[wrightstuff]

I'd like to hear people's experiences with bi-wiring (or not bi-wiring) this speaker.
Also, any comments regarding the PS Audio xStream Statement Bi-wire cables?  
I am using a Sugden 16w Class A amp.

[wrightstuff]

By the way, I understand the PS Audio xStream Statement bi-wire uses two different cables in one, rather than just a double run of the same. All copper for the bass, and a different copper configuration, with silver coating for the highs. Any opinions about this wire? Their Statement ICs are excellent.

[Terry]

I cannot comment on the PS Audio bi-wire but, in my experience, bi-wiring the De Cappos is a necessity to obtain the most from this speaker.

[mcrespo71]

Terry,

Could you explain the differences you heard b/t bi-wiring and not bi-wiring on the De Capo I's?

Michael

[Daniel]

Uhoh, now yer in trouble, Mike.  Gonna plunk down the dosh for an additional pair of MIT cables?

[Terry]

Could you explain the differences you heard b/t bi-wiring and not bi-wiring on the De Capo I's?

I would love to give you an accurate description of how things improve when biwiring but, the fact is, I found that everything was better: bass, midrange detail, top end smoothness and extension etc. I even tried different jumpers to see if a better quality jumper would narrow the gap. It did, to some extent,  but I still preferred to biwire (the jumpers that come with the DeCappos are terrible, IMHO). What I did not experiment with for too long was whether it would be better to use one high quality wire and decent jumpers rather than two wires of lesser quality in a biwire configuration. Others have reported that the high quality single wire with jumpers is better.

[melville]

Does anyone know what would be considered a serious upgrade in jumpers over the stock item?  I have the Virtuosos, and their jumpers appear to be solid rhodium, as they are silver in colour.  I expect that they are better than the De Capo version, but if better can be had (at less than, say, $300), it might be a worthwhile investment.

[sdk]

Brian,

If you're willing to spend $300 on jumpers, I'd put it in the bank and save for set of really good bi-wire cables. I'm using the Acoustic Zen Satori and it just kills.

But I've also used the DH Labs DQ-10 and it's amazingly good for a very nominal cost. A double biwire run would sound great with RVs after they're fully broken in.  I'm not a big fan of MIT or any cable with a filtered network. What's the use of using a crossoverless speaker if you're going to put a network in the speaker cable?

--Steve

[mcrespo71]

I'm not a big fan of MIT or any cable with a filtered network. What's the use of using a crossoverless speaker if you're going to put a network in the speaker cable?

Whatever theoretical problems you may have with MIT wire, I tried out 15 different speaker cables/interconnects before deciding on these.  I would never let some philosophical problem with passive networks get in the way of my decision.  I base my decisions only on what sounds best with my associated gear.  And, yes, I did try some Acoustic Zen in my trial process.  The best system I've ever heard completely eschews almost all audiophile axioms, yet I have never heard better- and I've heard a ton of good systems in my time.   See this link  
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=8764
I guess my point is- don't trust what anyone says before actually trying it in your system.
Michael

[melville]

I currently use Analysis Plus Oval 8.  It replaced a biwire pair consisting of Oval 9 and Silver Oval (when I was using Zen Monoblocks).  This single-configuration cable sounded better than the biwire it replaced.  I also preferred it to Transparent Music Wave Plus, Cardas Hexlink, Nordost Red Dawn and Audience AU24.  Analysis Plus sells Oval 8 jumpers for $170.  My biggest problem, in relation to biwiring, is that I am unlikely to be able to hook up another pair of spades to the Gaincard.  I have read that the single cables with biwire terminations at the speakers end are not true biwires.

[sdk]

I would never let some philosophical problem with passive networks get in the way of my decision.  I base my decisions only on what sounds best with my associated gear.

Good point. I guess the only issue is what "best" actually means. Obviously, in this case it is your subjective opinion and what is best to one person's ears may not be to someone else's ears.  I agree, though, the best way to decide what sounds "best" is to just listen and throw orthodoxy out the window. I still don't like MIT though...

I have read that the single cables with biwire terminations at the speakers end are not true biwires.

Do you really think that's true across the board? Regardless of the design? My Hologram II (not the Satori, sorry) was designed from the get go to be a biwire cable in a single-wire package according to the manufacturer. In fact, this cable has been optimized specifically for 2-way speakers. I'm not sure what Acostic Zen did to acheive such a goal, but I tried a lot of speaker wires and this one certainly souned the "best" to me.

Have you tried that skinny looking wire that 47 Labs sells? I have no idea what it sounds like, but it certainly looks like you might be able to get two sets connected to your amp.

You might also check out the British company DNM: http://www.dnm.co.uk/cables.html . This is a very small diameter cable that eschews the design principles of many well known cables companies in favor of a few well argued engineering goals. From what I hear, the stuff is very good and not expensive. The world of audio cables is filled with a lot of snake oil and companies really feed off the paranoia that many audiophiles, including myself, have when it comes to trying to find the best cables at a given price point. When I chose my Acoustic Zens and I was trying various cables, I was surprised at the minor differences between various brands of cables. I really didn' t hear huge differences. Of course, small differences can make all the difference in the long run.

If you go to AA, there's a lot of posts about some Home Depot solid core that everybody is claiming is a world beater. I know we've heard it all before and this might be just another fad like the Radio Shack Optimus portable CD player but for pennies on the dollar you could buy enough of it to compare what a single run sounds like versus a double bi-wire run. It there's a positive difference in favor of the biwire double run, then you can reasonably extrapolate that some of the better cables out there might even have a more pronounced difference.

As far as jumpers, I've heard that Homegrown Audio makes some really nice ones: http://www.homegrownaudio.com/products.htm . And they would probably do it within your budget. I seems like the Cardas jumpers you have should be very good though. They use a single piece of high quality solid copper vs. a jumper which has to go through mutliple solder points, wire and connectors. With all those changing interfaces, that's more opportunity for signal degradation, but like Michael said, you ears are the bottom line. Not sure how much all this diatribe has helped?

[melville]

I am not expert enough to make a truly informed generalization about biwire cables.  It just seems odd that, in some cases, all that you are paying a company for is splitting the conducting leads in half for two extra connectors.  The outcome is half of the conductors per connector than the single cable.  When you use two discrete lenghts of the same cable, you are getting the same conducting surface as the single cable in each length (of course).  Some companies charge a small percentage more for their biwire cable, while others charge close to double.  My 'knee-jerk' reaction is to assume that the more expensive biwire (vis-a-vis the single configuration) is a real biwire, if not actually two separate lengths.

I have tried CAT 6 and was unimpressed.  Minimal soundstaging, dimensionality and natural timbre.  It does do bass, though.

[mcrespo71]

Obviously, in this case it is your subjective opinion and what is best to one person's ears may not be to someone else's ears.

Exactly, which is why it is paramount to try stuff out in your system if possible.  The only "best" that matters is the one you thnk is best.  I, too, was surprised how small differences in cables could be, but the good ones (at least the good ones to my ears) make a meaningful improvement overall that was worthwhile.

Michael