using different guage of cable on HF & LF, Kimber are using lesser strands of wire on the HF while Ecosse prefer a solid conductor on HF.
What are your opinions on this?

Great question. With questions like this this thread may stretch on forever. Audio being such a subjective hobby that anyone or everyone can be an expert instantly. You deal with people who are objective and a lot of ass-holes who are so opinionated so you will hear 1001 ways on how to skin a cat alive

Agreed! My conventional wisdom tells me using both cables of the same brand/model for assured continuity and precision unless one wants to experiment and to more confusion mixing and matching different cables.

Simpler buy a cable that is prepped for bi-wiring. Looking hind sight, I should have done that. Now I had to buy another set just to find out the improvement!

[macolive]

On a bi-wiring configuration, do you guys use a same gauge of speaker cable on both high frequency & low frequency.
Ecosse & Kimber are using different guage of cable on HF & LF, Kimber are using lesser strands of wire on the HF while Ecosse prefer a solid conductor on HF.
What are your opinions on this?

The Sartori Double Barrel uses a smaller guage wire for Highs and a bigger one for low. While the Shotgun uses the same guage throughout.

I've heard that some have used the 8TC Kimber for low and 4TC for highs. I was considering trying this myself.

So there is no one way to do things (as in all things audio)!

[Jon Agner]

On a bi-wiring configuration, do you guys use a same gauge of speaker cable on both high frequency & low frequency.
Ecosse & Kimber are using different guage of cable on HF & LF, Kimber are using lesser strands of wire on the HF while Ecosse prefer a solid conductor on HF.
What are your opinions on this?

Before, when I was still using a circa 80's Mission 700 monitors, I used a DIY CAT 5 for the HF, while I used a #14 AWG for the LF. The wires are not bundled together, for minimal interaction.

[keith]

I used to use an MIT Terminator 2 with my old B&Ws ... Upgraded to the Bi-Wire version and did hear a difference.

[Kier]

Simpler buy a cable that is prepped for bi-wiring.

This is what I really intend to do but there are few available speaker cable model at our favorite audio store that is factory bi-wired.

Marami din palang gumagamit ng different gauge of cable for bi-wiring.

Thanks to all for the info.

[JackD201]

There is no right or wrong only painful pockets!