Need advice for bi-amping or tri-amping Sonus Faber Aida speakers


I am thinking of bi-amping or tri-amping my original Sonus Faber Aida speakers and have two questions:

1. How can I tri-amp when my preamplifier only has two sets of balanced outputs to amplifiers?

2. The Aida manual says when bi- or tri-amping I need to use the same amplifiers for all three speaker connection posts. However, I have seen many posts recommending using powerful solid state amps for the bass connection and tube amps for the mid and treble connections. Which way should I go?

I’m currently using Audio Research Reference 160M tube amps to power the Aidas and have no complaints but I’ve read that bi- or tri-amping them will sound even better. Thanks for the help!

stewartgr

Thanks everyone! I think I’ll start off by bi-amping. I like knotscott’s idea of adding a solid state integrated amp for the woofers to match volume levels unless I can find some solid state monos with the same gain as my ARC 160M’s (gain of 25.5 dB into 8 ohms).

ghdprentice, I’d like to use all ARC amps but I’ve read that I really should use solid state amps for the woofers and ARC only makes tube amps. Hopefully I can find a dealer to let me demo both a second pair of ARC M160s and solid state amps for the woofers but the system is at my home in Lafayette LA and there are no nearby dealers. Or maybe the ARC Ref 320s for the woofers, but their website said they were supposed to be released in 2022 so I’m wondering when they will be released with their recent financial trouble. I’ll try to post photos of my system.

Once I can afford it I’ll try tri-amping, probably with appropriate hi-pass filters for the mids and treble. Or maybe I’ll be satisfied with bi-amping. 

FYI there’s a good YouTube video by PS audio which concludes replacing good internal passive crossovers (which the Aidas have) with active external crossovers is not worth the trouble.

@stewartgr Wrote:

Need advice for bi-amping or tri-amping Sonus Faber Aida speakers

Passive or active bi-amping should not be undertaken without first asking the manufacturer’s advice.

See article below:

Mike

Making the Case for Active Crossovers vs. Passive