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Bi-amping or Mono Block amps

To all,

Would you guys help explain which should give better two channel sound: bi-amping or using a pair of mono block amps? Let's say a decision is to be made between a pair of Parasound A21 or a pair of JC 1 mono blocks along with JC 2 preamp and Paradigm Studio 100's v5.

Thanks you all!
ibhack
4 responses Add your response
ngjockey
1,042 posts
 
Why not both.
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,689 posts
 
Dusty,

If you remove the speaker's internal crossover and build/buy an active network customized for the particular speaker, then I am in total agreement with you. Unfortunately, that is rarely the default meaning of bi-amping in the audiophile world.

Kal
dusty
60 posts
 
Not familiar with the speaker but I did try both monoblocks and bi-amping with my speakers (Maggie 3.6R) and I thought bi-amping was a noticeable improvement. Bi-amping allows the amps to drive the speaker elements directly as opposed to dealing with the speaker's internal crossover.
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,689 posts
 
You'll get more power/headroom out of a monobloc than from a biamped pair whose individual outputs are 1/2. Better sound? That has more to do with the performance of the individual amps and their suitability to the speaker load than with their configuration.

Kal
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