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Bi amp pros out there I could use some help! First time Bi Amping...

Just picked up a BAT vk 200 for the bass and using my Pass Aleph 5 for the mids and tweets. Ive never played around with bi amping so I apologize in advance for any lame questions My speakers are Dunlavy SC3's original 5.5 nominal load. The pass is 90 wpc at 4 Ohm and the BAT is 200 wpc at 4 ohm so Im guessing around 75 wpc off the Pass Amp and 150 plus with the Bat Amp. My pre amp is a Aleph P and Im running the Single ended through a XLR adaptor (cause the Bat is Balanced inputs only) and the pass Aleph 5 off the XLR outputs of the pre and inputs of the Pass amp. The PASS Pre Amp manual says there is a 6db differential between the RCA and XLR outputs  two and both can be driven at the same time. So the RCA is 9db and the XLR is 15 db. Gain is within 2db on each amp. So whats the best way to do this? Get a custom XLR "Y" connector and drive both off the XLR output of the pre? Or is there a way better way to get the magic? This is past my "WORLD" Map and experience so Id thought Id ask for the smart people for advice. 

Thank you in advance!

-ALLGOOD
128x128haywood310
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
haywood310
Just picked up a BAT vk 200 for the bass and using my Pass Aleph 5 for the mids and tweets.

This should sound very good.

Because you have amps that are not identical, vertical bi-amping is out.
You’ll have to do horizontal bi-amping.
http://www.av2day.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/biamp1.jpg

And because there’s no way both amps will be equal in gain, you’ll have to put a passive volume control at the input of the loudest amp so you can lower it’s volume to be identical to the other amp.
https://www.schiit.com/products/sys
Then your main preamp volume control will be the master volume control for both amps that now have identical gains.


Cheers George
almarg's avatar
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
And because there’s no way both amps will be equal in gain, you’ll have to put a passive volume control at the input of the loudest amp so you can lower it’s volume to be identical to the other amp.

Hi George,

See item 1 in my post earlier in the thread.  As well as the statement earlier in my post that I'm assuming the specs are accurate.

Best regards,

-- Al


georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Saw it Al, but it's more war and peace than mine, think it could loose him.
And he should just use these for the Bat to give single ended
https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/products/0448351/?grossPrice=Y&cm_mmc=AU-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-PLA_AU_EN_Connectors-_-Rf_And_Coaxial_Connectors-_-PRODUCT_GROUP&matchtype=&pla-441403653319&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiOau7Yup4gIVToyPCh12qgSdEAQYAiABEgKPxfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Cheers George
lastperfectdaymusic's avatar
lastperfectdaymusic
48 posts
 
Hi, Im about to take delivery of a set of floorstander speakers that do have a separated passive crossover with a pair of speaker connecting posts for the mid/treble, and for bass as do many modern speakers. Fortunately I have four mono Musical Fidelity mosfet amps, a bit old yes, but all 50 watt.
The simple reasoning that supports biamping in this case is that the mono amp supplying the mid/treble speakers will have considerably less load drawn from it during heavy bass passages of music.
There is no doubt that an active crossover system would be best of all as that same mono amp would only have to amplify a given range of frequencies.
However as I firmly believe that this new speaker set has been designed by engineers etc with infinitely better experience and measuring equipment than I have, the best option that I have is to maximize their design by biamping them.

lastperfectdaymusic's avatar
lastperfectdaymusic
48 posts
 
I will leave a report on the differences I find between single and biamp on  this discussion in a couple of weeks. I have many years listening experience, so it should be relevant. So if you would like to know, then click the `Follow this discussion` at the top!
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