z5500's or custom?

Soldato
Joined
17 Dec 2004
Posts
8,700
Ah,,,,,, so thats bi-wiring, just connecting 2 wires to the same terminal.. Whats the benefits of this?? I can only see a negative point in doing this, and thats you need double the speaker cable length.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
Bi-wiring, none really. As the terminals are joined within the amplifier, whether 2 sets of wires are used to the speakers, or just 1 set and joining the H and L posts on the speakers with either speaker wire or a bridge, the outcome is the same. But, that is different to b-amping, which is what Greebo was mentioning, an amp for the woofers and an amp for the tweeter. As each amp is only handling one or the other, theoretically, the sound should be cleaner and better defined.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
Actually, I did say the benefits of bi-wiring were none, which isn't true. Greebo's first comment is indeed correct, basically if one does not bi-wire, then only the woofer would be used on the speaker. To connect the bridging plates on the speakers, is to bi-wire. So with no bi-wiring, only one of the speakers drivers is being used.

What I was trying to get at, the benefits of bi-wiring from the amp are none, as that is the equivalent of using the bridging plates at the speaker. A common integrated stereo amplifier with 2 sets of binding posts, the posts will be joined together inside the amp, which is something that some people do not realise. They think that the 2 sets are independent, when they are not.

Unless the AVR supports bi-amping, then there isn't much point bi-wiring IMO.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
If an AVR claims to support bi-amping, is it really bi-amping though? Surely 2 power amplifiers are needed to bi-amp. As an AVR has a pre amp and a power amp, surely it can be only bi-wiring if there is only 1 power amp present?

Brassandgraniteaudiobi-ampdiagram.JPG
 
Caporegime
Joined
20 Jan 2005
Posts
45,706
Location
Co Durham
I see your point but the Onkyo certainly has bi-amp on it's options and is capable of it.

Whether it's "true" or not or just the same as wiring one output twice to your speakers, I;m not sure.

It could have course just be filtering the high and low?

Then again if your only using two speakers and for the cost of two more speaker wires, why not try it?
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
Yes, give it a go, nothing to lose, except money towards more speaker wire. Only when adding more speakers will it become necessary to use the bridging plates on the speakers, or speaker wire to combine H & L posts. :)

I just looked at that diagram, is that even correct? It suggests using a power amp for each speaker, but each amp will still have to handle H & L frequencies. I thought the idea of bi-amping is to have 1 amp for high and 1 for low frequencies. I got it from a site explaining bi-wiring and bi-amping.
 
Caporegime
Joined
6 Dec 2005
Posts
37,575
Location
Birmingham
Congrats on the purchases sandeep. :)

I'm thinking of selling my Z-5500s over the summer picking up an AV and a couple of bookshelf speakers.
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Dec 2004
Posts
8,700
If you have pre-out sockets on the AVR, this is a good idea when you want to improve the 2channel quality for music listerning, you just buy a 2 channel amp, connect the speakers to the 2channel amp and link the both up from the preouts on the avr, to 1 of the aux sockets on the 2channel amp. Then you have the best of both worlds.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
Yes, that would make sense. I suppose you could call that 'true bi-wiring' not the bi-wiring accomplished by bridging at either the speaker binding posts or inside the amp, which I supposed would be, or should be called bridging.

It would make sense for an amp to have a set of binding posts for low and a set for high, it would have to have filtering, as Greebo mentioned. I suppose that's why some think it's not worth bothering with, as it's still the same amp handling both frequencies.
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Dec 2004
Posts
8,700
Ive got my eyes set on these xtz speakers, that Im hoping to buy just before xmas, once Ive saved up my pennies... Its a pain, cos since getting into the AV amp and bookshelf speakers thing a yr ago, its not only computers thats eating my pocket, its my sound setup too

So before getting into to whole AV amp and speakers thing,, just think, cos I can guarantee that afer a few weeks or months,you'll be itching to upgrade to make it sound even better.

The Fronts
image1xx.jpg


Rears
image3kd.jpg


Centre
image2jk.jpg
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2009
Posts
11,175
Haha! Yes, we should all go back to using a Sony off the shelf stereo and be convinced it sounds awesome! Problem solved, money saved. :p
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Dec 2004
Posts
8,700
Knowing my luck, after a few weeks of having the speakers, I will want to buy a better amp, to see if how much more the speakers has got to give.

Heres a few pics of my setup atm guys....... But I'll prob move my av setup into my main room when I upgrade my speakers, and connect it up to TV, DVD/VCR combo and media player. Cos it seems a waste just using it on the pc, but I will still have it connected to the pc to play my mp3s, but I'll buy some nasty pc speakers again for gaming to have on the desk:D

image1hxv.jpg


image2ya.jpg


image4xa.jpg


image3hq.jpg
 
Last edited:
Associate
OP
Joined
8 Jan 2009
Posts
743
Location
Gidea Park, Essex
As a note guys, I have received the speakers today, couldn't wait to wire them up, got everything done.

bi-wired with old speaker cable I had lying around (will be buying some premium bi-wire cable soon) and they sound great, I put the receiver under my desk as it does really get hot, so thought I'll give it some breathing space.

The bookshelfs took up a lot of room so I moved them to the back of my desk and broght my monitor to the middle front, so I am quite close to it but at an OK distance, the speakers do sound great though, much better than my old setup.

Just want to say thanks guys for all the help and everything.

I thought to myself I should have really just bought a stereo amp since I don't have enough room in my bedroom for a sub, so yep, could've saved some space there, but oh well the receiver will probably come to of good use in the future.
 
Caporegime
Joined
20 Jan 2005
Posts
45,706
Location
Co Durham
I did warn you about deciding in the beginning whether stereo or a later 5.1/7.1 setup was where you were going to go ;)

However, you will always have the option/flexibility and who says you will be in that room even in a year's time?

And that receiver is amazing for the 2nd hand money and all the connection options you need plus you can run your bookshelf speakers bi-amped which is another (small) advantage.

Congrats on the setup and I am glad it sounds so much better than your old setup (which it should by miles!)

And you were within budget which is nice too.

Don't forget that a sub can go pretty much anywhere in the room (within reason).

Enjoy your new sound system, you will never look back.

Makes me want to buy another setup now since I am still using my z-5500's on my computer as I used the 5.1 surround system with the tv in the lounge :(
 
Associate
OP
Joined
8 Jan 2009
Posts
743
Location
Gidea Park, Essex
Yeah it is real good, apart from the receiver being a heater for my room.

I've taken a pic just to show how it looks, one of the desk and another of the receiver.

Pics taken with an iPhone so sorry about the quality



 
Soldato
Joined
17 Dec 2004
Posts
8,700
Makes me want to buy another setup now since I am still using my z-5500's on my computer as I used the 5.1 surround system with the tv in the lounge :(

Yeah If I move my av setup into my main room, I'll prob use 2 of my denon speakers and buy a cheap stereo amp for pc gaming.

But bigger is better for stereo or multi chl amps, because you cannot fit good quality components in a small box, and it give it more space to breath.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom