2. tech-talk
  3. 980081091

Running bi-wire cables backwards OK?

I own a pair of Cardas Golden Cross bi-wire speaker cables. (Just to be sure there is no confusion, this is not two separate runs of GC cable, but a single run of cable with a factory split and 4 separate terminations at the speaker end to provide a +/- pair of sub-cables for the LF/bass & and a +/- pair of sub-cables for the HF binding posts.) I just bought a new pair of speakers (Khorus) with bottom-mounted binding posts which are not bi-wirable and will not take both positive spades on the speaker's + binding post, and likewise for the negative spades. However, if I turn the cable around, I can hook both positive spades to the same + terminal on my amp and, likewise for the negative spades. This leaves a single pair of +/- spades to connect to the speaker posts. Seems like this should work. I have not powered up in this configuration yet (only testing out my wiring options right now). Does anyone know if there is any potential drawback, problem, or risk associated with running bi-wire speaker cables backwards like this? I don't think it should matter, but I want to be sure. I know some cables are directional and purportedly sound worse (or different) if run backwarks, but I don't know if this is the case on the Cardas GC. Does anyone know if the GCs are strongly directional? Also, the LF wire coming out of the split bi-wire end is slightly shorter than the HF wire. Accordingly, there would be a very (very) slight difference in impedance between LF strands and HF strands over the full run of each cable (4m). I suspect this would not cause any problem for the amp (can't see why it would), but again, I want to be sure. Anybody see any potential problem with this scheme? I am fond of the GCs and don't want to swap them out, modify them, or have to pay the relatively high fee for reterminating them to single-wire. Any sound advice will be greatly appreciated. Don
djjdf41c
dkuipers
64 posts
 
Yes, directionality for speaker cables is silly, but for interconnects there is an issue. It has nothing to do the wire, but it does matter wrt grounding issues. Most interconnects are grounded only at one end. Depending on the source and load components, the cables MAY, but not necessarily WILL, sound different depending on which end you use the cables that have the ground. It's no big deal though; just try them both directions and stick with the one you like.
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
I would read the information at Vansevers.com on direction current flow.
djjdf41c OP
9 posts
 
Thanks for the info everyone. I'll give it a try running the cables reversed. Don
mgottlieb
334 posts
 
Actually, I asked Cardas this very question regarding a bi-wired pair of Cardas Golden Reference cables. Colleen Cardas told me that it did not matter which direction their Golden Reference and Golden Cross cables were hooked up in, but that those cables would require the same amount of break-in as when they were new, as the different direction of flow would cause the cables to act as if they were new. I never actually did it because I made other system changes; but she insisted that this bi-directionality applied only to their Golden Reference and Golden Cross cables, not to their less expensive cables. Take all of that for whatever you want.
mgs
67 posts
 
To everyone: How does the above-mentioned "directionality" apply for cables w/ network boxes, i.e., the MIT Terminators and Transparent cables? Could I do the same (reverse the direction) of my T2s? Thanks in advance for the advice!
More to discover