Stupid Question about Hooking Up Speakers

[dmw16]

I got my first set of "real" speakers the other day. I took a look at them and they have two pairs of speaker wire posts. Why?

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

Originally posted by: dmw16
I got my first set of "real" speakers the other day. I took a look at them and they have two pairs of speaker wire posts. Why?

Please tell me you're being sarcastic.

 

[dmw16]

No. THere are TWO PAIRS (4 connectors) of posts. I have never owned a set of decent speakers. I had said it was a dumb question.

 

[Electric Amish]

I've never seen a speaker with 2 pairs of posts.

 

[Juice Box]

what kind of speakers? we need details

 

[dmw16]

JBL E30 2-way's

 

[waggy]

2 pairs of post? hmm odd never seen that. its a mutant speaker! noo

 

[UncleWai]

1 pair is for the tweeter, the other one is for the pair, it's for bi-wiring. There should be two pieces of metal to connect the two posts. Use that and you just hook them up as if there's only one. Don't worry about bi-wiring, it's snake oil IMO.

 

[Cdubneeddeal]

It's pretty common actually although my Infinitys' do not have them. I think they're there for different mounting positions. For example, if you install them in your car (Assuming they're auto speakers), there might not be enough clearance for the vertical posts to hook them up.

 

[Howard]

Damn, BusUncleWai is too fast for me.

 

[dmw16]

Originally posted by: UncleWai
1 pair is for the tweeter, the other one is for the pair, it's for bi-wiring. There should be two pieces of metal to connect the two posts. Use that and you just hook them up as if there's only one. Don't worry about bi-wiring, it's snake oil IMO.

Yeah, I saw the bracket connecting the two. So I can just connect to either post and it will be fine? Thanks.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: UncleWai
1 pair is for the tweeter, the other one is for the pair, it's for bi-wiring. There should be two pieces of metal to connect the two posts. Use that and you just hook them up as if there's only one. Don't worry about bi-wiring, it's snake oil IMO.

You have Bi speakers???

 

[0roo0roo]

yea, its for the audiophiles that believe using separate amps and whatnot is better. all sorts of voodoo nonsense

 

[UncleWai]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: UncleWai
1 pair is for the tweeter, the other one is for the pair, it's for bi-wiring. There should be two pieces of metal to connect the two posts. Use that and you just hook them up as if there's only one. Don't worry about bi-wiring, it's snake oil IMO.

You have Bi speakers???

Mine only takes bananas from behind.

 

[Dubb]

Originally posted by: UncleWai

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: UncleWai
1 pair is for the tweeter, the other one is for the pair, it's for bi-wiring. There should be two pieces of metal to connect the two posts. Use that and you just hook them up as if there's only one. Don't worry about bi-wiring, it's snake oil IMO.

You have Bi speakers???

Mine only takes bananas from behind.

not only that, I've seen tri speakers! WTF!

quads and quints exist as well. use up to 10 monoblock amps for 2 speaker stereo setup

 

[Dubb]

Originally posted by: UncleWai
1 pair is for the tweeter, the other one is for the pair, it's for bi-wiring. There should be two pieces of metal to connect the two posts. Use that and you just hook them up as if there's only one. Don't worry about bi-wiring, it's snake oil IMO.

small clarification: it's for bi-wiring or bi-amping (using a separate amp channel to drive each cone)

bi-amping is for people with tons of cash.

 

[EvilYoda]

I don't see why the idea between bi-amping is so puzzling to some of you...

Then again, Dynaudio doesn't believe in it at all, all the way up to their Evidence line.

 

[vshah]

Originally posted by: UncleWai
1 pair is for the tweeter, the other one is for the pair, it's for bi-wiring. There should be two pieces of metal to connect the two posts. Use that and you just hook them up as if there's only one. Don't worry about bi-wiring, it's snake oil IMO.

personally i don't think it is snake oil at all...i use bi-wiring/bi-amping at my home theater at home (since i'm only using 5.1, the 2 extra channels are bi-amped to the mains). I think it is very useful in certain applications

 

[Electric Amish]

Audiophile: people with more money than brains.

 

[Howard]

Biamping can be useful in some situations. I doubt biwiring does anything useful, though.

Audiophilia does not necessitate lack of common sense, but unfortunately, the two are often related.

 

[NanoStuff]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
yea, its for the audiophiles that believe using separate amps and whatnot is better. all sorts of voodoo nonsense

Bullshit^3. Dedicated amplifiers to each driver with an active crossover is entirely superior. You'd really have to witness it first hand, you might be surprised.

My speakers use this method, never will I go back to passive crossovers.

With that said however, those speakers obviously do not have active crossovers, yet they do apparently have a bi-amp system... they call this "poor man's bi-amping", yet it can still be rather expensive so a more appropriate term for these types of speakers would be "ignorant man's bi-amping".

Note that you CAN use a single amplifier to power the speakers, the safest method to do this is to use a series-type connection, going from one binding post to another of opposing polarity rather than back to the amplifier. If they're high-impedance speakers and/or your amplifier is capable of driving double-load of the rated impedance, you can use a parallel hookup, going to each binding post from the amplifier. Not exactly a prestigeous bi-amp system, but it will work.

 

[Amused]

Some info:

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~jcgl/Scots_Guide/audio/biwire/Page1.html

 

[loic2003]

I'd say it was to separate the high and mid/low speakers so you can run them from separate amps or different outputs from crossovers. Why not do the obvious and plug each pair in, and finding where the sound comes from?!?!?!?!?!1!!!!!!111!!!!!!!!one!!