Question Did I connected my speakers right?

[El Puerco Volante]

Hello all,

I need help to understand if I connected my speakers correctly to the amp.

The speakers (b&w 603) have 4 attachment points for the wire each.

Let's start with the right speaker:

I've connected the black/red wire from the top pair of speaker connectors (marked HF) to the top R speaker connectors (marked A) on the amp (Advance Paris A10).

Then I connected the black/red wire from the low pair of speaker connectors (maker LF) to the low R speaker connectors (marked B) on the amp

The left speaker is wired in the same way.

I'm attaching the photos to hopefully make this clear.

It works.

But I'm not sure that this is the correct way ?

Big thanks in advance!

 

[Al ears]

If it works for you fine, however I would say no.
Amplifiers like that are designed to power two pairs of speakers and are best used that way.
You simply need to forget that wiring method, put back the links that should be fitted between those speaker binding posts and just use a single pair of speaker wires between speakers and Speaker A outputs on the amp.
Anything else is an unnecessary complication.
Also, as you can see, connecting speakers this way limits your choice of possible speakers you can use, i.e. 16ohm

 

[Gray]

Amplifiers like that are designed to power two pairs of speakers and are best used that way.

You're right about that of course Al.

But, funny enough, the only difference between his type of amp and one 'designed' for bi-wiring is the switches.
My Cyrus amp for example has two pairs of parallel-wired terminals.
His terminals are also parallel-wired (once the A and B switches are on).

That also means that the 16 ohm requirement doesn't apply in his case - because he's only, effectively, bi-wiring.

Again you're right that it's a complication - he only needed the single two core cable.
But he might as well double up on that now that he's got two runs (unless he's more bothered about tidy looks than I am).

 

[El Puerco Volante]

So then I did it right, even if not in the simplest way

Unless I didn't understood correctly some nuisances in the replies above - which is very well possible, since I'm far less knowledgeable then the rest of you guys!

Thanks!

 

[Gray]

So then I did it right, even if not in the simplest way

What you've done is bi-wired your amp to your speakers.

Your speakers were designed to cater for bi-wiring.
Your amp was designed to use the B pair of terminals to feed a second set of speakers (say, in another room).
But, as you've found, you can just as easily use it the way you have done.

The difference between you and most other bi-wirers, is that you can switch off either just the high or low frequencies from your amp's front panel....if you wanted to be silly🤪

 

[El Puerco Volante]

What you've done is bi-wired your amp to your speakers.

Your speakers were designed to cater for bi-wiring.
Your amp was designed to use the B pair of terminals to feed a second set of speakers (say, in another room).
But, as you've found, you can just as easily use it the way you have done.

The difference between you and most other bi-wirers, is that you can switch off either just the high or low frequencies from your amp's front panel....if you wanted to be silly🤪

I'm already silly enough, so I'll abstain myself from doing so

Thank you for clarification!

 

[Al ears]

I'm already silly enough, so I'll abstain myself from doing so

Thank you for clarification!

yes, you have overcomplicated matters but, as always, if it works for you then fine.
that's what it is all about.
to me keep it simple makes even more sense....

 

[My2Cents]

You have not bi wired your speakers, you have bi amped them. Totally different to bi wiring. By bi amping you are using one power amp to drive the HF and another amp to drive the LF.
Bi amping has pros and cons.
You may want to put the jumpers back and try using a conventional wiring set up to see which method gives you the most pleasing sound to your ears.

 

[El Puerco Volante]

You have not bi wired your speakers, you have bi amped them. Totally different to bi wiring. By bi amping you are using one power amp to drive the HF and another amp to drive the LF.
Bi amping has pros and cons.
You may want to put the jumpers back and try using a conventional wiring set up to see which method gives you the most pleasing sound to your ears.

Thank you. I've been reading a bit about this in last days and indeed though that I may have done that

Are we sure this is the case? I'm using only one amp, although one apparently designed to drive two pairs of speakers at same time. Now, as per my photos in this thread, I've used both connections to drive just one pair. Does this qualify as bi-amping?

Thanks again

 

[Gray]

You have not bi wired your speakers, you have bi amped them. Totally different to bi wiring.

He has bi-wired his speakers.
He has not bi-amped them.

 

[Gray]

I've used both connections to drive just one pair.

Yes you have.

Does this qualify as bi-amping?

No, you're correct, it does not.

 

[Rodolfo]

So then I did it right, even if not in the simplest way

Unless I didn't understood correctly some nuisances in the replies above - which is very well possible, since I'm far less knowledgeable then the rest of you guys!

Thanks!

Well, you're far more modest than many of us guys. And, before long, you'll learn that you're actually more knowledgeable than many of us guys!

 

[My2Cents]

Yes you have.

No, you're correct, it does not.

It appears to me that amp A 'right' is going to the HF terminals of the right speakers and amp B 'right' is going to the LF terminals.
This seems to be duplicated to the left speaker and he must therefore select speakers A & B as his outputs.
This is bi amping not bi wiring.
Bi wiring does not use 2 amplifiers, it just uses 2 to 4 speaker cable each side from one amps set of terminals.

 

[DougK1]

It appears to me that amp A 'right' is going to the HF terminals of the right speakers and amp B 'right' is going to the LF terminals.
This seems to be duplicated to the left speaker and he must therefore select speakers A & B as his outputs.
This is bi amping not bi wiring.
Bi wiring does not use 2 amplifiers, it just uses 2 to 4 speaker cable each side from one amps set of terminals.

It's one amp, how can you bi-amp with one amp?

 

[My2Cents]

It's one amp, how can you bi-amp with one amp?

It's a pre amp with 2 power amps (power amp A and power amp B) . They can be selected either separately (A or B) to drive 2 pairs speakers or together (A & B).
His amp A is driving the HF driver/s and amp B is driving the LF driver/s
If the speakers have well designed and well built crossovers it is usually totally pointless.

 

[DougK1]

It's a pre amp with 2 power amps (power amp A and power amp B) . They can be selected either separately (A or B) to drive 2 pairs speakers or together (A & B).
His amp A is driving the HF driver/s and amp B is driving the LF driver/s
If the speakers have well designed and well built crossovers it is usually totally pointless.

It says it's an integrated amp with a tube pre-amp? Can't see anything in the blurb that says it contains two power amps.

 

[My2Cents]

It says it's an integrated amp with a tube pre-amp? Can't see anything in the blurb that says it contains two power amps.

It is technically one power amp but it has 2 channels which can be used either individually or simultaneously, like most amps that have multiple speaker outs.

 

[DiggyGun]

As others have advised, put the speaker links back in and use one set of cables from Amp connection A. Perhaps with some better cable with banana plugs.

DG…

 

[El Puerco Volante]

Well, you're far more modest than many of us guys. And, before long, you'll learn that you're actually more knowledgeable than many of us guys!

Too kind I am honestly quite ignorant in the audiophile matters.

I just like music very, very much. And I also like all the technical appliances that produce music. I find a lot of pleasure to try the new ones, combine them together and think how I can improve my system

Probably naively, I often think about people and firms involved in the audiophile things as brothers sharing the same passion as mine. This creates a silly expectation in me, that this people will be happy to share and help each other.

And when it's not the case - like in my other thread, where Advance Paris and it's distributor are basically telling me to f*ck off with my issues - it makes me feel sad 😢

On the other end of the spectrum, people on this forum has been very kind and helpful and have made me feel exactly as in my silly expectation 🙂

Thanks to all !

 

[El Puerco Volante]

As others have advised, put the speaker links back in and use one set of cables from Amp connection A. Perhaps with some better cable with banana plugs.

DG…

I could. But the loudspeakers have 4 connections each. And the amplifier has 4 connections for each side. Looks like a marriage made in heaven 😁

 

[abacus]

The back of the amp says A or B speakers are rated at 4-16 ohms, A+B speakers are 8-16 ohms, which means it is a single amp with A and B connected in parallel when both are used together, therefore his speakers are Bi-Wired NOT Bi-amped.

Bill

 

[Gray]

It is technically one power amp but it has 2 channels which can be used either individually or simultaneously, like most amps that have multiple speaker outs.

The only '2 channels' his amp has are left and right.
Yes, the A and B terminals can be individually or simultaneously selected - but they are connected in parallel to the same, SINGLE amplifier output.

See Bill's post #21 above.
The impedance figures on the amp are the reason that we can all be 100% certain that he has bi-wired and not bi-amped 👍

 

[Al ears]

This is a bi-wiring setup, but what will it achieve sonically? I don't believe there are any benefits to bi-wiring, but I'm open to suggestions.

I think we have agreed that it's biwired.
Sonically, nothing in my opinion, only complications and I wouldn't be doing it even if my speakers were nominally 8 ohm.

 

[Gray]

This is a bi-wiring setup, but what will it achieve sonically? I don't believe there are any benefits to bi-wiring and I'm open to suggestions.

Most people here will tell you there's no benefit - whether or not they've actually tried it.

I'm as anti- snake oil as the next person and of course QED has a vested interest.
But, in conjunction with Q Acoustics, they produced a guide to explain.
(It's been linked to a few times on this forum).
Unlike other BS 'science' (bottleneck distortion......come on down) if you read and follow what they say - the technicalities are not only plausible, but, electrically quite likely.
If you can find that, it's worth a read.

I'm not saying bi-wiring is a good idea - but I am saying that, if you follow what they say, the theory has merit.....but if it actually translated to audible benefit, more people would have discovered the benefit.

 

[Gray]

I think we have agreed that it's biwired.

It is.
Seems to me the OP saw 4 terminals on the speakers and amp - and merely used them all.
I don't think he was seeking the 'benefit' of bi-wiring.....and, let's face it, that's just as well 😉

I wouldn't be doing it even if my speakers were nominally 8 ohm.

The impedance of your speakers isn't relevant to bi-wiring Al.
(But I'm sure you won't be doing it anyway 👍)