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Bi-amping Rules

I wasn't sure if this question belongs in the amp or the speaker section but I figured I'll post it here. Those of you who have bi-amped your speakers, what's the general rule for deciding which amplifiers are better for low frequency vs. the high frequency drivers. I recognize an accurate answer will depend on the particular speakers and amp combinations but I'm looking for general rules of thumb from personal experiences and not application specific recommendations. For the sake of the argument, let's assume the amps are different but the gains on both amps can be adjusted if that matters. Thanks.
128x128kalali
pani
1,219 posts
 
If you bring in the tonality aspect it gets even more complex. Imagine the lower notes of the piano coming from one amplifier and the higher notes from another amplifier of a different make (which means different voice)! Ultimately it will also mean the fundamental notes are generated by one amplifier and the higher order harmonics by a totally different amplifier. Will the fundamental and its harmonics now sound like it is coming from the same note ? It is ultimately a "cooked" sound to say the least.
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Pani, to be sure it's clear, my comment that you quoted was not intended to imply anything inconsistent with your comments.  And personally I am in essential agreement with everything you have said above.  From my post in this thread dated 7-25-2016:
While anecdotal indications are that there are certainly **some** cases where audiophiles have achieved fine results by bi-amping, in both passive and active configurations and by using different as well as identical amplifiers, I agree with the foregoing comments and the article that in the great majority of circumstances the corresponding funds are likely to be applied more constructively in other ways. And presumably and hopefully the designers of most high quality speakers have gone to great pains to try to make them sound as coherent as possible throughout the frequency range. Why risk undoing that by using different sounding amps?
Regards,
-- Al

264win
51 posts
 
I read through this thread and maybe I missed it but what about amps that have been designed to work together in a bi-amp configuration?
I have a Marantz PM-11s3 and Marantz talks about how these have been designed to work in tandem with each other in a bi-amp configuration.
The PM-11s3 owners manual shows how to connect two and configure them with one being the control amp/pre and the other the slave unit providing just the amp and locking out its pre.
I wonder if these types of designs work well or is it just a sales gimmick? 

cosmicjazz's avatar
cosmicjazz
243 posts
 
I think even passive bi-amp or tri-amp can achieve great results no?tubes or low power class a for the horns on mids and highs for example, and a high damping factor high power class d for the woofer driver...

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks.
joysjane's avatar
joysjane
165 posts
 
Vertical bi-amping with identical amps.
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