Speaker Cables (but not what you think)

[LowFeller]

Hi

WARNING: I SUSPECT THIS MIGHT BE A REALLY DUMB QUESTION (so please be patient with me - I'm asking from a place of ignorance)

I recently bought a pair of PMC GB1i's (which I've hooked up to my Arcam A32 and CD192).

This system sounds great but I'd like to replace ancient and flimsy 20 year old speaker cables with Van Damme PC-OFC 4mm cables (shotgun) which I bought recently.

Can I run the speaker cable from the amp through the bottom pair of speaker terminals (tighened onto a patch of bare cable) and then on through the top pair (again gripping on to bare cable)?

To my simple logic, this means I dont need to buy plugs, run two sets of cables or use jumper cables and will have bi-wired the speakers.

Am I missing something here?

Is there a reason why this is not a good idea and if not, why doesn't everyone do it?

Or is it the case that the signal going to the top pair will have deteriorated in some way?

(Like I said - I have no idea what I'm talking about!)

Anyone put me straight with this or do I just need to bite the bullet and buy jumper cables?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[The_Lhc]

You can do that but it'll be exactly the same as just leaving the links in place between the two sets of speaker terminals. Electrically identical, so there isn't much point really.

 

[chebby]

Just get your friendly local dealer or electrician to solder on some banana plugs and use the bridges that are (presumably) supplied with your speakers instead of jumpers.

 

[andyjm]

Can I run the speaker cable from the amp through the bottom pair of speaker terminals (tighened onto a patch of bare cable) and then on through the top pair (again gripping on to bare cable)?

To my simple logic, this means I dont need to buy plugs, run two sets of cables or use jumper cables and will have bi-wired the speakers.

No dumb questions, only dumb answers.

Do what you suggest, use jumper cable, or use the flat metal links (if you have them). The result will be the same.

This won't be 'biwiring' however, which involves running separate cables back to the amp for each set of terminals on the speaker. Biwiring has no merit I have ever been able to figure out except perhaps for the cable seller as it involves twice the amount of cable.

 

[EvPa]

All those connection "issues" would be easilly solved if manufacturers started implementing things like speakON connectors (which is not easy due to everyone being used to the current way of connecting speakers to amplifiers).

Depending on the number of poles you can even quand-amp with a single cable!

 

[LowFeller]

I've lurked on this forum on and off for years and am very grateful for the info I've picked up by browsing here and also when people have responded to direct questions. Thanks for your replies guys; very helpful.

I've managed to buy a fantastic sounding system for a fraction of the RRP by buying scond hand, discontinued kit which crucially has excellent synergy and works well in my living room. Absolutely loving llistening to music on my system now - its taken me 10 years to get to this point and I am chuffed with it.

Thanks