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PeruvianSkies
03-18-2007, 02:52 AM
While I keep hearing about the benefits of bi-amping and I have tested it out myself briefly I was wondering if anyone here puts this method into practice. I am considering going this route in the near future and wanted to get some thoughts on it first. Oh and I am not talking about bi-amping from your receiver, only from separate amps.

Feanor
03-18-2007, 03:15 AM
While I keep hearing about the benefits of bi-amping and I have tested it out myself briefly I was wondering if anyone here puts this method into practice. I am considering going this route in the near future and wanted to get some thoughts on it first. Oh and I am not talking about bi-amping from your receiver, only from separate amps.

I'm sure bi-ampers will mention it, but I would like to know whether they are using crossoverse between their preamps and power amps.

Florian
03-18-2007, 03:32 AM
I quad amp :-) Active 4 way crossovers and 8 amps... Hehe....

I do believe in biamping but only with the right crossover setup.

Wireworm5
03-18-2007, 06:39 AM
I tried bi-amping, with my Studio 100's but it made the speakers sound horrible cause the receivers I used couldn't drive the woofers. Since getting my Bryston amps I haven't tried it since they have more than enough power and I get slam bass from my 100's without bi-amping.
However on speakers that my receivers could drive. I noticed the bass was hard hitting. So if you're not driving 9 speakers like myself and you can spare an extra amp/receiver. Than go for it!

Mike Anderson
03-18-2007, 09:32 AM
Yes, I am bi-amping my 3.6R setup now.

For the crossover, I'm using a DEQX unit:

http://www.deqx.com/

This also acts as the pre-amp, and does speaker correction, room correction, and equalization. Fantastic unit.

For the amps, I'm using four ICEpower modules as monoblocks. On the bass panels, I'm using the 1000ASP modules (the same ones Bel Canto uses in the REF1000, and Jeff Rowland uses them too):

http://sixmoons.com/industryfeatures/icepower/icepower.html
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/eone2/1000.html

On the mid/treble panels, I'm using the 500ASP modules.

This means I've got about 1,000 watts going into the bass panels alone, and about 500 watts going into the mid/treble panels.

This setup kicks ass. I highly recommend bi-amping. Not only is the sound vastly less muddled-sounding, but the whole soundstage just pops right at out you. (Of course part of this has to do with having the phase coherence and group delay fixed via the DEQX unit, but it makes a big difference even without that.)

ski2xblack
03-19-2007, 10:03 AM
Does anyone here bi-amp? Absolutely. Better use of amp power, better dynamics.

Use of crossovers? I do, an NHT X-2, which is fine for my modest setup for now (2-ch, sub/sat, M&K). Other analog crossovers from M&K (BMC-1 is about 5 bills, pro-audio equip for way more), and if you can find one, the Outlaw ICBM is also good. These are specifically for bass management bi-amping, which probably covers the majority of situations and can yeild quite noticable sonic dividends.

Fully active setup a la Florian's is the best route if you want to get ridiculous and have the ducats.

AmpNow
03-22-2007, 10:58 PM
I do, but it takes a while to learn everything.
_________________
McIntosh MA6500 Integrated Amplifier (http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/mcintosh-laboratory-inc-1500/ma6500-integrated-amplifier-5971.html) - Get the MA6500 Integrated Amplifier Catalog by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

PeruvianSkies
03-23-2007, 01:24 AM
I do, but it takes a while to learn everything.
_________________
McIntosh MA6500 Integrated Amplifier (http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/mcintosh-laboratory-inc-1500/ma6500-integrated-amplifier-5971.html) - Get the MA6500 Integrated Amplifier Catalog by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

For that nugget of info.

Luvin Da Blues
03-23-2007, 03:43 AM
If one has ,say, an 8ohm speaker and split it to bi-amp, what loads do the amps see? What does this do to the power rating of the speakers?

mikep
03-24-2007, 10:53 PM
I'm currently bi-amping a pair of paradigm 5 se mk 3's with the main and extra surround back channels of my Denon AVR 1907. Unbelieveable what this has done for the sound of these 10 plus year old speakers. I use a Bryston 3b power amp to drive a passive sub crossed over at 60 hz. SWEET.