How-To Build Inexpensive Bi-Wiring Cables in Five Simple Steps

[@andymanr67]

Enjoying a night of music thanks to you! Made them just as you described. Thank you so much!

[@PolkFan]

Very nice! Happy to help. Enjoy! 😊👌🏾

[@hector9160]

Thank you, I don't know why thay are so expensive but this is great to learn

[@zen777zen777]

Great video Polkfan! Being a fellow el cheapo (cuz I’m a father of seven), I appreciate the straightforward info & insights (and just slightly jealous of that w/o room!). Being a Polk lover (and getting ready to buy some Polk 70 Series 2’s about 30 years after buying my last set of Polk Monitor 10B’s (so sweeeet!) since I have most of my kids raised), I love your videos and appreciation of both the musical & technical sides of things. Will be making these Polkfan cables, but in a slightly modified bi-amp version and will (eventually) report back with how it’s all working. Well done with your channel! Please keep it up - would be interested in learning more about other jazz/fusion artists you like & listen to. Be blessed!

[@PolkFan]

Thank you very much! Your support is very much appreciated. 😊 Being a Marine, I have to build my body the Marine Corps way 😁💪🏿 Yes, indeed there's really no need to spend an arm and a leg for these cables when you can make them yourself and literally spend a fraction of the cost while still getting the same performance results. The bi-amp version is a little easier because it's less twisting. Just leave all four separate on each end; ensuring you leave the ends long enough to accommodate the channel separations, and label them so that you know who's who. Jazz is one of my favorite genres of music and I listen to a bit of everything but some of my favorites are Miles Davis, George Duke, Marcus Johnson, Jeff Lorber, Boney James, Brian Culbertson, being a keyboardist I kinda gravitate to the keys the most. Check of some other musicians that are incredibly talented such as Cory Henry, Kingfish Ingram, Eric Gales.

[@franktadeo3382]

Thanks for making this vid! Big help for me.

[@PolkFan]

Outstanding! That's what I like to hear. Glad it was helpful. 😊

[@marcelobobadilla3706]

Fantastic video. A very good and efficient solution (quality and price) to have those expensive cables. Thank you very much for your video.

[@PolkFan]

You're very much welcome. Happy to hear it was helpful. 👍🏿

[@daiworkman2084]

Is that really bi-wiring? I was taught to install two separate pairs wires between the amp and each speaker with one carrying the low frequency siganal and the other the high frequency. So you would need four pairs of outlets for each speaker and four inputs. This will separate the Hi and low signal to give you a crisp detailled sound with a lovely balanced base. Best regards

[@PolkFan]

That's called bi-amping. There's no need to run a separate pair going into the amp if you're running both the highs and lows on the same channel. Run separate pairs when you drive the highs on one channel and the lows on a separate channel. The result of that is bi-amping.

[@miamivlad]

Another great vid. Thank you 🙏

[@coachherveyultimatehoops4902]

Hello, excellent video. Question, can I use 2 strand 14ga wire that’s inside insulation? What adjustments do I need to make?

[@PolkFan]

Sure. You can use that as well. I would suggest not twisting it because of the extra insulation it already has. You'll run the risk of damaging the wire if twisted. I'd bond the wire pairs with either electric tape or small zip ties, and then put them in the braided sleeve.

[@sleelakrishnan]

This is very useful to save some money 💸

[@sleelakrishnan]

Thanks polk fan 💟☮️

[@PolkFan]

@@sleelakrishnan Anytime!

[@troyharris8989]

Simple and plain. Thanks man. Definitely expensive on Amazon

[@PolkFan]

Thanks man. Glad I could help!👍🏾

[@lucasherriman3833]

Thanks for the vid.

[@edwarner504]

Fancy!!! On another note, the gym room must be awesome to hear the LFE from those massive Rythmik’s lol

[@PolkFan]

Yeah it's a bass trap. I like to turn on some nice workout music when I'm in the gym and just and enjoy the beautiful sound.

[@RBS22]

Hello! friend. I learned one more from you.😃👍🏻

[@ga20904]

How mush would you charge to make a set of wires like this to connect to my speakers

[@PolkFan]

You're better off buying them from Amazon. By the time I get the material; make the cables; and shipping costs, it'll end up being the same price as buying them on Amazon.

[@Dr.reese_UBR3]

Would it be easier to do with colored wires? How do you know which is which wouldn’t want to reverse polarity

[@PolkFan]

Colored wiring would work great if that's what you'll like to use. It'll make things easy to recognize which is which. However, all speaker wire will have a pos and neg side, whether it's red/black, solid/marked, however it's illustrated, you'll know which is pos and neg. If you're building bi-wiring cables it doesn't matter which end goes the highs or lows because they're both going into the same channel on the receiver; same for both positive and negative. As long as you ensure the black ( or whatever is neg) goes to neg on both ends you won't reverse the polarities. Now for bi-amping cables, the best thing to do is use labels if you don't use colored wiring. You wanna make sure the pos and neg for each component stays together.

[@xalifis]

Thanks a lot mate 😊

[@PolkFan]

Happy to help.

[@AntAciieed]

Hi polk fan , my speaker wire 14Ga is in clear silicone shielding is this going to be able to be braided together as you have done?

[@PolkFan]

Absolutely. As long as you can distinguish which side is positive, and which is negative, you'll be good to go.

[@AntAciieed]

@@PolkFan yeah black/red is individually coloured , thanks mate your vid has saved me 200 bucks Fan from Australia 👍🏽

[@PolkFan]

@@AntAciieed Outstanding! Glad I could help. 👍🏾

[@AntAciieed]

@@PolkFan unfortunately didn't work , it must be cause my cable is encased in silicone

[@junderbird8291]

Great video! Thank you!

[@PolkFan]

Awesome. Thank you! 👍🏾

[@junderbird8291]

@@PolkFan Out of curiosity, how much of a difference do you hear in your setup running a bi-wire connection?

[@PolkFan]

@@junderbird8291 Not much. It's a noticeable difference for the trained ear. I can tell that the imaging and soundstage is improved, but a none musical person wouldn't know the difference. The biggest enhancement is to the highs. They stick out more, in a good way, when bi-wired. You'll also notice a slight warmer mid presence - at least with the S60s.

[@junderbird8291]

@@PolkFan Cool. I'm a musician and have a pretty decent ear. I'm about to splurge on an upgrade from my Polk TSx110Bs to the Klipsch Heresy IVs. I was contemplating bi-wiring but know next to nothing about it. I appreciate your input. I think I'll make my own and try both setups.

[@PolkFan]

@@junderbird8291 Awesome! Enjoy.

[@ktlow1516]

At speaker end with 4 terminals, which pair goes to the HF and which pair to the LF?

[@PolkFan]

It really doesn't matter if you're bi-wiring. The positive that plugs into the receiver will feed the positive for both the highs and lows; same with the negative. If you're building bi-amp cables (four plugs on each end), it's important to that keep them consistent on both ends. Make sure the same two that are plugged into the highs on the speaker are plugged into the same channel on the receiver; same with the lows. I test and label each wire to make it easy to identify who's who. LH- LH+ LL- LL+, and so forth. An easier way to address that problem would be to use a different colored wire for each plug. Saves time and effort.

[@sergioomar9090]

Nice dude!! 100%

[@PolkFan]

Thanks!

[@sergioomar9090]

@@PolkFan I'm on a budget these days and this gave me some seriously helpful tips. Those cables look store bought.

[@PolkFan]

@@sergioomar9090 They work great too. No need to spend an arm and a leg.

[@billsmith147]

Very well done. Very informative, what do you think was your total cost of materials? I am seeing them on Amazon for $68.00 to $76.00 per cable.

[@PolkFan]

Thank you! I spent about $50, but had enough material to make several pairs of cables. I'm sure one could find more savings by buying less material.

[@skux0146]

thanks for the info. the video is nauseating, though like being on a sailboat - no offense meant😆

[@PolkFan]

First time for everything. Hearing that the vid was nauseating is definitely a first. Vertigo issues perhaps. You might wanna twist your wires by hand; the drill method might make you sick 😂.