What do bi-wiring and bi-amping mean?

Bi-wiring and bi-amping are two different ways of connecting speakers that have separate connections for different parts of their frequency range.

To use these methods, the speakers normally need two sets of speaker terminals.

What is bi-wiring?

Bi-wiring means using two separate speaker cables from the same amplifier channel to one speaker.

One cable connects to the speaker’s bass terminals and the other to the treble or midrange terminals.

Both cables are still driven by the same amplifier channel.

Does bi-wiring improve the sound?

There is no general evidence that bi-wiring provides a clearly audible improvement compared with a correctly made connection using a normal speaker cable.

The result may depend on the equipment and installation conditions.

What is bi-amping?

Bi-amping means using separate amplifier channels to drive different parts of the same speaker.

For example, one amplifier channel can drive the bass section and another the treble section.

There are two main types:

Passive bi-amping

Separate amplifier channels are used, but the speaker’s built-in passive crossover remains in place.

Active bi-amping

The signal is divided electronically before amplification, and separate amplifier channels drive different speaker drivers.

Active bi-amping requires a speaker system designed or adapted for this purpose.

Do I need to remove the links between the speaker terminals?

Yes. For bi-wiring and bi-amping, the electrical links between the terminal pairs should normally be removed according to the speaker manufacturer’s instructions.

This is particularly important for bi-amping, as incorrect connections can damage the amplifiers.

Do I need bi-wiring or bi-amping?

No.

Most passive speakers work perfectly well with a normal speaker cable and one amplifier channel per speaker.

Bi-amping may be of interest in more advanced systems, but requires compatible equipment and correct installation.