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Dayton SCP series are a great value.
http://www.parts-express.com/term/dayton-scp?srch=Dayton+SCP
For those speakers, I would use Monoprice #2791 speaker cable, which is pure copper stranded 14 gauge wire. This will give you a flawless result for any lengh of cable up to 30 feet. It costs $26 for 100 feet.
There is no reason to bi-wire those speakers.
I prefer terminating the wires with Audioquest gold-plated spade lugs soldered on to minimize any possibility of corrosion. Use heat-shrink tubing to cover the shank of the lug to avoid any possibility of a short.
For longer than 30 feet, use the similar 12 gauge speaker cable they sell.
I use #10 Belden wire, but that is for a 250-watt amplifier and very low-impedance speakers.
If you do not want to do your own soldering etc. and want pre-terminated cables that are ready to go, Audio Advisor sells the Audioquest Type 4 cables all ready to go with lugs or plugs or whatever you like at fairly reasonable prices (a completed 8-foot pair of cables is around $200).
Thanks for the quick reply. Both options seem very affordable and practical. What is the point of the bi-wire terminals on the speakers, and why is it not worth wiring them that way?
Biwiring offers little if any audible difference compared to appropriate gauge single wire in most applications.
Richard Vandersteen has been researching and designing speakers for over 30 years, and he makes some very fine speakers.
He is adamant about the benefits of bi-wiring HIS SPEAKERS, especially when using a relatively high-power amplifier. Other experts also claim benefits, but mainly with very large speakers driven by very large amplifiers. I think those situations may be where there is a possible benefit.
I have my Vandersteen 3A speakers bi-wired, with #10 wire pairs to each section, per the master. I drive them with a very large amplifier.
I very much doubt if any of the benefits he describes would apply to lower-powered two-way speakers like yours. The peak current in the bass driver is just not large enough for bi-wiring to make a difference IMO.
My Gallo CL-3 speakers do not even have the capability to be bi-wired, and they are much larger than yours.
I think they provided that capability just in case someone is really hot to do it. I would say that the extra expense will not produce any benefit in youe case.
P.S.- I have a set of Audioquest Indigo speaker cables advertised at a very attractive price in the AVS FORUM classified ads section. That could save you some money on some very nice cables; check out the ad.
Depends on the wires and the speakers. If the cables have true dedicated networks for High and low frequencies and the speakers have a true internal biwire configuration, then yes. If the wires are just wires, then no and if the speaker is not a true biwire configuration, then absolutely not. Check with the manufacturer and cable supplier for their recommendations as well.
Check out AntiCables for affordable solid core cables that sound good. If you choose not to bi-wire I would buy better quality jumpers between the low and high frequency terminals. I have found the poor quality jumpers that come with many speakers is the best reason to bi-wire.
So you guys all seem to really know what your talking and I had another question. As I mentioned above I bought the Jolida hybrid 50x2 at 8 ohms, it does not have a set of 4 ohm terminals. I also purchased the Wharfedale 10.2 bookshelf speaker which is a 6 ohm speaker. The speakers have not shipped yet and I am wondering if I should cancel the order because they are only 6 ohms? One of the reasons I chose these speakers was because of the following review which pairs a Jolida hybrid 30x2 with the Wharfedale 10.1, again a 6 and 8 ohm combination.
Here is the review:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20064619-47.html
on a JD1701 as the power amp section is a mosfet solid state. Usually full tube amps with both tube preamp and power amp sections like the JD502 will have separate 8 Ohm and 4 Ohm taps.