Bi-amping????

Passive biamping means that you still use the speaker's "passive" crossover. The amps receive the full-range of the signal from the preamp and feed this to either the mid-high or the woofer section of the speaker. The spkrs' internal crossover then attenuate part of the frequencies as required.

"Active" or "line-level passive" crossing is when you split the signal BEFORE the amplification channels. Then each amp channel amplifies only the frequencies required for the drive units it's connected to -- i.e. low frequencies go to the woofs, etc. This is much better as the amp is directly connected to the drivers.

"Vertical" is just a way of connecting the amps to the speakers -- 'vertical" being when you use one channel for bass and the other for the mid-high section of spkr (i.e. it's vertical).

I take it that active biamping is better because it is less work for the amp because is not having to reproduce full range?

Would you need a certain Pre-amp with that capability?

In most general discussions, passive biamping refers to using the speakers internal crossover vs an external crossover - although there are external passive crossovers too.

Vertical biamping refers to using the left and right outputs from one amp driving their own section of one speaker.

Horizontal biamping refers to using the channels of one amp for the lows of the left and right speaker, and then another amp to drive the mid/highs of the left and right speakers.

Don't worry about the power, you are making much ado about nothing. The cardinal rules are turn it down if the speakers start making strange noises, or if the sound takes on a harsh and or flat, non-dynamic sound.

I appreciate all you guys help, many questions have been answered.

Thanks Again

David

I passive biamp myself and use one amp in stereo for the LF and one for the HF. Even though there is no active crossover before the amp and the amp is sending all frequencies to the speaker the amp is only "loaded" at the frequencies the crossover limits. Although I didn't need the extra power of the second amp there was a sound improvement in my setup. I have biwirable speakers. As a former owner of an NAD 2200 I can't stress enough to remove the crappy stock hard wired power cable and replace it with something good. When I did it I went right to the fuse/transformer and bypassed the switch (when you open it you will see why) and used a power conditioners switched outlets as the power switch. HUGE improvement! I wouldn't try bridging, also aren't your speakers 4-6 ohms and not 8? You don't want to bridge that amp with a load under 8 ohms. I think you will like the sound best when one amp is loaded by the woofers and one by the top end. Let us know. And really change those cords!

ET

ET