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Gear / Technical Help => Cables => Topic started by: ts on June 06, 2019, 11:09:55 AM

Title: Speaker bi wire question.
Post by: ts on June 06, 2019, 11:09:55 AM
Probably a stupid question. I just picked up a pair of bi wire speaker cables. Besides the question of whether or not there is any difference, I noticed that some manufacturers label the bi wire ends. Hi and lo or bass and treble. I’m assuming this is a guideline as to where to plug the four wires in on the speaker. Bass on the bottom terminals. Does it really matter? I ask because I just purchased a pair of moderately price cables with good construction for a good price but the speaker ends are not marked like say the Monster brand. So just wondering.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: twatts (pants are so over-rated...) on June 06, 2019, 11:10:38 AM
Copper is copper...

(https://mniec.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/snake-oil-cable-10.jpg?w=700)

Terry
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: noahbickart on June 06, 2019, 01:43:35 PM
Unless the manufacturer has figured out how to defy the laws of physics, no.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: heathen on June 06, 2019, 02:36:59 PM
Maybe they do it just to help someone keep track of which they have plugged in to whatever amp?  Kinda' like how cables usually have a red mark on one plug and black/none on the other...that doesn't mean red has to be put on any particular side, but it helps you keep track.

Or maybe it's just more cable snake oil.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: twatts (pants are so over-rated...) on June 06, 2019, 03:53:45 PM
https://www.doitbest.com/products/400343 (https://www.doitbest.com/products/400343)
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: lsd2525 on June 06, 2019, 04:13:18 PM
https://www.doitbest.com/products/400343 (https://www.doitbest.com/products/400343)

My speaker wires could use a clean fresh smell
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: adrianf74 on June 06, 2019, 04:59:36 PM
https://www.doitbest.com/products/400343 (https://www.doitbest.com/products/400343)

Just ordered three.   Thanks for the heads up.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: ts on June 07, 2019, 09:46:23 AM
Maybe I didn't ask the question properly. Please see images. The Monster cable speaker ends are clearly marked. The brand I bought is blank.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: heathen on June 07, 2019, 10:02:17 AM
Is this a situation where bi-wiring is just optional rather than required?  If so maybe just use normal wiring to avoid any confusion.

(To be clear, I'm not trying to say anything about the merits of bi-wiring from a sound perspective...I'm just looking at this in terms of convenience.)
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: Craig T on June 07, 2019, 02:56:49 PM
You are merely replacing the jumper at the speaker terminals with a full length of wire from your amp terminals.  You have a single (+) at amp end and a pair of (+) at the speaker end.  It doesn't matter which (+) you attach to the high or low (+) at the speaker side.  Same goes for the (-) ends.  No labels required unless you want to be sure to connect them the same way every time.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: ts on June 07, 2019, 05:42:00 PM
You are merely replacing the jumper at the speaker terminals with a full length of wire from your amp terminals.  You have a single (+) at amp end and a pair of (+) at the speaker end.  It doesn't matter which (+) you attach to the high or low (+) at the speaker side.  Same goes for the (-) ends.  No labels required unless you want to be sure to connect them the same way every time.

Thanks. That’s the answer I was looking for.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: Walstib62 on June 08, 2019, 10:59:07 PM
Maybe they do it just to help someone keep track of which they have plugged in to whatever amp?  Kinda' like how cables usually have a red mark on one plug and black/none on the other...that doesn't mean red has to be put on any particular side, but it helps you keep track.

Or maybe it's just more cable snake oil.

It does matter. Audio signals are pulsating DC, so the black and red wires are polarity sensitive.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: Walstib62 on June 08, 2019, 11:03:11 PM
Maybe I didn't ask the question properly. Please see images. The Monster cable speaker ends are clearly marked. The brand I bought is blank.

The Monster cable is for a bi-amp configuration. The other set is a splitter. Keep in mind that the split end has a smaller wire gauge than the other end. It's probably fine, depending on the amp/speaker specs. I would cover the unused banana plugs with heatshrink so that it does not make contact with anything conductive.
Title: Re: Speaker wire question.
Post by: ts on June 09, 2019, 11:36:50 AM
Maybe I didn't ask the question properly. Please see images. The Monster cable speaker ends are clearly marked. The brand I bought is blank.

The Monster cable is for a bi-amp configuration. The other set is a splitter. Keep in mind that the split end has a smaller wire gauge than the other end. It's probably fine, depending on the amp/speaker specs. I would cover the unused banana plugs with heatshrink so that it does not make contact with anything conductive.

Thanks for pointing that out about the Monster brand. For my cables (those in the other picture) I’m using all four ends on the speaker side. That’s my original question, that Craig T has answered. It doesn’t matter in my application as long as red goes to red and black to black.
Title: Re: Speaker bi wire question.
Post by: mfrench on June 10, 2019, 12:06:51 AM
Maybe they do it just to help someone keep track of which they have plugged in to whatever amp?  Kinda' like how cables usually have a red mark on one plug and black/none on the other...that doesn't mean red has to be put on any particular side, but it helps you keep track.

Or maybe it's just more cable snake oil.

It does matter. Audio signals are pulsating DC, so the black and red wires are polarity sensitive.

Audio is AC, not DC.