bi-wire cables on single binding post, sonic loss?


I am considering the purchase of a set of bi-wire cables although my speakers all have single wire binding posts (the cables on offer are just irresistibly priced). Since they are finished with spades, technically there should be no problem connecting them. Does anyone have experience whether I am likely to suffer sonic degradation or electric inconsistencies when recombining wires and piggy-backing spades, though? Thanks.
karelfd

Showing 3 responses by sugarbrie

I compared the exact same speaker cables (Blue Circle BC92 with Cardus spades), one bi-wire, the other single.
I could not tell the difference.
There is some confusion in the answers posted.
I am referring to identical cables; one pair with 2 spades on both ends; and another pair with 2 spades on one end and 4 spades on the other.

I just doubled up the spades on the same speaker terminal with the bi-wire pair. No audible difference.
.. KarelFD Quote: In doing so, I am not trying to achieve bi-wiring benefits with a speaker that sports a single wiring terminal. I'm aware that there can be no separation of the signal. (end Quote)

Using bi-wire cables on a speaker with one pair of terminals, does not give you bi-wire benefits.

On bi-wireable speakers the highs (tweeter) and low (woofer) terminals are completely separate inside and outside the speaker. If you only connected cables to one set of terminals, the other speaker driver would not operate; it is not getting any signal. Some manufacturers do it because there is sometimes a benefit in how the crossover works when the two speaker drivers are separate. There are actually Tri-wire 3-way speakers out there as well.

Some people goes as far as to customize the sound further by using different brand/type speaker cables on the higher and lower terminals on bi-wire speakers. Others don't care and just use the jumpers that come with the speakers, allowing you do use a regular pair of cables.