Upgrading Cheap Factory Speaker Bi-Wire Jumpers

Lookie Lou's Episode 27: Lou reviews how to easily improve your speaker's performance by using an upgraded Bi-Wire Jumper, the ones to steer clear of, and a simple tutorial on how to DIY your own "high end" jumper. Also a look at a pair of flawless Vandersteen Model 3A Signature offered on consignment.

#audiophile #hifi #vandersteeen #speakers

[HardCold-Alquan]

I just realized that could upgrade the jumpers the other day. I just made my own with 12 gauge speaker wire, and the difference in sound was immediate and strong! When I bi-amped them before, I was trying hard to hear the difference and I think that I even tricked myself into wanting to hear something. Upgrading the jumper cables brought a true and immediate difference!

[johncrockford]

Remnants of Romex is great for jumpers in the electrical realm including as you pointed out bi-wire jumpers for speakers. I keep a box of wires of this type for various purposes.

Thanks for pointing out that not all effective tweaks have to be expensive. In your example, 50 cents is more expensive than adjusting speaker placement, but cheaper than a package of Blue Tack 5 to 10 dollars for isolation purposes.

John

[greglitsey]

Thank you very much for the information. I really appreciate it.

[scotsirish]

Been meaning to do this and this video jump started me to get it done. My speakers have decent metal plates but still I made my own out of things I had on hand already that are better

[rickadams]

What are your thoughts on using the same wire as the speakers ? Sounds logical to me.

[rogerwebb]

I cannot understand why everyone has become obsessed with the jumper leads/plates on the biwire terminals of loudspeakers. The manufacturers know that the conductivity of the
(Usually) Metal plates are at least the equal, if not superior, to the tracks on the printed circuit boards that most crossovers have - of course these are out-sight-out-mind so don't concern the average listener/fiddler! Try doing these listening tests 'double blind', I would be most surprised if there is a detectable difference! I once conducted such a test to see if there was any difference in CDs treated with the Green Pen which people applied to the edge of the disc. All owners of such discs, who swore they heard a difference, I proved with my demonstration that their belief in such nonsense was founded purely on self-deception. I ran a classical CD shop at the time and saw plenty brought back in the hope of a part-exchange!

I trained as an electronics technician and I'm constantly amazed at the gulliibility of the public!

[greghamilton]

Best to just get the Canarie biwire cables from Bluejeans.

[SastusBulbas]

You contradict yourself by claiming jumper cables are a used due to beinig cheap, when 12g ground wire is cheaper and not even the best spectrum analizers or even a Klippel loudspeaker measuring system can pick up any difference between a jumper cable made from exotics or a busbar.

Don't get me wrong, I used to use DNM speaker cable for jumpers, due to it being a solid core and easy to place in binding posts screwed down, but only because the busbar was lost.

The truth is most busbars are created by companies who have engineers who know how electrical signals work, they know this stuff, hifi nerds dont. I am sure you dont strip crossovers out, remove the PCB and rewire the crossover on pin board using 12g solid core grounding cable instead of PCB tracks then claim its better. Hell the busbar is usually better quality than the nasty oversized plated brass binding posts with tabs bolted on and the cheapest speaker cables known to man wired internally.

[samlee]

So you reckon manufacturers skimp out on 20c of copper wire resulting in significantly worse speakers? Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! 🥲