This configuration is difficult with the Iconoclasts spade terminated without some contortions.
I tried a 2nd run of identical TPC but there simply wasn’t enough difference to me to warrant the spend nor the hassle of managing two cables.
If manufacturers truly believed running the whole speaker system on one set of input terminals the would only install a single set. It would save them money and
Elimiate the need for jumpers.
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You need to separate the two current paths at the amplifier with the two hots together and the two minus together. Cross-over (impedance if you will), will separate the two current paths TO THE SPEAKER, and wire the speaker ends at the two posts completely separate from each other (picture).
This forces the back EMF to go back towards the AMP on the woofer cable, and not the tweeter section cable. And, the cross-over separates the current paths at the amp end to each driver section. You do need two speaker cables. The far end of the picture are in parallel at the amplifier terminals.
Best,
Galen Gareis
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Thanks, right, understood. I apologize for not being more clear, I was asking what does this configuration achieve, if anything?
This method just makes sure the treble sees the INITIAL signal from the mains cable, lowering a connection (the shorting jumper). The bass doesn’t see the jumper as much, they say, so it can be powered through the jumper wire.
But the CURRENT in the bass section is far higher than the treble, so the AWG of the jumper is important to be at least a 10 AWG to avoid modulating the signal with the impedance of the speaker. The smaller sized wire shown is not the greatest idea.
This isn’t true bi-wire, it just mitigates the effects of the jumper between the bass and treble section. If the jumper is too small, you are better off with them feeding the treble, not the bass section, to avoid signal modulation.
Best,
Galen Gareis
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Galen if you could would you post a price for your jumpers. I have the TPC speaker cables and i am using cardas jumpers. See the picture of my current setup.
Thanks
David
This is why I compress my bare stranded wires directly underneath the compression nut of the terminals.
Bananas, spades, especially those that are mounted on handy universal interchangeable systems, whether silver plated or gold plated or whatever shiny alloy: they look cool make it easy to connect but don’t contribute to better sound. They introduce extra connection resistances and if you are unlucky unwanted DC voltages, as different alloys connected together may generate minute DC voltages, like for example thermocouple wires do.
Nice and clean. You need patience and probably some practice in cable termination, I admit. I bi-amp, thus bi-wire.
With some cables like the seemingly excellent Nordost you can’t connect them directly. In that case, the best are directly cold welded (compression/crimp connected) spades or bananas, put a red or blue or black heat shrink around it for easy polarity recognition and superb electrical insulation and there you go.
I would avoid any unnecessary connection and stay away from the shiny modular multi connection resistance parts.
KISS Keep It Simple St…d.
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Give Bob Howard a call…I just finished up the design on the jumpers based on the sonic weld tech with the locking banana. No proces yet…we’re on the wave, though!
Best,
Galen Gareis
The is a completely different way to bi-wire than I was familiar with. Not sure if this is just something Synergistic Research does or not, but after talking with Andy at SR, he said based on their tests, and listening evaluations, their IFT method of bi-wiring is superior to two separate shotgun runs. Interesting.
Gary,
The Vp non linearity through passive cables in the audio band won’t allow phase correct performance in any cable on this earth. The math, and the test results will confirm this. If you flatten the Vp (and in turn improve the phase) the capacitance and or resistance factors will go through the roof and add a LOT of reactive loading on the amplifier.
Have the cable’s impedance tested through the audio band. Is it ruler flat impedance? No, it won’t be and neither will the phase response be flat with respect to frequency. In passive cable it can’t be. It is a compromise to keep the amp happy yet lower Vp differential with respect to frequency by balancing resistance and capacitance. You can not eliminate it. Even with AIR as a dielectric the Vp drops with frequency. And, as the frequency drops the dielectric is less and less important right where the non-linearity slope is the worst showing that dielectric showman’s ship isn’t going to be a total answer. As a matter of fact, INCREASING the “C” improves PHASE and this requires a WORSE dielectric! It is all stuck in the math.
As far as currents go, absolutely the woofer will consume 4/5 th the power from the amplifier, as it should. The purpose of bi-wire is to remove the bulk of the IM distortion out of the mid frequencies where the ear is most sensitive. Way low and way high the ear loses sensitivity to IM distortion. Removing MOST of the frequency data to the lower, and less audible, spectrum is exactly WHY you bi wire the mid / tweeter separate as fewer frequencies “add” and create beat frequencies that are the hallmark of what IM distortion is. The current level has little to do with it, it is the SPECTRAL frequency content that creates IM, not the current level. Separate the majority of the frequencies where you can hear them, and keep fewer where you can is the trick that makes bi-wire work.
Back EMF into the amp is also important, but is less so with modern amps than it used to be. Bi-wire makes the back EMF travel back to the amp terminals, and then it has to go through the mid/tweeter terminals to reach the speaker. But, the mid / tweeter is a high impedance path to the lower frequency back EMF…so it stays isolated. The mid/tweeter cross-over is an “open” to the woofer section back EMF.
Show me the impedance sweep through the audio band and that will tell you the truth. No one needs to be involved except the physics.
Best,
Galen Gareis
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Replacing Siltech LS2-90 speaker cables with the Crystalspeak Reference Diamond raises the sound quality to an absolute higher level with sublime tonal balance and synergy. Just simply AWESOME !!!
It’s freaking unbelievable what these thin cables are capable of…
I’m a really simple, basic even kinda guy.
Decided to bi-wire my speakers and DIYed a simple combination of materials with durability and sturdiness in mind. Hopefully appealing looks too.
Started with a basic electrical conductor from Germany’s Lapp Kabel. Shielding as you can see is excellent and beyond the ‘silver’ there’s a thick transparent cover which helps quite a bit.
Turned out very nice. Aesthetically pleasing, good SQ and sturdy enough to deal with our cleaning lady (think of her as a mix of Susan Boyle and the Hulk, with a broom) when she’s around.
Have had these for years now and it just works very nicely.
I was thinking ‘poor you’ but actually I should have thought ‘poor her’!
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