Newbies Biamp question.

If your preamplifier has two separate outputs, then you can indeed use that for bi-amping IF BOTH OF YOUR AMPLIFIERS HAVE EQUAL SENSITIVITY and IDEALLY EQUAL INPUT IMPEDANCE. If you use two identical amplifiers from the same manufacturer, then there is of course no problem. However, if the amplifiers are different as noted above, then it may be very difficult to properly integrate the bass response with the highs and mids. The resulting sound could range from "boomy" (if the bass amp is easier to drive than the other amp) to "light and tinny" (if the bass amp is difficult to drive) depending on the specifications for the bass and mid/hign amplifiers. It is in those circumstances that an external crossover is especially desirable. But an even an external crossover requires a lot of fine-tuning to get everything to sound right. My recommendation, if you want to bi-amp, is to make life much easier on yourself and use two identical amplifiers. As for your question about using a "Y" connector, yes that can be done though having two separate preamp outputs is certainly preferable on the principle that the fewer cables and cable connections, the better.

Hifixpert & Supakit; assuming your pre-amp does have two sets of output terminals, it depends on whether or not they are both "active" at the same time (is this series wired?) or not. If both sets are active at the same time you could use them both, but it would require 2 pairs of ICs, one pair to each amp. Whereas if you use just one set of pre-amp outputs you would need a "Y" connector on the amplifier end of your ICs. I am in the process of setting up a passive vertical bi-amp to each speaker using two amps also, and intend to use a single set of pre-amp outs with a "Y" on the amp end. My pre-amp does have two sets of output terminals, but I don't know if they are simultaneously active-- I need to find this out. Steve McCormack has recommended using a single set of ICs with the "Y". If you don't know how the output terminals of your pre-amp are wired, you could do some serious damage if you plug two sets of ICs into your amp(s)-- I think. I need to look into this more myself. Good Luck to us. Craig.

I kmow biamping can have it's benefits, but I have to ask. If you are new to this, why worry about biamping? I think you should just try to put together the best, simplist system you can. After all, you will probably be changing it shortly anyway. You will find system matching of equiptment and cables to be quite a task, if done correctly. You can always add an amp later if you must, but there are great systems out there that aren't biamped. It seems to me that you may end up losing money if you start out by biamping, unless you make very wise purchases, that you will be able to recoup.

Hi Blbloom: thanks for you suggestion. I forgot to tell you that I've been working out with my separate system for a while. I've been changing 4 multi-channel poweramps, 2 receivers, 1 processor, 4 pairs of speakers and 4 external DACs within 4 months period. I should have read you suggestion 4 months ago. Well I never try biamping, so I'm considered myself a newbie for biamping. I'm also doubt in performance of biamping (100watts x 2 each speaker) compare to 200 watts directly to each speaker. If anyone have this kind of experiment, please share your experience. Thanks a lot...

I've got to give all of you folks credit. We've got a great bunch of folks here who REALLY try hard to do their best ( and i like that ). Kudo's to all that "give a damn" and do what they can to help folks out.

I'd like to add some comments to those made above. Passive biamping should be done with two identical amps with ONE major catch. Even if your using two identical Super WamaJama 150's, those two "identical" amps can have different gain curves even though their input impedance and input sensitivities are similar. This is due to mass production and parts tolerance. As such, there really is NO way around this other than to have the two amps "gain matched". Since this typically requires electrical testing and circuit modifications, your better off going to active biamplification. This gives you variable output levels for each frequency range and DRASTICALLY increases the efficiency of the system. Since this has gotten even more expensive now and far more involved, Blbloom hit it right on the head. Concentrate on building the best "simple" system that you can initially. If getting fancy strikes your fancy, you can always do that at a later date. As mentioned, getting a basic system to perform optimally is quite a task in itself and reminds me of a motto that i use at work all the time: "Before investing in a lot of frosting, make sure that the cake tastes good first." After all, adding onto a system that isn't pleasing to start with doesn't make much sense and just gives you more places to go wrong. Sean
>