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Accuphase: Bridged or Bi-amped P-4100s Vs P-7100

Trying to get some comments based on experience. The question was placed in another thread I initiated a couple of months back.

I am about to get my Accuphase gears. I have been toying with an idea. How would a pair of P-4100s in Bridged or bi-amped configuration perform compared to a single P-7100? Price-wise they (P-7100 and two P-4100s) are pretty close. Bridged with P-4100s, there will be a lot of power muscle, but will there be any deterioration in sound quality? Shall I be able to get the sweetness of music Accuphase is reputed for? Has any other Audiogoner tried this?

My current equipments are:
CDP – Audio Aero Capitol
Power Amp – Bryston 7BssT mono blocks
Speakers – PMC IB2 and Usher BE10
Interconnects: –Accoustic Zen Silver Reference, Matrix Reference
Speaker Cable – Accoustic Zen Satori Shotgun

Another idea! A mix and match bi-amping scenario! If I retain my Bryston 7BssT mono blocks and use them as Bass Amp and use Accuphase say, A-65 for mid and hi frequencies, how would they sound? Did anybody try such a mixture of amplification?
matinma
ngjockey
1,042 posts
 
No experience with Accuphase, other than having heard a couple.

Have bridged Plinius and it did change the character only slightly, to be a bit more authoritative.

Bridged over biamped easy. Neither speaker looks to be a tough load for an amp rated for 1000W @ 2 ohms in bridged mode, although the PMC's complex crossover could be a mystery.

Besides just being mas macho, monoblocks allow shorter speaker cables.

Compared to the P-7100, the P-4100 has much less output transistors for less of a "chorus of voices" (3 parallel vs 11) and a 950 kva transformer as opposed to a 1.5 kva. Both are fully differential.
matinma OP
5 posts
 
It seems that there is no A'goner to have tried this!!!!

Options for bridged and bi-amped configuration are proudly published by Accuphase in their product brochures for Power Amps for attaining much higher power. It's quite surprising that no one ventured into this.

The second query (mix and match bi-amping with Bryston 7BssT mono blocks and Accuphase A-65) sounds funny, but I dared posting it for getting some reactions. The Accuphase 'cult' worlwide would never advise such a scenario and go away form the Accuphase house sound.

BTW Ngjockey, thanks for the suggestion including the eye-opener for technical strengths and weaknesses of P-4100 and P-7100.
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