2. amps-preamps
  3. 1289429419

Monoblocks, passive bi-amped or passive tri-amped?

I have been doing lots of research, but to no avail. Some writers & speaker builders say you will get sonic benefits from passive bi or tri amping, some say you get nothing. Some say running 2 identical amps will give a 50% increase in power to the speaker…some say zero. IMO it seems logical that an amp pushing 1 driver, as opposed to many, would have an easier load, and thus more headroom, control, speed, detail, etc.

The options I’m considering:
250W D monoblocks
220W D bi-amped
140W A/B tri-amped

I can’t active amp…so need technical info on which of these would sound best, and why. Thanks!
manoterror
manoterror OP
216 posts
 
Good advice...on both accounts. :-)

I have Mirage OMD-28s. Absolutely love them, and now I need amps that will make them sing. Manufacturer recommends tri-amping, but as you have said...no concensus. Just trying to be better informed for my decision.

Thanks!
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,677 posts
 
Most reviews of the OMD-28 seem to be happy with a single amplifier in the 150wpc range. No one made any suggestion of wishing for more or for more complex arrangements.

What's wrong with your amp?
mechans
3,048 posts
 
It would be helpful if you could spell out what you mean by "220W D Biamped". I think you mean either two 220 Watt per channel Stereo amplifiers or possible one amplifier Biwired. Are you really suggesting 3 stereo 140 Watt per channel class AB amplifers saying "triamped"??? Anything is possible.
I do agree that using multiple amplifiers on one speaker -of reasonably high caliber- that more power will be delivered.
I also think that for a recommendation you should find the amplifier that you find most pleasing of suitable power and use that one or that one pair of monoblocks.
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
I have been doing lots of research, but to no avail.

Kal's first response pretty much answers this. If you really want the answer though, you'll have to experiment to know for sure.
6550c
393 posts
 
Isn't most of the power demanded by the woofer? So, adding a second amp for the mids and high doesn't really take much load away from the woofer amp.(assuming a three way design) I agree that adding a second identical amp does not really double the usable power available to the speaker. The tweeter amp mostly goes to waste.

What does "passive" mean? To me, passive indicates something that is not powered. Do you mean you are not using an active x-over and letting the amps get all the signal?
More to discover