Am I wasting money on the theory of Bi-amping?
As a long time audiophile I'm finally able to bi-amp my setup. I'm using two identical amps in a vertical bi-amp configuration.
Now me not fully understanding all of the ins/outs of internal speaker crossovers and what not. I've read quite a few people tell me that bi-amping like I'm doing whether it's vertical or horizontal bi-amping is a waste since there's really not a improvement because of how speaker manufacturers design the internal crossovers.
Can anyone explain to a third grader how it's beneficial or if the naysayers are correct in the statement?
- ...
- 118 posts total
@phusis that's just one person's opinion. |
The math never worked for me. If I can afford, say a $5K amp… I cannot afford two. I would always match amps… coherence. There is nothing worse than mixing sound qualities (a planar guy for a few decades). So, if I could afford another $5K for amplification… I would choose a $10K amp… it is going to have better dynamics, a much lower noise floor and more natural sound. So… biamping completely loses every time for me.
|
Well put @ghdprentice |
In the owners manual for my Magneplanar Tympani T-IVa loudspeakers, the company recommends bi-amping for maximum sound quality. From the manual: "By adding an additional amplifier and a crossover you can enjoy the benefits of increased dynamic range and lower distortion." Since the T-IVa features separate binding posts on the midrange/tweeter panel and dual bass panels, it’s simple. Used stock (mono-amped), the signal from the pre-amp is sent into your power amp, which is then connected via a pair of speaker cables to the Magnepan outboard crossover. The crossover has two pair of output binding posts, one for the m/t panel, the other for the bass panels. So you need two pair of speaker cables to connect the crossover to the three panels of the T-IVa. In this scenario, the power amp sees a full-range signal. When bi-amping, the pre-amp sends it’s signal to the after-market electronic crossover, which divides the signal into two frequency ranges, one for the m/t panel, the other the bass panels. The x/o of course has two sets of output jacks, one for each amplifier. This scenario keeps the bass frequencies out of the amplifier reproducing the mids and highs, a real benefit. If you ever see a First Watt B4 crossover for sale used, buy it! No longer sold assembled, only as a kit. 1st/2nd/3rd/ and 4th-order filters (6/12/18/24dB per octave), adjustable in 25Hz increments from 25 to 6375Hz. All discrete components, no OpAmps or IC’s. It sold for $1500 new, a bargain. |
- 118 posts total