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Can I bi-wire Martin Logan CLS speakers?

Hello, Sorry in advance for my lack of knowledge. I read a lot of threads and other sites on the subject, and it appears that I'm up the creek without a paddle, but I just want to make sure.

I have a pair of Martin Locan CLS speakers, and a pair of Graaf iti 50 WPC stereo tube amps. My preamp is an EAD Theatermaster 8000. If I use one Graaf amp to power the two main speakers as in a normal stereo configuration, even at full volume it is barely enough to power the enormous power hungry inefficient electrostatic beasts. Since I have another identical amp, I'm wondering if there is any way at all to make this happen.

The Martin Logan CLS speakers only have two binding posts per speaker. The amps only have two binding posts per channel, four posts on each two channel amp.

Can I put one channel from the preamp into two amplification sections, then power each speaker from two channels to double the power?

I realize this is probably a pipe dream, but I had to ask. I'm not going to try it for fear of damage until I understand it better.

Many Thanks-

Victor D.
victord
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,672 posts
 
You cannot do what you have proposed: wiring both channels in parallel on each amp/speaker since each channel will shunt the other. You can bridge them if you get/build a bridging adapter.

Or sell the amps and get ones with more power.
ed_sawyer
588 posts
 
I find it hard to believe 50wpc is not enough. I run my CLS with less than 20 and it's more than enough power for high volumes... (driven either by 845-based SET amps, 47Lab gaincard, etc. )

The ML's don't do biamping or biwiring, but if you bridge your amps for mono operation, then you could probably have about 150wpc to play with. (bridging nets more than the sum of the 2 stereo channels). Still, there's not much reason to have that much power... unless your room is HUGE. Mine ran fine with 20 watts in a 24 x 16 x 12ish room with no problems. Smaller rooms are even easier. I had them running full range, but also had subs augmenting the low end.

-Ed
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,975 posts
 
One driver 1 pair of wires, electrostatic panels like cls are one driver you can only biamp multi driver speakers with more than one speaker connector
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