Bi-Wiring, Part 1: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒅

Great video! The only slight difference in single vs biwiring is cable impedance which is negligible lF Your using a sufficient gauge.

Working for 52 years in the audio industry (with an MSEE degree) I always said that it should be spelled BUY-WIRE.

Switching between hobbies I learned: Every hobby has it's own bogus myth. From photography to cycling to hiking to hifi audio. This is one.

Well, I have to also add my two cents to this discussion. Up until recently, I had the same conclusion as you on Bi-wiring. I am 70 and been in and around the music/sound/retail/manufacturing industries since I was in my early 20's and also a multi-instrument Musician. At one time I even went the route of TRI-amping with three amps, a high quality electronic crossover and direct runs to woof/mid/tweets. I then paired it all down, back to one amp to passive X-overs in the speakers. I have spent many years supporting your conclusion until recently. I just bought and had recapped a "Classic" Adcom 5802 with power MOSFETs and also own Polk LSiM 705 speakers. My whole system is of high quality and I have built it for High Definition, but for this discussion, from the power amp out to the speakers is all that is relevant. Since the POLKs and the Adcom both have Dual / Dual binding posts for each channel, I thought I would try wiring them Bi-wire configuration using Audioquest HD speaker runs that I already owned from my Tri-amp days. It made a tremendous difference! I then went back and cut down the runs of the wiring to just what I needed, keeping ALL runs equal in length. That made even a LARGER DIFFERENCE! I was amazed at the detail of the it all; transparency, depth of field, imaging and defined and tight bass! All I can say in conclusion is this: This method DOES alter the ELECTRICAL characteristics from what I had had previously (which is why I detailed what I had previously), as it reduces total impedance and alters both capacitance and induction to the speakers. I no longer have the equipment to measure it all, but it REALLY made a THEMENDUS IMPROVEMENT to MY system....and I was NOT a believer for all of these years. I did it and it worked, guess I am from Missouri, the SHOW ME state!!! THANKS

My speakers are powered through 14 AWG 41/30 stranded wire so that the signal can split itself up into 41 separate segments of the frequency range and each one of those take its own dedicated path from the amp to the cabinet. The sound is AMAZING!!!!!!!! The clarity is so pronounced that I can hear when a kazoo needs to be re-tuned.

A number of years ago I swaped my bi-wire cables for single wire and could not tell the difference apart from keeping the wife happy as less cable crossing the floor.

Děkuji To mi otevřelo oči. Ve vašem vysvětlení je to vlasně logické jen mi to potvrdilo co jsem si už dávno myslel. 👍👍👍

As a professional loudspeaker engineer it’s refreshing to hear someone debunking the myth about biwiring instead of gushing nonsense about sound improvements. Biamping is different but comes with it’s own set of difficulties including level matching, internal phase issues, differences between amps of things like slew rates and output impedance etc etc . Simple advice for hifi enthusiast? Use one amp or better still one pair of monos with their own power supplies. Always use an amp with more than enough headroom to swing current demands of the loudspeaker being driven. Nothing more or netter is needed. Many people use amps which can be marginal when power demands pick up or the classic one us ysing fashionable single ended amps with little or no feedback so have no bass control through lack of damping factor. No amount of power in a SET amp can overcome low damping factor since it is related purely to damping factor.

I appreciated your complete and honest explanations! Thank you!

Really good explanation. Thanks for your work on this. I do bi-amp and I do hear a difference, but my 2nd system (with an integrated) is now only 'normally' wired.

I'm going back around 20 years ago when Technics amplifier died. I had around a £500 budget to replaced my previous amp, so I started some research. I arranged an appointment with my then local store Audio Excellence In Cardiff south wales UK. During my visit I did learn about Bi amping, and Bi Wireing. A week later I was sold on the idea, and subsequently exceeded my budget into several thousands of pounds. I purchased 1x pre amp, and 4 power amps, all Rotel. As well as the amps I also purchased a pair of Bowers and Wilkins 704s. I still have all of these components today and the system is still sounding awesome, with no issues whatsoever. I think my only complaint was that the system really needs to be driven at quite high volume to get that bass I require. The bass issue was overcome by the purchase of a Sunfire 1000w subwoofer. The system now has around 1780 watts in all, that has never been pushed passed the 12 o clock position. This system does really give you that experience of a live, full on rock act with clarity, and eye vibrating bass. I have often wondered if I could have achieved this with 2 power amps, one running each speaker, and if anything would be compromised at all ????????
Nevertheless, I hope my system will continue to give me many more years of weekend music experiences that I very much enjoy. Great video.

Thank you so much. Have a pair of speakers that have the bi wiring option and thought I was missing out on a better' sound output. Your informative video has set the record straight.

Thank you for this explanation. The hifi market can be quite a minefield for us consumers! Especially, for those of us who are not engineers and experts.

Very interesting points made in your video. Enjoyed it!
I remember reading several articles back in the day on this. And I came to many of the same conclusions about bi-wiring. And my speakers are actually capable of tri-wiring and a LFE input. The thing I would be somewhat sold on would be bi-wiring with different wire for each range, low, mid and high. This was said to create better sound through each range depending on the impedance of the wire used and at lest one company had done the research and had several types of wire labeled for each range. I could kinda see this but decided the incremental sound changes would not be that obvious to someone who attended loud R&R concerts and wore a headset on the job sacrificing one ear to all sorts of input throughout a lifetime. Better to spend my money on room treatment, better amplification and strippers 🤔…. Er, better TV.
Now bi-AMPING I can get behind because of the potential power that could be dedicated to each range. And many speakers are said to really open up when truly worked or given the opportunity to ‘breathe’ with more power. But again, I’m not sure the sonic benefits would be audible except for louder sound.
Thanks for the informative video!

Thanks for the simple and effective method for demonstrating Norton's and Thévenin's theorems. The fact that so many people actually "buy-wire" their speakers clearly shows many things: the importance of cognitive bias is grossly underestimated; most audiophiles are extremely gullible; there is a good reason why audio gurus vigorously reject blind ABX comparisons. High End HiFi has a lot more to do with religion than science, and audiophiles prove it every day.

I own a ton of Sonus Faber. I have the entire Home Collection. So great; just single binding posts. Franco Serblin believed more in listening to the changes that can be made to your crossover. I heard or read years back, that his earlier designs had bi-wire option because if he didn’t do it, his speakers would not sell. The Home series, the Cremona and others before he sold the company were ALL single binding posts. Then, the new managers brought back bi-wiring. He started another speaker company; Franco Serblin, all single binding posts. He passed in 2013. His son (in-law) runs the company now. Single binding posts. I have just picked up a pair abused SF Concerto Grand Piano. So beat up and you can longer find the drivers. Going to change some stuff but might just change the terminal cup to single. Hopefully Mr Serblin will not be upset with me from heaven.

Edit: I was really surprised to see the CONCERTO GPS at the end of your video; Confirmed my post as well. One of my pair is missing the tweeter and woofer ( luckily the passives are there). I played some Beach Boys in mono. Holy smokes. Such a balanced speaker. I really would like to get those marble bases.

Thank you sir, now I finally understand better.

Thank you for helping to keep the wisdom of Peter Aczel (The Audio Critic) alive. Best audio mag ever!

Brilliant video. This makes so much sense, cause from the set up the cross over is still in play even when bi-wired. And bi-wiring is useless without a cross over in place. Kind of circular reasoning.

Gracias estimado por tu trabajo y tu tiempo. Muy interesante y didáctico el video. Gracias!!! Saludos cordiales.