Do You bi-wire your B&W's?

[gostan]

The oft-asked to bi-wire or not question is on my mind and I cannot get rid of it. Please help me in my quest to decide if my speaker wire upgrade should be a bi-wire or regular wire. Your answers will either help me or confuse me more because the more I research this subject the more I wonder why B&W pushes us to bi-wire.

Stan

[PewterTA]

I think as long as you use a good 12+ (meaning 12 or lower) guage wire...I just have not heard any difference between that and any bi-wire I've found. To me it's paying for something that isn't really noticeable...

However, that being said, I'm sure there will be people that think there's definitely a difference.

It's personal preference I guess...but I still think a "good" wire is a "good" wire.

[sikoniko]

I biwire my lcr, but not my rears as yet since I am not in a permanent situation. I probably would if I owned a house.

[jrd]

If you go to the B & W website and click on Product Warranty and Care, there is a FAQ section that includes some info on why B & W recommends you biwire their speakers.

[robcraigw]

I have tried my 801 Series 3's both ways. One was using good quality cable (non-bi-wire) and the other is using high-quality Kimber cable (bi-wire).
The difference was dramatic and I continue to bi-wire. I actually ran wires through the walls when my house was being built.

[greggz]

I did, and then I undid it.

My speakers are 40 feet from the amp, as the wire runs. So at one point I had two 40 foot pieces of cable running to each of my speakers. I decided that having all that wire, of 2 different gauges (14 to tweeter and 12 to mid/woof), and having the wires take independent paths, was probably doing more harm than good.

While they were bi-wired, I did notice more "air" in the high end. But I also felt that the highs and the mids some how now sounded detached from each other. Again, this was probably caused by my crazy cable arrangement.

If your speakers are 2 meters or less from your amp, and you can use a sound bi-wire cable design, I'd advocate trying it. One tip that I did discover (kudos to Jon Risch); leave the jumper wire in place on the negative terminals. So, in essence, you are bi-wiring the positives and increasing the gauge on the negatives. Does wonders for the bass.

Unlike some other kookie audio voodoo that people do, there is verifiable physics behind the advantage of bi-wiring. But, there are those that will argue that even though the minute effect of bi-wiring can be measured, the jury is still out on whether or not you can actually hear the change.

[Mark_C.]

I use biwires for my 805s in my HT and my 804s in my separate two-channel system. I don't know why (other than B&W recommending), but I do.

[will1066]

I was forced to biwire. Basically, my dealer didn't have the cables I ordered, so he substituted with the biwire version.

[DrBoom]

Bi-wire for me, after extensive testing and listening it does make a difference, but maybe not as much as going from cheap over the counter cable to something a little more exotic.
On the 805, the difference is a bit smaller, because it's only a 2-way system so the midrange doesn't benefit from the bi-wired effect.

[Fife]

I was forced to biwire. Basically, my dealer didn't have the cables I ordered, so he substituted with the biwire version.

That's horse-radish! :wtf:

But I too have found my speakers sound better bi-wired.

[mrkiko]

I bi-wire my Front 804s, the center HTM2, but not the rear 805s. :T

[luszer]

Sig 805s currently bi-wired

I'm thinking of making a speaker cable upgrade, currently using bi-wire. Have been reading and speaking to different people with widely mixed opinions particulary on a 2way design.

I mean if the cable material is of higher quality on a single run vs a bi-wire run, then the single wire should always prevail.

Any comments, opinions and suggestions welcomed

Thanks, Ron

[gostan]

My new upgraded speaker cables were delivered today. I ordered enough cables to bi-wire my 803's and HTM1. I will not bi-wire the 805's rears.

I finally determined that the only way to decide if there is a real quality of sound difference between two cables and a single cable with a particular speaker cable is to listen to the speaker cable each way. Thus, I do intend to do an a-b comparison of the speakers with bi-wire and single wire to determine if I can hear a discernable sound difference in my B&W's. If there is none, I will single wire and probably utilize the extra speaker cables in a different smaller system in another room.

I cannot wait to test my hearing senses once again. I will report back with my initial thoughts as to bi-wire or single wire in a few days.

Stan

[sikoniko]

Stan,

where are you pics in the other thread? my cables (MIT's) took 2 weeks to break in so be patient..

[gostan]

Dan,

I will take some updated pics this weekend. I have also just hung the new custom made cd cabinet that my wife surprised me with as another holiday gift. She was tired of having cd's in various places all over the house and being so disorganized that we never could find what a particular cd when we wanted to listen to it. So, I have been very busy with year end and all.

Stan

[NMyTree]

If your speakers are 2 meters or less from your amp, and you can use a sound bi-wire cable design, I'd advocate trying it. One tip that I did discover (kudos to Jon Risch); leave the jumper wire in place on the negative terminals. So, in essence, you are bi-wiring the positives and increasing the gauge on the negatives. Does wonders for the bass.

But one would still connect the bi-wiring to the negative terminals (as well as connecting two terminals on the Positive side), right?

You're not saying to connect the positive terminals with bi-wire, and only connect one terminal on the Negative side (while keeping the jumper wire in place), right?

[Stoney]

"Burn In" Question

I have read in various forums that it takes a while (up to 200 hours) to "burn in" speaker cables. Can any one explain to me what occurs during this burn in period to improve the sound? I can understand that a speaker would require a burn in period where the components would loosen up after some movement, but I don't understand what would change in a cable to affect performance after a few hours of use.

[greggz]

But one would still connect the bi-wiring to the negative terminals (as well as connecting two terminals on the Positive side), right?

Yes. Bi-wire positve and negative terminals, remove the positive jumper, leave the negative jumper.

[shokhead]

My dog let me know when my cables were broke in.

[tChAd]

I don't..

[DanR]

I have never heard a negative comment on bi-wiring. And every expert will tell to you to bi-wire regardless of perceived difference because it can only help the sound, unless you really use crap cabling or improperly mixed cables.

[McGlentosh]

Is there any sonic difference between using internally bi-wired cables (four wires on one end and two on the other) and two separate cables?