Big 2 channel Amp OR Smaller 6 channel and TRIamp?


Speakers: High end w/TRI-AMP binding posts.

Which amp scenario would you choose?

A - 2x300W Discrete Amp, use jumpers to connect 3 posts together on each side and run 2 speaker wires to each speaker.

B - 6 or 7x100W Discrete Amp, no jumpers, run 6 speaker wires to each speaker.

Speakers are KEF Reference 203.1 but that shouln't matter for discussion sake. The above scenarios could be applied to biamp speakers as well.
vintagegroove
How about you bi-amp, with 200 wpc for the woofers and then use a second amp for the mids/tweets and jumper them?
Jumper what? Why? Cannot think of a jumper in this situation that would not create the potential for a short.

Kal

02-20-12: Kr4
...
Jumper what? Why? Cannot think of a jumper in this situation that would not create the potential for a short.

Kal
The OP mentioned that it has Tri-amp binding posts. The only way I've seen this is with three pairs of binding posts jumpered together (e.g., as with the MIrage OMD-28 which I am familiar with). When removed, the three pairs feed the woofer(s), midrange, and tweeter, respectively. So I'm saying remove the jumpers between the woofer and midrange, but leave the midrange-to-tweeter jumpers intact. Then use one amp to drive the woofers alone and a second amp to drive the mids/tweets which are jumpered together.

If the factory jumpers are one-piece bars that connect all three, remove them and insert jumpers to connect only the mids and tweets.
Sorry. I forgot about the OPs three pairs of terminals and was trying to fit your suggestion into 2 pairs.

Kal

02-20-12: Eldartford
Kal... I guess I would prefer option A, which, as I understand it simply means using a 300 watt amp for the speaker.

I don't see any advantage to using more than one amp unless there is a line level crossover.

Headroom reduces risk of clipping.

Well, there's still an advantage to bi-amping straight into the speaker's passive crossovers because bass-heavy passages still won't use up all available power and current, leaving little for the mids and tweets. With a separate amp for the woofers, the mids and tweets have a fuller dynamic range unhampered by power and current being siphoned off by the needs of the woofers.

I have had a pair of dual-terminal Mirage M5si's for nearly 16 years, and have ampified them with a wide variety of configurations. I've tried everything but line-level crossovers. Passive bi-amping with high-current amps has the most speed, transparency, frequency extension, and dynamic range, especially compared to single-amping, though bi-wiring helps.

Even if you decide on a single high-powered amp, you should probably still bi-wire and maybe even tri-wire.