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AAD 2001 monitors, bi-amping experiment

I’ve been experimenting with amplifiers for my AAD 2001 monitors. Everything I’ve read indicates the AAD 2001 need a lot of power. Lately I’ve been using a Portal Audio Panache, which offers 100wpc.

A few days ago I came up with idea of bi-amping these using the Panache on the low end, and a tube amp on the top end. Using a McCormack Line Drive passive pre (dual outputs), I added Jolida 102B to drive the HF. Both amps have volume controls, which I can use to fine-tune the Hi/Lo balance.

The sound is toe-tapping, ear-to-ear smile lively. Don’t know if it’s “right”, or if it’s “better”, but it has definintely got me thinking.

Is what I am hearing a consequence of “tubes on top / SS down low”, or is it just a result of extra power?
designdude
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,677 posts
 
Dunno. Could be more power. Could be the "tube sound." Could be a change in balance. BTW, did you balance the two amps with measurements or by ear?

Kal
designdude OP
23 posts
 
The change in "balance" has been achieved by fiddling with the volume controls - and there has been a fair amount of that. Of course, in this case, the "balance" is not L/R, but between the HF and LF speaker inputs. I do not have the equipment to take measurements, so it's been strictly by ear, using a wide variety of source material.

There may be other factors at play of course - different speaker cables (AudioQuest Type 8 with the Jolida/HF, DH Labs Q-10 with the Panache/LF), different power cords, etc. Still, the whole experiment has been rather interesting. I just don't know what the next step should be - logical or not.

magfan
1,583 posts
 
Next Step?

How about put on some music, grab an adult beverage and enjoy?

Unless you know how it measured before changes...which presumably are easily reversed, I see no point in starting to measure now.
designdude OP
23 posts
 
I was sitting on the couch last night, sipping an adult beverage, enjoying the music. A thought popped in my head. “What if what I am hearing is simply the result of adjusting the conections?” I had to explore it. Had to.

I grabbed some geek supplies – a can of Never Dull metal polish, a couple of cleaning rags, some ultra fine sand paper, and some Walker SST contact enhancement. I spent about an hour overhauling the speaker contacts on the back of the AAD monitors. I then put things back together, and have been smiling ever since.

Don't know if it was bad connections, a mis-match in components, or if I have somehow stumbled on a new system synergy. All I care about - the magic is back.
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