The Best Way to Connect K400.

[pdcman]

I have a pair of Solos driving Klimax350P's. When it was installed, I couldnt get around the back of my rack sufficiently to properly connect the K400 (which is quad wired) to the Solos, hence a made up 4 into 1 adaptor. This was a temporary arrangment which has now lasted a year!

I will be stripping the system down soon for a clean and a rebuild soon, and intend to tidy up the miles of spaghetti! What is the best way of connecting 4 cores of K400 into a single socket of the Solo? I'd appreciate views from anyone who has done this well, and also interested in why a specific cable arrangement will sound better than any other?

Thanks for your time.

Phil

[Erik]

Have you tried to single wire the speakers with the plugs connected to the tweeter? Use to be musicaly superior.

Erik

[scottydogwoof]

Nah difinatly inferiour config.

I'v just started to use k400 on my K110's as i use to use k20 wired with links down from treble down, k400 wiped the floor with it. Once i have upgraded to a magik dsi i will most likly solder the amp end up as follows

====----{amp

instead of two separate cores going in to one deltron plug sideways making it awkward to keep things tidy and stressless.

[lejonklou]

What is the best way of connecting 4 cores of K400 into a single socket of the Solo? I'd appreciate views from anyone who has done this well, and also interested in why a specific cable arrangement will sound better than any other?

Hi Phil!

The problem with comparing single wire (as Erik suggested) to multi wire is that it's difficult to solder several wires of K400 to a single connector in an optimal way. And this connection is important to the final result. It's much easier to perfect a single-K400-wire-to-one-connector termination. Most comparisons between single and multi wiring are made with without regard to this. In my opinion, if you make both these wiring schemes as good as possible, the quad wiring will sound big and a bit confused.

Sorry for not giving you an answer to your question, but I've gradually become more and more convinced by (optimal) single wiring. And for some speakers, biwiring seems to work well too. In passive systems, I don't use any more wires than that.

[anthony]

What is the best way of connecting 4 cores of K400 into a single socket of the Solo? I'd appreciate views from anyone who has done this well, and also interested in why a specific cable arrangement will sound better than any other?

Hi Phil!

The problem with comparing single wire (as Erik suggested) to multi wire is that it's difficult to solder several wires of K400 to a single connector in an optimal way. And this connection is important to the final result. It's much easier to perfect a single-K400-wire-to-one-connector termination. Most comparisons between single and multi wiring are made with without regard to this. In my opinion, if you make both these wiring schemes as good as possible, the quad wiring will sound big and a bit confused.

Sorry for not giving you an answer to your question, but I've gradually become more and more convinced by (optimal) single wiring. And for some speakers, biwiring seems to work well too. In passive systems, I don't use any more wires than that.

Tried it many times, and can only agree with Fredrik, I do find bi-wiring my preference with 242s. Fortunately it is possible, just, to solder two cables onto one connector. This is more difficult using the Linn connectors, Milty make one that does accept two cables.
I appreciate there is a whole gang who will dispute the above. Interestingly, everyone who has quad/quin wired, after struggling to accommodate so many cables, never bothered to revert back to single/bi wire, so the reverse comparison is rarely done.
I can see why multi cabling does impress, the sound is a more detailed bigger and clearer presentation, but at the expense of musicality.
I left my 242s quin wired for several weeks, as I was convinced by the very positive postings by others, in fact probably one of the most unaminous agreed improvements. Upon reverting back was all the proof I needed.
Despite my comments I can see why many prefer multi wire, maybe worth trying single/ bi (one to array, one to the upper bass) see if the music is involving you more.

[pdcman]

Well, finally got round to trying bi-wiring tonight. Very interesting comparison. The system now sounds a bit fatter, slower, less detailed but; it now also sounds more coherent with deeper more tunefull bass and a very nice tonal quality to vocals. Tune wise, I'd have to say that bi-wiring the 350's has the edge over quad wiring, but I'll revert back at the end of the week to make sure.

Thanks for both of your inputs, it has been a useful excercise. Will let you know the final verdict this weekend.

[mrco99]

Hi Phil,

Anthony has his 350s single-wired.
See http://www.lejonklou.com/forum/viewtopi ... &start=275

Maybe, while at it, you should try that too.

Cheers,

Marco

[pdcman]

Steady on. Dropping down to bi-wiring was traumatic enough. :)

Trouble is, I've snapped off the gold links now from 4 way to 3 way. :(

[anthony]

Well, finally got round to trying bi-wiring tonight. Very interesting comparison. The system now sounds a bit fatter, slower, less detailed but; it now also sounds more coherent with deeper more tunefull bass and a very nice tonal quality to vocals. Tune wise, I'd have to say that bi-wiring the 350's has the edge over quad wiring, but I'll revert back at the end of the week to make sure.

Thanks for both of your inputs, it has been a useful excercise. Will let you know the final verdict this weekend.

Hi Phil,

When bi wiring 350s I prefer one connection to go to the bottom connection (upper bass), and the other to the array via either the mid/treble connection.
Also worth trying single wired.
Are you using line level XLR for servo bass? This has been better in a couple of systems, but mostly I prefer it derived from the spk cable.
No explaination for this, just a weird science. REL subs recommend using spk i/p rather than line level.

[pdcman]

That's the way I have connected the biwire configuration at the moment.
I asked my dealer about utilising the XLR input in the past, he said it was only for use in active config. ?

Any suggestions for the best way of trying single wire, now that the links are broke?

Phil

[heve]

Hi Phil,

Anthony has his 350s single-wired.
See http://www.lejonklou.com/forum/viewtopi ... &start=275

Maybe, while at it, you should try that too.

Cheers,

Marco

Even better:Get inside the speakers and collect all wiring to one set of terminals(thus also eliminating the need for jumpers,which you then remove)Seriously.
Works well for me,but may not be the case with all speakers of course.....but being easily reversible,there's not much of a risk trying,either.

In any case,have fun!

[anthony]

That's the way I have connected the biwire configuration at the moment.
I asked my dealer about utilising the XLR input in the past, he said it was only for use in active config. ?

Any suggestions for the best way of trying single wire, now that the links are broke?

Phil

XLR can be used in passive mode as well, a small plug needs removing from within the module.

Make up a short piece of k400, making note of direction, with a 4mm plug at speaker end. Leave the other end as bare wire. Undo the bottom sockets to reveal a hole through the binding post, place the bare cable in it. Then plug the spk plug into the jumpered section.