Need help with Bi wiring Vista speakers...

[crayzcanuck]

Hello,
I am very new to this forum, and would be grateful if I could get some advice from members regarding how to bi-wire my Vista speakers.

I am building a home theater, and already have some speaker cable that is single bi-wire setup.(ie. wire with 2 banana clips on one end and 4 on the other end ). My concern is that these cables will run from my vistas to wall plate connections, and I don't know what wire to run in-wall to the amp.
Should I be running 12/4 wire. How do I connect it to the wall plate?
I am sure I am confusing everyone reading this...sorry.

I also understand that a "metal bridge" may have to be removed from the binding posts in order to bi-wire. I haven't removed the speakers from the boxes as I am in drywall stage...can anyone confirm this?


My apologies for the long post, and any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers.:cheers:

 

[Jeff Zaret]

crayzcanuck,

A bit confusing but not bad.

Yes the "metal plate" is for bi-wiring. If left on, you connect to either post and it will work as a "normal" speaker configuration. With it removed, you power the panels and the woofer separately. Typically it is with two different amps, one for the panels and one for the woofers. The woofers generally require a bit more power than the panels. Some of us here use a tube amp for the panel and SS amp for the woofers. If you are using a receiver and no other amp you may not want to bi-wire at this time but it will always be there if you want to.

I hope that makes some sense.

Jeff

 

[crayzcanuck]

Thanks Jeff!

Yes, in the future, I would love to amp both separately, but for now, I'll have to stick with my reciever.

Any ideas how I go about wiring them? I imagine using 12/4 wire, I would attach two wires from the 12/4 to each binding post on the receiver, per speaker. Then I would do the same to the wall plate. The speaker cable I have that goes from the wall plate to the speaker binding posts splits from 2 to 4 banana plugs. Each banana plug would go to one binding post on the Vista. I hope this is correct...please someone slap me if this is incorrect, as I want to get this right!!

I'm wondering if I should run two separate lengths of wire to the wall plate and receiver??? Help!!!

I have to say to everyone how much I love these speakers!! I know they are not exactly impressive compared to some of the systems I have seen on these forums, but I do feel some pride just being in the same brand!!!!

 

[twich54]

Welcome neighbor to the North ! Love your Country, I've traveled from Halifax to Vancouver, haven't been in a town yet that I didn't enjoy !

Now with your wiring, first off I'm not a fan of multiple speaker, in-wall connections, etc. But if thats what you have to work with here goes.

First off the existing (internally bi-wired speaker cable you have) goes from wall plate to speaker, if the split end is so marked with upper and lower frq designation then hook it up accordingly at your speakers, if not then just be sure of polarity. As from receiver to wall plate just be sure the polarity remains the same (your running a single PAIR of wires at this point), terminal to terminal and matches throughout the varies conections.

Hope this helps, THINK SNOW !!!!

 

[IWalker]

You can just run the standard 4 speaker cables from your receiver to the wall plate, and then run your bi-wire cables from the wall plate to the speakers. The wall plate should have 4 terminals for this. L+,L-,R+,R- So, you'll have 4 connections at the wall (2 per channel), and 8 connections at the speakers (4 per speaker) All bi-wiring does is split the power draw into seperate runs, and replace the jumper.

If you wanted to biwire from the receiver to the wall plate...and then continue along from there...you would need an 8 terminal wall plate (LP+,LP-,LS+,LS-,RP+,RP-,RS+,RS-) L=Left, R=Right, P=Panel, and S=sub...run your biwire cables from the 4 output terminals on the receiver to the 8 terminals on the wall plate, and then use standard speaker cables from each of the terminals on the wall plate to each terminal on the speakers.

In either case, remove the jumpers between the panel and sub terminals on the speakers.

Hope that helps.

 

[amey01]

Try to run directly to the amp if you can - running through a wall plate will introduce more connection points and your signal will be degraded.

 

[crayzcanuck]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies!

First off, glad you could visit up here, Dave. I have driven from Seattle to Detroit in the US, and just loved the geography, history, and every little town between the big centers. That is something we don't have in Canada too much, is little towns every 50 miles or so. Snow? We have lots to share if you need some!

Thanks for all the wiring advice...it shows me that there are more options than I previously thought!

Can anyone suggest what would give the best sound, or if it would even make a difference: a) Run 4 individual wires, each from one binding post on the receiver, to one binding post on the speaker continuously, or b) run a 12/4 wire and hook up the same, each wire to a binding post on the reciever and speaker?

I figured the wall plate was going to degrade the signal somewhat, as all cuts do. It's unfortunate that I had cables pre-made, and then my plans changed, and the cables won't work without the use of wall plates. I moved the equipment cabinet to the rear of the theater, rather than below the projection screen. Live and learn I guess.

Anyone recommend a good quality, affordable speaker cable to run in wall to the Vistas? I know I can get bulk 12ga, but is that good enough?

Thanks again everyone for the help...it is greatly appreciated.

 

[John Beek]

Might I suggest NOT to bi-wire? Spend the money on a twice as expensive lps cable, throw away the connecting strips provided by ML and use a few inches of the lps cable to make a connection betwee the HF and LF binding posts. And do not use any connectors other than on the amp and the lps., so no wall sockets. If you are serious about sound, that is.