Bi Amping: highs and lows or a seperate amp for the left and right.


Terms also used: vertical vs horizontal.

Assumption: same amplifiers

I can see left/right amps to 'free up' power supply for the lows for unused power in the high channel. 

I can see high/low amps for similar frequency handling on both channels. 

Different story obviously when use 2 different amplifiers (thinking along the lines of A/B amp for lows, and tube amp for highs). Then high/low amps is obvious.

And a 'no issue/difference' when using 4 channels of the SAME amp. 

Any comments? Who has compared it? 

kraftwerkturbo

Showing 2 responses by knotscott

Two identical stereo amps run in a vertical bi-amp configuration (one amp on each speaker) have similar advantages as monoblocks...physical separation, no crosstalk, and a dedicated power supply for each speaker. Plus, you can run the tweeters or mids/tweeters from a channel that doesn’t have the burden of driving heavier woofers, which has some benefit too.

Two non-identical amps in a horizontal bi-amp configuration can allow you to do something like dedicating a sweet sounding smaller amp (like a tube amp) on the tweeters or mids/tweeters, and a ballsy solid stage on the bottom. You just need to be able to match levels of the amps.

You can also do a hybrid bi-amp configuration by using monoblocks on the top, and a stereo SS on the bottom.

There are pros and cons to each approach, and every situation is a bit different, so there’s really no one size fits all scenario. In my case, I had two Dynaco/VTA 70 tube amps that are wonderful in the mids and highs, but not quite as authoritative on the bottom end, so I added an integrated SS amp to drive the woofers below 80hz.

 

 

With a vertical stereo bi-amp configuration, there’s still the benefit of the tweeter (and mid) running on a different circuit than the woofer. Even if the power supply is shared by two channels, each channel sees a different circuit load (assuming passive crossover), so the low frequencies aren’t traveling on the tweeter circuit due to the high capacitance from the crossover, so less IM distortion. If the crossover is active, each circuit is still separate, which is better than sharing the circuit.

Depending on other variables, high frequencies drivers are typically easier to drive than a woofer, so put less stress on the outputs and little draw from the PS, which may offer some sonic benefit.