Any point to bi-amping Linn AV5140s?

Thanks for the responses. Setting up aktiv sounds too costly/invasive, so it seems that traditional bi-amping wouldn't help.

With that said, I just received a velodyne SMS-1 and realized it is a special case where bi-amping might make sense for the linns.

If I'm reading correctly, it provides an output where the signal <= 80hz has been stripped. So I can use it as a high pass filter (or poor man's extrernal cross over).

Bi-amping would work as follows. First, split the output from my passive lightspeed attenuator. Then use the two signals as follows:

1) feed one to the SMS so that it strips off the <= 80hz part of the signal and then feed the result to the "subwoofer" driver of the linn so that the linn doesn't compete with the two subs I have.

2) feed the other (unfiltered) right to the amp used for the tweeters/midrange drivers. This prevents the SMS from messing with the signal.

Not sure if this will sound better, of course.

Thanks for the responses!

Sorry, I responded incorrectly. Aktiv bypasses the crossovers and marries the amp to the drivers. Bi-amping should be as good and you can use a better amp than Linn if you choose. I've always liked their speakers, and had an all Linn system at one time except for Linn amps. Best of luck

I had the Tukans Katans and Makik 140's and bi wiring the Katans and the 140's make no difference except what you'll pay in wires. I loved the speakers, but bi wiring just does not help.

I used to own the 5140's, and had them powered by Linn AV5105 amps.

I start red with one per pair, then two then three then went to the aktiv configuration with the powered internal crossovers and removal of the passive crossover.....

Bi amping did make an improvement, and tri-amping did too, but not close to the level going aktiv did but it was not worth it in my mind. Plus the headache of running all those wires and IC's made it a huge PITA.

After I finally amassed all the parts one the used market (except the Aktiv cards (BTW you need two of these per amp with the 5105's!) cables etc I moved the system three times in several years. What a nightmare!! FWIW I had a fully aktiv Lin AV51 system with two pairs of the AV5140's for fronts and surrounds, an AV5140 also acktiv and the AV5150 sub, and an AV5103 controller (that thing sounded really nice but was also a PITA to deal with!)

Add to that the fun of trouble shooting any problem, which is now eight times more difficult due to the number of variables....... The final time I moved them I moved them to a larger room and they didn't have the output it needed so sold the entire rig and started from scratch and am much happier I did!

Die hard Linnies will find that blasphemous but when you get into a system like that you get stuck into one brand and limit your flexibility as you need to use Linn amps, well you COULD do an external crossover before the amps and Linn does make something like this but they do not recommend them....

Hope that helps!