Bi wiring v single run w jumpers


Back when I worked in the audio biz speakers had one set of terminals. Now most have two sets for bi amping or biwiring Last I checked most people do not bi amp and not many bi wire. Also jumpers all sound different and if you use the top terminals it sounds different then the bottom. Also is the top running the tweetrer or the mid and tweeter? That is another variable HATE IT.

I have three choices here. The speaker really does not matter as I want to be consistant when compaing these 3 sets of speakers.

1) Analysis plus Oval 9 with jumpers
2) Analysis plus Oval 9 with the terminals inside the speaker between the high and low connected operates like a normal 2 terminal speaker
3) Analysis plus Oval 12 bi wire.
Thoughts?? Thanks
geph0007

Showing 3 responses by almarg

I agree with Michael (Swampwalker) and ZD. I would add that some of those 1,324,991.6666 answers would involve four separate sub-options within Options 1 and 2:

1)Connecting to the top terminals.
2)Connecting to the bottom terminals.
3)Connecting the + conductor to the top terminal and the - conductor to the bottom terminal. Some users here have actually reported that to be preferable to the previous two sub-options.
4)Connecting the - conductor to the top terminal and the + conductor to the bottom terminal. Ditto the second sentence of sub-option 3.

You may find this thread about biwiring and this one to be of interest. As I said therein:
02-07-12: Almarg
Having followed many prior threads that have addressed this question, I can say unequivocally that a clear consensus has emerged. That consensus can be stated as follows:

It may or may not make a difference. If it makes a difference, it may or may not be for the better.
:-)

Regards,
-- Al
This is one I see in pictures and am wondering what it really does??
If the connections are made to either the bottom two terminals or the top two terminals (as in sub-options 1 and 2), the current path between the amp and one section of the speaker would include two jumpers, while the current path between the amp and the other section of the speaker would include no jumpers.

If the connections are made to a diagonal pair of terminals (as in sub-options 3 and 4), the current path between the amp and each of the two sections of the speaker would include one jumper.

Assuming good contact integrity in all of those cases, and assuming that the length of the jumpers is minimal and that they are of decent quality, I can think of no reason why that difference between the two cases would result in sonics that are perceptibly different. But who knows?

Regards,
-- Al
02-03-15: Geph0007
OK let me ask this One run of AP Oval 9 with jumpers or bi wire (two runs) or Oval 12?
I suspect that "or Oval 12" was a typo, and should have been "of Oval 12." If so, consistent with what has been said above and in the other threads I linked to I would expect the answer to be speaker, system, and listener dependent, and essentially unpredictable.

Something to consider, though: Two paralleled 12 gauge wires have the same resistance as a single 9 gauge wire of the same length, so two paralleled runs of Oval 12 presumably have (to a very close approximation) the same resistance as a single run of Oval 9. And two runs of Oval 12, whether purchased as a biwire cable or as two individual cables, cost significantly less than a single run of Oval 9.

So it might therefore make sense to purchase the two runs of Oval 12, either as a biwire cable or as two individual cables, compare the resulting sonics with and without the jumpers in place, and go with whichever of those two connection arrangements sounds best. Without the jumpers you will have the 12 gauge biwire configuration you referred to. With the jumpers and the same cables you will have, at least in terms of resistance, the equivalent of a 9 gauge cable.
02-03-15: Jmcgrogan2
Not much to add to these three excellent answers. I would only question how Michael came up with two-thirds of an answer. ;^)
My guess is that Michael was envisioning that there would be an odd number of half-baked answers, plus one answer that is 1/6th baked. :-)

Regards,
-- Al