Bi-Wiring question.. bit confused

[admin_exported]

Ok I've been reading and am a bit confused on bi-wiring.

I have monitor audio RS8s and the Arcam Diva A85 and will be bi-wiring.

Back of the A85 looks like this:

http://www.cairnshifi.com.au/images/diva_A90_rear.jpg (ignore that it says a90, they are both the same I believe)

Just a bit confused on this...

I take that you are using all 4 connections for each channel on the amp, as well as the 4 on the speakers? It's just that on a youtube bi-wiring video I saw two reds, two blacks connected together, but I'm guessing that's because it was an older amp?

With bi-wiring, if I am correct, that would mean I need 16 banana plugs???

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

From the pic it looks like one set are for the speaker for you hifi and the other are for another set (like in a different room) as it says sp1 L+R and sp2 L+R.

I would reccommend checking the manual, but if it's just one set of terminals you need (most likely)

Then you will need 2-4, so 12 plugs.

for the right speaker for example the red plug on the 2 end of the cable with go to the red on the "R" side, and the reds on the 4 end will go to the reds on the high and low on the speakrs.

Hope that helps,

Dan.

 

[Anonymous]

You will need 4 plugs for each speaker.

For the amp, you can
either use both sets of binding posts, so again 4 plugs for each
speaker, or you can just use one set of binding posts by running two
cables into each plug, a bit like this:

Either way, the amp's doing exactly the same thing, as there is only one "amplification unit" in the amp.

 

[Anonymous]

danmo:
Hi,

From the pic it looks like one set are for the speaker for you hifi and the other are for another set (like in a different room) as it says sp1 L+R and sp2 L+R.

I would reccommend checking the manual, but if it's just one set of terminals you need (most likely)

Then you will need 2-4, so 12 plugs.

for the right speaker for example the red plug on the 2 end of the cable with go to the red on the "R" side, and the reds on the 4 end will go to the reds on the high and low on the speakrs.

Hope that helps,

Dan.

Hi Dan - thanks for that! I think you're right there, was just trying to complicate it for myself. 2 terminals per channel on amp, and 4 per channel on speakers. Sorted!

 

[Anonymous]

tractorboy:
You will need 4 plugs for each speaker.

For the amp, you caneither use both sets of binding posts, so again 4 plugs for eachspeaker, or you can just use one set of binding posts by running twocables into each plug, a bit like this:

Either way, the amp's doing exactly the same thing, as there is only one "amplification unit" in the amp.

Ah right - so you can do both lol. I think I'll just go with the latter, if anything to save money on extra plugs!

 

[JoelSim]

If you use both sets of terminals on the amp you will need to have SP1 and SP2 buttons on all the time

 

[matthewpiano]

Go for better quality single-wire cable instead. I've never found bi-wiring to offer any advantages with any of the equipment I've had, whereas an upgrade in the quality of speaker cables does.

 

[aliEnRIK]

Ive found bi wiring can make a difference (Dependent on the speakers used)

I too used to have an A85 and would recommend you plug the tweeters into the A set of speakers and the bass into the B set of speakers (The reason Ive said this is because when I experimented with my old Kenwood 3020SE amp I found it definitely sounded better going through the separate speaker outputs than all through one set)

My theory behind this is that even though the 2 signals go through the same amp the signals travel separately of one another (Think of it as one staying to the left and one staying to the right and they have no need to cross over)

With this theory in mind if you DO connect only the A outputs id recommend using spades or bananas for treble and vice versa for the bass so the 2 signals are separated still

 

[jc.com]

aliEnRIK:

With this theory in mind if you DO connect only the A outputs id recommend using spades or bananas for treble and vice versa for the bass so the 2 signals are separated still

....because the electrons can see which one to choose.

 

[aliEnRIK]

jc.com:aliEnRIK:

With this theory in mind if you DO connect only the A outputs id recommend using spades or bananas for treble and vice versa for the bass so the 2 signals are separated still

....because the electrons can see which one to choose.

Because my hearing is just fine and electricity chooses the 'easiest' route

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I'm lost here. The signals are clearly not separate between the bit of the amp that does the er... amplifying and the binding posts. How can using spades and bananas possibly make any difference?

 

[aliEnRIK]

tractorboy:Sorry, I'm lost here. The signals are clearly not separate between the bit of the amp that does the er... amplifying and the binding posts. How can using spades and bananas possibly make any difference?

Its a theory backed up but the difference I heard when I selected A and B speaker settings together

If you were to bind both cables together and fit via a spade (For example) then the higher and lower signals MUST converge. Im simply saying try not to (I cant quote the bananas v spade theory as ive not actually tried it, but using A AND B was better on my kenwood than simply using set A)

 

[jc.com]

aliEnRIK:

tractorboy:Sorry, I'm lost here. The signals are clearly not separate between the bit of the amp that does the er... amplifying and the binding posts. How can using spades and bananas possibly make any difference?

Its a theory backed up but the difference I heard when I selected A and B speaker settings together

If you were to bind both cables together and fit via a spade (For example) then the higher and lower signals MUST converge. Im simply saying try not to (I cant quote the bananas v spade theory as ive not actually tried it, but using A AND B was better on my kenwood than simply using set A)

As an integrated amplifier has only one errm amplifier per channel, the signals are already converged. They come from the source software converged, (through the digital to analogue conversion if needed) then through the preamplification stage, then into the power amplification stage. The only separation involved here is Left/Right channels. The signals are then delivered to either one or two sets of speaker output terminals on the back of the amp. There is still no treble/bass separation involved. That happens at the speaker crossover.