affordable mono blocks??

[PeruvianSkies]

A 2-channel amp in bridge mode is not exactly still equal to a true monoblock, but is a cost effective alternative to getting more power to the speakers. You will also want to check your OHm rating on your speakers before getting ahead of yourself. The Parasound HaloA23 that I mentioned can do 200w/channel in stereo @ 4 ohms, but can do 400w/channel in bridged mode @ 8ohms. Just something to consider. The Parasound Halo JC1 monoblock destroys those numbers those.

[Feanor]

A 2-channel amp in bridge mode is not exactly still equal to a true monoblock, but is a cost effective alternative to getting more power to the speakers. You will also want to check your OHm rating on your speakers before getting ahead of yourself. The Parasound HaloA23 that I mentioned can do 200w/channel in stereo @ 4 ohms, but can do 400w/channel in bridged mode @ 8ohms. Just something to consider. The Parasound Halo JC1 monoblock destroys those numbers those.

A person thinking of using a 2-ch amp in bridged mode should consider that though the amp might be rated for 4 ohms in 2-ch, it might good for only 8 ohms in bridged mode. Basically that's because each channel is see only half the impedance of the speaker, e.g. a 4 ohm speaker looks like 2 ohms to the bridged amp.

[Dusty Chalk]

A 2-channel amp in bridge mode is not exactly still equal to a true monoblock...

Why not?

[GMichael]

I don't know as much as you guys on these things, but I have heard that you can get better results with 2-2 chanel amps by, by-amping instead of bridging.

[GMichael]

I have heard that you can get better results with 2-2 chanel amps by, by-amping instead of bridging.

Can anyone confirm if this is a truth or not?

[E-Stat]

Can anyone confirm if this is a truth or not?

There is no hard rule, but I can think of two advantages to bi-amping as opposed to bridging.

1. Bridging halves the impedance "seen" by each amp. With low impedance speakers, that may make the amps unhappy.

2. For the most part, it is the bass that requires the most power. In a bi-amped situation, clipping the bottom does not affect the top.

rw

[Haoleb]

There is currently an ad on Audiogon for a pair of Odyssey Khartago mono's, For under 800 bucks. Quite a steal really. Check them out and I think you will agree. If I hadnt bought a pair new from Klaus a few months ago I would have already bought these.

[GMichael]

There is no hard rule, but I can think of two advantages to bi-amping as opposed to bridging.

1. Bridging halves the impedance "seen" by each amp. With low impedance speakers, that may make the amps unhappy.

2. For the most part, it is the bass that requires the most power. In a bi-amped situation, clipping the bottom does not affect the top.

rw

Thanks to you and basite.
Basicly, it depends.

[PeruvianSkies]

Why not?

The obvious reason is why would anyone buy a monoblock amp that costs much more than buying 2 stereo amps and running them in bridge mode. There must be a difference and there is.

If you look at the ratings on monoblocks vs. a stereo amp they are quite different even in running bridge mode, plus a monoblock is designed to carry a heavy load with one channel and will outperform and outhaul a stereo amp in bridge mode.

Using my example the Parasound Halo JC1 can do 800 watts/channel @ 4 ohms

The HaloA23 in bridge mode can only do 400 watts/channel @ 8 ohms.

My rationalization for recommending using 2 of the HaloA23's was for cost effeciency because you can get two of them and run them in bridge mode, which will certainly act more like a monoblock and lighten the load and also cost less than buying two monoblocks.

Cost breakdown: 2 Parasound JC1's for example would cost: Approx. $6,000
2 Halo A23's would cost: Approx. $1400.

That's quite a big difference! Even if you were to go with the HaloA21, which would be
2 Halo A21's would cost approx. $3400.

[Dusty Chalk]

Using my example the Parasound Halo JC1 can do 800 watts/channel @ 4 ohms

The HaloA23 in bridge mode can only do 400 watts/channel @ 8 ohms.

But you're comparing apples to oranges here -- are you trying to tell me that the Halo A23 is somehow equivalent to the Halo JC1? The A23 is a $850 amplifier, the JC1 is a $6000 amplifier. It's not better because it's a monoblock, it's better because it's a better amplifier.