I am getting ready to set-up my new equipment when I move next weekend. I'm trying to figure out the best way to wire up my Polk Monitor 50s, which have dual terminals on the back.

I think the consensus on bi-wiring with a single amp is that it will make little (if any) difference, so my plan was to use a single wire then join the terminals with a jumper. But I was advised that the jumpers that come from the factory won't sound as good as jumpers made from speaker wire. Is this true?

Assuming so, I was hoping to make my own 1-foot jumpers from some speaker wire and banana clips. I figured the wiring would work as follows: (1) connect bare wire from receiver to terminal A on the speaker. Then (2) run a banana plug connection from terminal A to terminal B.

I'm trying to figure out if this is the right way to wire it. I guess my main question is: will it be ok to run bare wire and a banana plug into the same speaker terminal? Or does that cause some sort of problem?

Also, do I want to run the wire from the receiver directly to the High Frequency terminal, or the Low Frequency one?

Thanks for your advice.

I can't believe it would make any difference. Others will answer this with a little more knowledge. I'd say stick with the factory jumpers.

Sounds like a waste of time, money and energy. There will be no noticeable difference in sound quality between the factory installed jumpers and homemade speaker wire jumpers.

But I was advised that the jumpers that come from the factory won't sound as good as jumpers made from speaker wire.
Find better advisers.

The electrons will flow through the factory copper just as well as they will through your copper. Don't worry about it.

Is this true just because the Monitor 50s are low-end? Would there be any difference on higher end speakers?

Also should I send the signal directly into the HF or LF terminals on the back of the speaker?

Is this true just because the Monitor 50s are low-end? Would there be any difference on higher end speakers?
No. What matters here is resistance, and the resistance of a short shunt of metal is minute compared to the rest of the system. The laws of physics don't change just because you spend a lot of money.

The idea of replacing jumpers was concocted by the wire charlatans in an effort to get suckers to buy yet one more set of useless products.

Also should I send the signal directly into the HF or LF terminals on the back of the speaker?
I'll let you figure this one out for yourself. If what matters is resistance, will using one terminal over the other change the resistance of that jumper?

The upper and lower terminals are the exact same, either one will work. I have mine plugged into the top set, but it makes no difference.

I'll let you figure this one out for yourself. If what matters is resistance, will using one terminal over the other change the resistance of that jumper?

Sorry, I have zero knowledge of electrical engineering, but I think OhioMike answered it for me.

Not to try and stir the pot here, but on the Polk forum there seemed to be a difference of opinion on whether or not it made a difference: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9185

Are these people idiots, or is it possible it would change something about the sound?

But I was advised that the jumpers that come from the factory won't sound as good as jumpers made from speaker wire. Is this true?No, it's not true. Over that short distance, the jumpers work just fine.


Assuming so, I was hoping to make my own 1-foot jumpers from some speaker wire and banana clips.Why on earth would you make them a foot long?


I figured the wiring would work as follows: (1) connect bare wire from receiver to terminal A on the speaker. Then (2) run a banana plug connection from terminal A to terminal B.

I'm trying to figure out if this is the right way to wire it.It doesn't matter how the wiring works as long as it "works". So, you could do what you propose. You could use bare wire ends for the jumpers and then still be able to connect the main wires to the speaker with banana plugs. You could use bare wire on one end of the jumper and a banana plug on the other, and still be able to use banana plugs to connect the main wire to the speaker, as well.

You seem to want to use bare wire from the receiver to the speakers but, personally, for ease of use, I prefer bananas for those connections, particularly at the receiver end of things. YMMV.


will it be ok to run bare wire and a banana plug into the same speaker terminal?sure


Also, do I want to run the wire from the receiver directly to the High Frequency terminal, or the Low Frequency one?Logically speaking, it shouldn't matter, but believe it or not I have seen the recommendation to use the top (high) posts on more than one occasion. If you want to see something really silly (I think) go HERE (http://www.totemacoustic.com/us/support/faq/) and scroll down to #6 and read the "Single Wiring Advantages". :D

Why on earth would you make them a foot long?


I just said a foot arbitrarily. I'm sure it would be more like 4 or 6 inches or something like that...

Thanks for the info sivadselim.

Are these people idiots
No, dupes.

Are these people idiots, or is it possible it would change something about the sound?"Idiots" may be a little harsh. Yes, "dupes" is probably more like it.

No, it will not affect the sound, unless the jumpers were insufficient in the first place which is highly unlikely. Aluminum foil would work.

Electrically speaking, a piece of solid copper would be a better jumper (if not subjected to bending) than stranded copper wire.

Realistically, it wouldn't make any difference.

Is this true just because the Monitor 50s are low-end? Would there be any difference on higher end speakers?

Yes absolutely. If you buy more expensive equipment, the laws of physics begin to change. Electrons behave differently if they know they are traveling through more expensive wire, and to more expensive speakers. Gravity gets slightly stonger, and the speed of light slows significantly. Sound waves, also, become more boyant. Electricity becomes more aromatic. Evolution accelerates. The earth's rotation stabilizes. Sunny weather breaks out.

Also should I send the signal directly into the HF or LF terminals on the back of the speaker?

It depends what kind of drugs you're on.

Sunny weather breaks out.




So THAT's why our weather up here has been so lousy (well, except for last weekend...)

What upgrades do I need to make to get improved weather around here? :)

Can I put bare-wire and bananas into the same terminal?That's NASTY! :o