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#148755 - 10/04/06 09:59 PM Speaker wire lengths
Shaken Offline
newbie

Registered: 10/04/06
Posts: 4
I'm going to bi-wire my m80's should the wires all be of uniform length. One side could be much shorter but should I crop all wires to the same length and coil the excess? Think I read sometime ago fronts should be same length and rears the same as well. Is this just bunk or is there merit to the notion? Thanks Again for input.
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M-80's VP-150 QS-8's EP350 Arcam AVR 350 Arcam DV 137 Samsung HL-S 5087

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#148756 - 10/04/06 10:14 PM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: Shaken]
Ajax Online   content
axiomite

Registered: 12/30/03
Posts: 6134
Loc: Cleveland, Ohio
I have always cut my wires to the length needed to comfortably reach the speakers with a little slack to boot. They are all differing lengths, and I have never had a problem or noticed any difference in the sound of the speakers. YMMV.
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Jack

"People generally quarrel because they cannot argue." - G. K. Chesterton

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#148757 - 10/04/06 10:21 PM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: Shaken]
Ken.C Online   content
shareholder in the making

Registered: 05/03/03
Posts: 17371
Loc: NoVA
The speed of light is pretty remarkably fast. You won't notice a difference over 1 foot, 10 feet, or 50 feet. You should also read this article before spending all that dough on biwiring. Or expensive cabling. BTW, this article doesn't just apply to Ultralink In Wall cabling...
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#148758 - 10/04/06 10:39 PM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: Shaken]
JohnK Offline
axiomite

Registered: 05/11/02
Posts: 9976
Shake, welcome. Both biwiring and taking special pains to make speaker wires equal in length are bunk. The electromagnetic wave traveling down the outside of the wire which carries the power to the speaker travels at nearly the speed of light and it would take a difference of many miles for there to be an audible timing variance between the speakers. For a good summary by a veteran audio professional on speaker wire in general and a table of suggested lengths and gauges see this .
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Enjoy the music, not the equipment.



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#148759 - 10/04/06 10:43 PM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: JohnK]
PorterPlex Online   shocked
shareholder in the making

Registered: 01/29/04
Posts: 13147
Loc: Iowa
Darn, John beat me to the punch.

I would really like to understand why you think you need to worry about biwiring anyway?
_________________________
M80s-VP180-QS8s-EP600-2xEP350 Denon3808 Outlaw7700
M22-OWM22-VP100-Denon2805
Audio Nirvana

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#148760 - 10/05/06 01:03 AM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: PorterPlex]
Shaken Offline
newbie

Registered: 10/04/06
Posts: 4
Thanks folks. Why Bi-wire? Simple I have 7.1 capability and only 5.1 at the moment so I just wanted to play. Reciever manual talks about how to bi-wire so why not?
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M-80's VP-150 QS-8's EP350 Arcam AVR 350 Arcam DV 137 Samsung HL-S 5087

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#148761 - 10/05/06 01:14 AM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: Shaken]
Ken.C Online   content
shareholder in the making

Registered: 05/03/03
Posts: 17371
Loc: NoVA
Ah. That's bi-amping. Which is a slightly different beast, but still not particularly useful.
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#148762 - 10/05/06 07:32 AM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: Ken.C]
Wid Offline
axiomite

Registered: 06/22/03
Posts: 6691
Loc: The Peoples Republic of Il.

It not even true bi amping, there will be no gain in sound and or performance with such a set up.
_________________________
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"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." Sigmund Freud


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#148763 - 10/05/06 07:27 PM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: Shaken]
PorterPlex Online   shocked
shareholder in the making

Registered: 01/29/04
Posts: 13147
Loc: Iowa
What does 5.1 or 7.1 surround have to do with bi-wiring, I think your confused on what bi-wiring and/or bi-amping is all about.

This is a good introduction by Alan from Axiom. If you read the entire article you will see that some 12 gauge wire by itself will do just fine. It appears that lab tests have also shown very little difference if any.

http://www.axiomaudio.com/tips_biwiring_and_biamping.html
_________________________
M80s-VP180-QS8s-EP600-2xEP350 Denon3808 Outlaw7700
M22-OWM22-VP100-Denon2805
Audio Nirvana

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#148764 - 10/05/06 07:35 PM Re: Speaker wire lengths [Re: PorterPlex]
Ken.C Online   content
shareholder in the making

Registered: 05/03/03
Posts: 17371
Loc: NoVA
Denons have the ability to use the unused surround amps to do biamping to the front channels.
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