Single or Biwire - Advice Please.

[admin_exported]

Currently using Arcam CD 17, Arcam Delta 290 and Kef IQ 70 speakers.

Having recently purchased a couple of new items for my system I believe my speaker cable is a definate weak link.

As a result of a house move some years ago I left some reasonable QED speaker cable in the old house as it would have been too difficult to remove.

On setting up the system in the new house I just bought some cheap nondescript 42 strand cable intending to replace it in the fullness of time.

The 42 strand is biwired to the speakers. I've always done this as I seem to recall some 10 to 15yrs ago this was the general advice being given.

I have no intention of biamping the system any time soon and wonder whether there is any benefit to be gained by biwiring or would I be better off spending more on a better quality single run.

If so what would be the popular choice. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but something proportionate to the value of the system which allows me to get the best out of it.

Thanks , Darrell

 

[Anonymous]

Buy-wire IMHO

 

[d_a_n1979]

I have ran single wire and bi-wire in the past as well as bi-amping speakers etc...

I'm currently running bi-wire to both my CM5 and 685 speakers but in a 2-4 formation (i.e. 2 cables from the amp feeding all 4 connections on the speakers)

I have found that this is a good way to get in between the single wiring/bi-wiring escapades etc...

If you do use a single run of cable the best advice I can give is either get some decent speaker cable jumper cables (i.e. Chord) OR use an extra run of cable to connect the HF to the LF and remove the cheap speaker cable jumper bars that come with all bi-wireable/bi-ampable speakers

 

[shreddedmeat]

I'd agree with dan1979. I hooked up with QED Silver Anniversary XT bi-wire today (4 cables running from amp), and although relatively cheap, IMO it's by far the most effective upgrade I've made - that includes new speaker/amp combos.

 

[SteveR750]

Here is one vote from the anti-cable selling brigade. Better off IME with one better run than two cheap ones, in fact better off with one cheap run than two cheap ones, it's not like its night and day after all. Seriously, if you think cables and ICs have as big a difference as the components, then something is very wrong with your component matching. Cables in my experience will simply fine tune your sound.

 

[Frank Harvey]

I usually recommend a single better run than two cheaper ones.

 

[Craig M.]

SteveR750:Here is one vote from the anti-cable selling brigade. Better off IME with one better run than two cheap ones, in fact better off with one cheap run than two cheap ones, it's not like its night and day after all. Seriously, if you think cables and ICs have as big a difference as the components, then something is very wrong with your component matching. Cables in my experience will simply fine tune your sound.

spot on!

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Darrell G:
Currently using Arcam CD 17, Arcam Delta 290 and Kef IQ 70 speakers.

Having recently purchased a couple of new items for my system I believe my speaker cable is a definate weak link.

As a result of a house move some years ago I left some reasonable QED speaker cable in the old house as it would have been too difficult to remove.

On setting up the system in the new house I just bought some cheap nondescript 42 strand cable intending to replace it in the fullness of time.

The 42 strand is biwired to the speakers. I've always done this as I seem to recall some 10 to 15yrs ago this was the general advice being given.

I have no intention of biamping the system any time soon and wonder whether there is any benefit to be gained by biwiring or would I be better off spending more on a better quality single run.

If so what would be the popular choice. I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but something proportionate to the value of the system which allows me to get the best out of it.

Thanks , Darrell

Hi Darrell

I will recommend single wiring with generic speaker cable (at least 79 strand though). This should do the trick nicely.

Btw, the Delta 290 is a good amplifier.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[mitch65]

I use Chord Odyssey 4 in a single wire configuration, For some reason it just sounds better this way (go figure)

 

[Anonymous]

I would demo first. Bi wiring can make a small difference but in my experience its often no noticeable difference or its so small its hard to tell if it really is making a difference. I would definitely choose one run of superior cable over 2 runs of cheaper though.That's a no brainer.

 

[Dan Turner]

Another vote based on experience for a single run of better quality cable