Correct wiring of jumper cables

[admin_exported]

I know that bi-wire vs single wire with jumper cables can be a hotly debated subject. Thankfully this isn't the subject so please don't reply with "it doesn't make a difference" .

Until recently I plugged both cables into the treble inputs and then jumper cables to the bass inputs. A friend suggested this is wrong. He said that I should plug the positive cable into the treble and the negative cable into the bass. Then use jumpers to connect the positive to positive and so on.

I was already reasonably happy with the sound I was getting. Having done this the sound has changed. It seems more cohesive. It was an instantly noticeable change.

Am I the only person who wired things up incorrectly?

cheers

nik

 

[The_Lhc]

Apparently this is speaker dependant, what's right for one manufacturer may not be for another, whilst others will tell you it makes no difference.

If you're happy though, who cares? Did you try both speaker cables going onto the bass terminals?

 

[shadders]

Hi,

Am i missing the point here - you have 4 teminals - two are red and two are black. There are two per colour so you can bi-wire ?

Are the two red (and two black) normally connected with metal plate ?

Are the two red connections (and two black) a separate feed to the tweeter and bass, such that the top red and top black (example) go to the tweeter that has its own crossover, and the same for the bass (botom pair) - it has its own crossover ?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[The_Lhc]

Am i missing the point here - you have 4 teminals - two are red and two are black. There are two per colour so you can bi-wire ?

Are the two red (and two black) normally connected with metal plate ?

Yes or jumper cables.

Are the two red connections (and two black) a separate feed to the tweeter and bass, such that the top red and top black (example) go to the tweeter that has its own crossover, and the same for the bass (botom pair) - it has its own crossover ?

Yes, have you never seen a speaker with bi-wire terminals before?

 

[shadders]

Am i missing the point here - you have 4 teminals - two are red and two are black. There are two per colour so you can bi-wire ?

Are the two red (and two black) normally connected with metal plate ?

Yes or jumper cables.

Are the two red connections (and two black) a separate feed to the tweeter and bass, such that the top red and top black (example) go to the tweeter that has its own crossover, and the same for the bass (botom pair) - it has its own crossover ?

Yes, have you never seen a speaker with bi-wire terminals before?

Hi,

Yes - i have seen biwire terminals before.

The reason for asking - do the speakers have separate crossovers for each driver - possibly the issue in the crossover design.

If the two terminals are just to allow wto different cable types to be used on a speaker - then the internal wiring connects the two red together and the two black together.

The extra plate or jumpers - which is probably 2 inches long - how would this make a difference ?.

Were the jumpers in place when you connect positive to red and negative to black ?

Regards,

Shadders.

 

[Al ears]

I believe your friend's advice to be correct. There is a good reason for doing it this way (I read it somewhere but am damned if I can find where).

I have had both my last pairs of speakers wired this way and even tried with negative cable to treble but could hear no discernable difference in sound doing it this way, so reverted back to the way you mention with negative to bass.

 

[Vizzage]

So is it red to treble, black to bass?

 

[Al ears]

So is it red to treble, black to bass?

Yes, that's the way I have mine wired.

 

[Bluezip82]

I have Kef Q700 speakers and ran both cables to the lower posts (bass) but was not happy with the sound. My local dealer suggested putting them both into the top posts and there was a slight improvement but I then did exactly what you have done ie red cable in the HF and black in the LF. The sound has improved noticeably, with more clarity, better bass and a bigger soundstage, no idea why it works but I am now rediscovering all my music again.

 

[Andrew Everard]

The reason for asking - do the speakers have separate crossovers for each driver - possibly the issue in the crossover design.

Biwirable speakers have a split crossover: when the jumpers are removed the two sections of the crossover are separated in electrical terms, and function independently.

 

[Lo Fi]

I have seen this wiring idea on the Chord Company website.
Positive to treble and negative to bass and of course jumpers but have not tried it yet myself, but will when I get new cables.

 

[Baldrick1]

So is it red to treble, black to bass?

Yes, that's the way I have mine wired.

Apologies, must have missed something. After putting Red to Treble & Black to Bass, where do the jumpers go?

 

[Vizzage]

As I understand it, the jumpers stay in. But you put red in the red treble hole and black in the black bass hole. And the theory is that somehow, although they're connected by a 1 inch bit of metal, so in electrical terms it's the same pole, it seems to sound better. Not sure I can tell the diff but from today onwards that's how I've got it wired so my guests can appreciate it.

 

[Baldrick1]

As I understand it, the jumpers stay in. But you put red in the red treble hole and black in the black bass hole. And the theory is that somehow, although they're connected by a 1 inch bit of metal, so in electrical terms it's the same pole, it seems to sound better. Not sure I can tell the diff but from today onwards that's how I've got it wired so my guests can appreciate it.

OK, I think I get it (instead of connecting both Red & Black to the LF (Bass) terminal pair the Red is connected to the HF (Treble) terminal with Black remaining where it is). But from what I have been reading elsewhere there is a suggestion that the "1 inch bit of metal" are replaced with short jumper cables made of the same cable as used for the speaker cables, i.e., linking RED HF & LF and Black HF & LF separately. Apparently this improves the sound even more?

 

[Anonymous]

One of the first things I did was to remove the metal jumper plates and replace with jumper cables made from the same speaker cable I use. I find the standard metal links are usually a very limiting factor.

 

[Vizzage]

Ah good! I'm selling my kef speakers on ebay and have lost one of the inch bits of metal and replaced it with high quality speaker wire! So I can charge more! thanks!

 

[Baldrick1]

One of the first things I did was to remove the metal jumper plates and replace with jumper cables made from the same speaker cable I use. I find the standard metal links are usually a very limiting factor.

Interesting...but in the case of the Q300s they do not have a metal jumper plate but a dial (per pair of terminals) that open and close a 'link' which I presume is an internal metal plate 'equivalent'. Most probably open the 'links' as if bi-wiring and then use jumper cables...just to see if there is a difference...and also try connecting Red to Treble & Black to Bass...again, just to see if there is a difference?

Could make for an interesting session.

Anyone else tried all of this yet on Q300s?

 

[DIB]

Over the years I've tried all these variations and these days just leave the supplied metal jumper links in.

.

 

[Al ears]

Ah good! I'm selling my kef speakers on ebay and have lost one of the inch bits of metal and replaced it with high quality speaker wire! So I can charge more! thanks!

............ or maybe not if they are Q35's

 

[Vizzage]

Incorrect, dude; the inch of speaker wire is worth more than the speakers, thank you (I got it from the door bell of my granny's house)

 

[Andrew Everard]

Incorrect, dude; the inch of speaker wire is worth more than the speakers, thank you (I got it from the door bell of my granny's house)

So now your poor grandmother doesn't know if there's someone at the door? How callous!

 

[hoopsontoast]

It should not make any difference which ones you plug the cable into. Do which ever looks nicer / satisfies your OCD :rofl:

 

[Al ears]

Incorrect, dude; the inch of speaker wire is worth more than the speakers, thank you (I got it from the door bell of my granny's house)

So now your poor grandmother doesn't know if there's someone at the door? How callous!

But she is now unlikely to be conned by double-glazing / tarmacing / insulation salesmen! Result!!

 

[shafesk]

As I understand it, the jumpers stay in. But you put red in the red treble hole and black in the black bass hole. And the theory is that somehow, although they're connected by a 1 inch bit of metal, so in electrical terms it's the same pole, it seems to sound better. Not sure I can tell the diff but from today onwards that's how I've got it wired so my guests can appreciate it.

OK, I think I get it (instead of connecting both Red & Black to the LF (Bass) terminal pair the Red is connected to the HF (Treble) terminal with Black remaining where it is). But from what I have been reading elsewhere there is a suggestion that the "1 inch bit of metal" are replaced with short jumper cables made of the same cable as used for the speaker cables, i.e., linking RED HF & LF and Black HF & LF separately. Apparently this improves the sound even more?

it does improve the sound greatly

 

[BigColz]

I think i'm going to have to buy some jumpers to try it out.. TQ blue terminated £25 delivered TQ Black terminated £85 delivered... As much as I want the matching jumpers I only payed £150 for 4 metres of the stuff!!!!!!! Will report back :cheers: