Bi-amping question


Well after reading numerous articles on bi-amping, I still haven't figured this out. I have a pr of Totem Sttafs I'm running with a 15wpc tube amp. It would probably be better with more power and was thinking of adding an old Yamaha 50wpc receiver or even an old Realistic 25wpc receiver, with the tubes running the highs and the receiver running the bass. Some articles make this sound like a useable thing, others insist the amps have to be identical or damage can occur. Anyone have any practicle advise a neophyte could understand. I don't want to just try it and then have to replace damaged speakers. Thanks
chrismontez
If you're using the sub for a home theatre and want the hosse to shake when the bombs are blasting, that's one thing. However, if you want to supplement your speaker for music, then you shouldn't really notice the sub. If you do, then you probably have the crossover or volume set too high.

I would suggest that a sub should do two things. One is to extend the bass a little deeper than your speakers are presently capable of. As a result, a sub is often good with a small monitor in situations where the monitor doesn't go as deep as you would like.

The second thing a sub can do is add headroom. In other words, the sub can supplement frequencies the main speaker is already producing. Smaller sopeakers can usually go down fairly deep, it's just that the volume is too low. For example, a speaker spec may say 50 Hz, plus or minus 3 dB. This doesn't mean it can't reproduce lower than 50 Hz. It just means that when you go below 50 Hz, you will be more than 3 dB down. So the apparent volume of the speaker at frequencies below 50Hz will be so low that it isn't rteally noticeable. A sub can add the extra volume to frequencies the main speaker is already producing. This is a slightly different thing than just adding lower frequencies that the main speaker can't reproduce at all. This is one reason why you might use a sub with a floorstanding speaker that already goes down farily low. This is why some subs are set up to run in tandem with the main speakers, rather than relieving the main speaker's bass driver totally of the low frequency signal and sending it to the sub.

And in either application of course, there are potential integration issues.

So, as the posters above suggest, a sub isn't necessarily just to add more "powerful" bass, as it might be for home theatre applications, but to "supplement" your existing bass, either by adding bass frequencies you don't have, or by supplementing existing bass already produced by the main speaker. Supplementing doesn't necessarily mean more powerful. It means adding headroom to add to dynamics, although there is certainly the option of making it more powerful by increasing its crossover frequency or volume relative to the main speaker if that's what you want

If you're carefull in how you integrate the sub, it can add wonders to your main speakers without you even knowing that its there. I would rather have a main speaker with good bass response, rather than a speaker/sub combination. However, it's usually less expensive to go the main/sub route than it is to find a truly good main speaker with very good deep bass response at a reasonable price.
I do not disagree with those who describe the benefits of adding a subwoofer. I do add a word of caution. I know several audiophiles who have added a subwoofer(s) to their system and never achieved a satisfactory integration. I am talking about their satisfaction, not my judgment of the success or failure.
Well this had really gotten more involved than I planned. I just bought a new VUUM 30 watt tube amp, new Sttafs and a new Consonance Cd-120 linear player. For $2300 I think it's a good setup. Of course if I had bought a more powerful tube amp for $1500 more that would be better, but what I have is all I'm buying except for some cables. I'm not unhappy with what I have, I just thought I might be able to use some of the older ss equipment I have in this setup to add more power which I thought MIGHT improve the performance of the system. But it doesn't sound like a good idea.
I think you made a good choice. It is the simplest answer which is most often the right one.

-Rob
One thing no mentioned is that if you put in two identical amps,say 100 Watts you end up with sum of 150 (150%)watts not double as many folks think.Given all that has been said I go passive with same amps and not use crossover I keep telling buddy with Maggie 3.6 and a Bryston 4 BST I got him to get another and their 10Bsub x-over.He could use nice fast sub like multiple driver REL,Vandersteen 2WQ,and Martin Logan as they are fast and blend best with music and are more pitch accurate because of it.But your speakers,their,price,quality etc would have me get same amps and not add even good Bryston or tube Marchand.
Chazz