Synergistic Research Foundation SX IFT Jumpers

Synergistic Research IFT Bi-Wire Jumpers Product Description:

When bi-wiring was introduced in the late 1970s, it offered benefits given the modest performance of speakers and cables at the time. Most speaker wire consisted of little more than unshielded 16-gauge lamp cord made of inexpensive copper with poor dielectric properties, so doubling up on runs was an improvement. However, as electronics and loudspeakers advanced, many cable designs did not keep pace—especially when it came to bi-wire terminations.

For modern high-end loudspeakers to perform at their best, it is critical they receive a phase-correct signal with all frequencies in perfect alignment across the spectrum. Subtle spatial cues, holographic imaging, accurate soundstage placement, low-frequency impact and control, and extended yet natural highs all depend on this. Nearly two decades ago, Synergistic Research determined that achieving perfect phase alignment in a single cable is challenging enough—let alone in two separate cables feeding the very different loads of high- and low-frequency inputs on a bi-wire speaker. Splitting the signal inevitably introduces phase distortion.

Synergistic Research’s IFT (Integrated Frequency Termination) technology addresses this by preserving speed, PRAT (Pace, Rhythm, and Timing), and seamless high-frequency extension in perfect alignment with low frequencies. Unlike bi-wire geometries, IFT keeps the full spectrum of frequencies and phase information intact within a single run, avoiding the distortions caused when signals are split into separate cable paths.

Disadvantages of The Traditional Bi-Wire Termination

When loudspeakers are bi-wired, the inputs to the high- and low-pass filters are fed with separate signals. This occurs because high and low frequencies travel along different paths—potentially through different cable types—and are always subjected to varying electrical loads. A tweeter with a high-pass filter exhibits a markedly different impedance response than a woofer with a low-pass filter.

When the filter halves (crossovers) receive unequal signals, the drivers cannot integrate properly. This generates phase errors that affect both the sound and the transfer of phase information between the drivers. The phase distortion arises from the inherent non-linearity in the high- and low-frequency signal paths.

Audibly, this manifests as altered spatial reproduction and inconsistent soundstaging. Over time, listeners may notice that all recordings begin to sound strikingly similar, lacking the distinct sense of space and depth originally present.

Integrated Frequency Termination (IFT) Bi-Wire

All Synergistic Research speaker cables, from Core UEF through Galileo UEF, act as a “lens” to manage electromagnetic intermodulation, with geometries specifically engineered to control electromagnetic fluctuations for accurate phase and frequency transfer. IFT Bi-Wire ensures that the amplifier encounters consistent loading across the entire frequency spectrum, resulting in soundstaging that is both expansive and precise. Low frequencies are further aligned with high frequencies in series via a transmission line carefully tuned for low-frequency transfer, precisely matching the speaker wire’s geometry.