Bi-wiring
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Bi-wiring is a means of connecting a loudspeaker to an audio amplifier, primarily used in Hi-fi systems. Normally, a single cable (two conductors) runs from the amplifier output to the terminals at the loudspeaker housing. From this point, connections are made to the loudspeaker drivers — most often through crossover networks. In bi-wiring, two cables are run from the amplifier output to the speaker cabinet — one for the high frequency or tweeter driver and one for the low frequency driver (through two separate crossover networks). The advantage of this is that there is less interaction between high and low frequency signals, as the two crossovers are electrically separated by the two lengths of speaker cable.
Opponents of bi-wiring argue that these two ways of making speaker connections are electrically equivalent. This has led some to sarcastically refer to the practice as "buy-wiring", implying it is nothing more than a marketing gimmick for expensive speaker wire.[1] However, there are many people in the Hi-Fi community who fully accept that Bi-wiring brings an audible improvement over standard single cabling. Bi-wiring should not be confused with the Hi-Fi practice of Bi-amping, which brings even better separation of signal frequencies.
[edit] References
- ^ Peter Aczel (Fall 2000). The Ten Biggest Lies in Audio. The Audio Critic. http://www.theaudiocritic.com/downloads/article_1.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
