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Have they been measured or is this just speculation?
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I have to agree with gsmollin on this explanation, although I won't comment on its audibility.
The statement of
harmonic distortion products in the woofer's current (primarily thirds) to modulate the voltage waveform applied to the tweeter might be questioned by some sharp cookie who would contend that superposition theorem would state otherwise, but that would only hold true for a linear system. Bi-wiring will only theoretically be a benefit when drivers distort and linearity is no longer maintained.
With sufficient voltage a driver can deviate from ideal linearity so the current in that connection between the low output impedance of the amplifier and woofer (in this case), will carry harmonic distortion components which can create intermodulation products. In a simple non-bi-wire situation, the tweeter driver terminals will see these distortion components through the speakers low impedance straps (when a single non bi-wire set of cables is used).
The theoretical advantage is now valid if you assume a set of bi-wire speaker cables has some finite impedance (obviously, the longer the cables, the more pronounced the effects will be). When bi-wire cables are used rather than single wires with straps, the distortion components (caused by the woofer driver) will have a lower impedance path to the amplifiers low output impedance rather than travel back and down the tweeters speaker cable. Yeah, you're right, it's a small advantage and you could argue that the tweeters crossover would help to reduce the problem, but I suppose you could argue that the harmonic and intermodulation products will be at a higher frequency and may pass through to the tweeter driver.
The entire advantage is gained by asking this question. From the perspective of the woofer driver terminals, which is the lower impedance route to the tweeters driver terminals? Is it a set of straps in a non bi-wire situation, or is it the route of a set of bi-wire cables that has a theoretical ideal voltage source in the path..........
brucek