Connecting 4 conductor speaker wires to your amp can be complicated if you can’t identify the color codes for those 4 speaker wires. But it gets much easier to do after you learn these color codes.
Generally, follow these three methods when dealing with 4 conductor speaker wires.
- Connect only one pair of conductor wires (Bi-Amping)
- Connect all 4 conductor wires to two terminals (Bi-Bridging)
- Connect all 4 conductor wires to four terminals (Bi-Wiring Speakers)
Continue reading below to learn more about these methods.
Understand the Color Codes
Before learning how to connect 4 conductor speaker wires to an amp, you should know the speaker wire color codes. It is vital to understand these color codes, and here’s a simple explanation.
Typically, a 4 conductor speaker wire comes with four different color-coded wires. You’ll get red, black, white and green color wires.
- The red wire is the positive wire.
- The black wire is the negative wire.
- The white wire also can be labeled as positive.
- The green wire also can be labeled as negative.
The red and black wires are for low frequencies. And white and green wires can be used for high frequencies.
Remember the above 4 bullet points when studying the three methods to connect 4 conductor speaker wires.
Tip: These 4 conductor speaker wires come with two insulations. They have outer and inner insulations. Hence, these wires are less vulnerable to interference and physical damage.
Method 1 – Connecting Only Two Wires (Bi-Amping)
In this method, you only have to connect two wires. The positive red wire connects to the + terminal of the amp. And the black negative wire connects to the – terminal.
Without a doubt, this is the easiest method to connect 4 conductor speaker wires. But as you can imagine, this is not the most technically correct method for connecting speaker wire since the two high-frequency conductors will not connect to the amp.
Method 2 – Connect All Four Conductors (Bi-Bridging)
This second method is far more advanced than the 1st one, and you’ll get better sound output from your speakers. Here, you connect all four conductors to the two amp terminals.
Tip: Some wires will not have four different color conductors. Instead, they will have 2 red wires and 2 black wires.
First, twist the two positive wires together (red and white wires). Connect the combined wires to the + terminal. Then, twist the negative wires together (black and green). Connect those two wires to the – terminal.
Important: The 1st and 2nd methods are excellent for speakers and amps with two terminals. You can either connect two wires or all four wires. Either way, those are the best solutions for two terminal speakers. But if you own a four-terminal speaker or amp, follow method 3.
Method 3 – Connect All Four Conductors (Bi-Wiring Speakers)
Most modern-day amps and speakers come with four terminals. Therefore, you can easily connect the 4 conductor speaker wire to both objects. This is the best option for connecting 4 conductor speaker wires since you can connect both the low and high-frequency wires.
Benefits of 4 Conductor Speaker Wire
Now you know how to connect 4 conductor speaker wires. But some might wonder why I should use a 4 conductor speaker wire.
Improved Sound Quality
As mentioned above, the 4 conductor wire carries low and high frequencies. Because of that, you’ll get better sound quality. The sound system will provide accurate and clear sound.
High Durability
4 conductor speaker wires come with two insulations. These two insulations protect the 4 conductors from any physical damage. In truth, 4 conductor speaker wires are more durable than normal.
Tip: 4 conductor speaker wires are an excellent choice for outdoor use.
More Flexibility
Even though these wires have four conductors, they are highly flexible. This flexibility makes navigating the wire through tight spaces much easier.
Video References
CRUTCHFIELD
M. Zillch
