Bi-wiring speakers

[Pistol Pete1]

Hi all,

Does bi-wiring speakers really make a difference?

Reason I ask is I'm thinking of upgrading my Q Acoustics 1010i's to the 1020i's to improve the 2.1 sound quality (part of av system) with CD playback.

Obviously, one difference between the two speakers is the ability to be bi-wired.

Worth it or not when being used with the onkyo 606 av amp, and a Marantz CD63 KI CD player?

Anyone?

 

[Anonymous]

Some say yes, some say no. Others say take the money you were going to spend on biwire cable and spend it on better quality single wire.

FWIW I've found it to be a (very) slight improvement. But that's just me, my equipment, and my experience. Your results may vary...

 

[Messiah]

Normally I would say buy better quality single runs but I assume you are just going to buy another pair of cables matching your current ones?? (Which would obviously be cheaper!)

Maybe you can get someone to lend you the cables you want so you can demo them at home?? I think the general belief is that does make a positive difference. For me personally the difference was negliable.

 

[Anonymous]

Depends on the crossover I find... Good example: Totem Arros are night and day on biwire. Rainmakers so-so. Model-1, can't hear a difference to save my life.

 

[Dave_]

well, another option if the amp has the ability and your running 5.1 system and not 7.1 would be to use the rear channels to bi-amp the fronts, i wager it'll sound better than bi-wiring

 

[Anonymous]

Monitor Audio state they like bi-wire and I agree with 2 single runs of Atlas 2.0 effectively bi-wirirng mine........

 

[Pistol Pete1]

I am using QED silver anniversairy cable at mo with the 1010i's, but I have some QED Profile 4x4 biwire cable hanging around. (From being used with some Tannoy DC2000's I'm currently selling on a certain auction site!!)

The onkyo 606 does mention bi amping as an option, and I have no need to set it up as a 7.1. Would bi amping and using the Profile cable be a good enough improvement to make it worth spending £105 to buy these new 1020i's?

Or would I be better off saving my money and skip bi amping the front speakers, but use the Profile 4x4 instead of the QED silver anniversairy as a single cable?(if it's possible to do that?)

The profile 4x4 was £10 per metre years ago...

Thanks.......

 

[JoelSim]

The DC2000s bring back some good memories from Uni in about 1990. Nice speakers if I remember rightly.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

They are great speakers, (bought them after my 'A' levels-oh my god I'm that old!!!) but the wife wants more room in the lounge, thus Q Acoustics 1010i on stands, with the subwoofer making up a 2.1 set up.

I partnered the DC2000's with the Marantz CD63 K I player, and Marantz PM6010 K I amp.

Wow, what a system!!!!! Detail and clarity in abundence.

Anyway, back to the dilemna.......

Do I:

1) use the Profile 4x4 biwire cable, but single wire them to the 1010i's, rather than the QED silver Anniversairy I use now? (if it's possible)

2) Buy some 1020i's that can be bi wired and use the Profile 4x4 cable with them? Is it worth the price tag of the 1020i's (£105)

3) Buy some more expensive single cable for the 1010i's I have already? (Maybe QED's Revelation (£15 per metre) cable? Or is that an overkill on £100 speakers and an AV amp? Would the Chord Company Carnival Silver Screen (£6 per metre) be more sensible?)

Any help would be fantastic..........

 

[Anonymous]

I would say it depends largely on the quality of the speaker. Usually with entry-level speakers (say, up to GBP 300), I've found no (or barely noticeable) improvement.

With mid-priced speakers and above usually there is an improvement. I remember the Focal-JM Lab Cobalt 806 completely transformed their sound when bi-wired. It was as is you had upgraded the amp. With other speakers I've found improvements, though not as dramatic.

It's hard to say whether it's better to biwire or buy instead a better cable and single wire. This will vary from case to case. For instance, if you have a cable whose sound you love, and have not heard anything better even spending twice its price, then obviously it's better to buy another run of the same cable and biwire. Or, if you are using a very cheap "bulk" cable, it's a lot cheaper to buy more of the same cable instead of buying an "audiophile" cable and use it in single wire mode.

IMHO.

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Thanks Tannoyite,

So the other question was:

Can I use the QED Profile 4x4 as a single cable by connecting all the relevant wires to the correct posts? Or would I just use half the conectors and leave the others unused (but safe not to short anything)?

Thanks...............

 

[Anonymous]

Pistol Pete1:
Thanks Tannoyite,

So the other question was:

Can I use the QED Profile 4x4 as a single cable by connecting all the relevant wires to the correct posts? Or would I just use half the conectors and leave the others unused (but safe not to short anything)?

Thanks...............

No problem

Yes, you can do the first thing you mention. I've done this with a Silver Sonic Q10 and it works. I don't know if it makes sense, but it works. Sonically, it will probably be just as good as the second option you mention; but it's safer, and you are doubling the gauge of the cable, so I would do it that way.