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Bi-amping Question?

I am and amature to highend audio and am trying to get into it by first messing around with low-end eqiupment and learn concepts. Quick question. I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 8.4 (rated at 150W-RMS 6ohm impendence). Additionally I have a ROTEL RB985 (5 channel at @ 100W per channel at 8 ohm.) Could I bi-wire/bi-amp the Diamond 8.4s using two outputs for each speaker from the amp (i.e. Use Left Front to power Low Frequency of the Left Speaker and Left Rear to power the High Frequency of the Left Speaker and use similar setting for the right speaker). Since the Stereo pre-amp I have has two outputs for each channel, I was planning to connect Left out to Left Front and Left Rear and Right out to Right front and Right Rear on the Rotel amp. Would this actually make a sonic difference? Putting 100W in High Frequency and 100W in Low Frequency = The speaker being powered with 200W or is it still effectively 100W? Any ideas-under the assumption I am buying no additional equipment?
dkalsi
jeffreybehr's avatar
jeffreybehr
805 posts
 
"...if you leave the speaker crossovers in circuit then you are simply running bridged pairs of channels to each speaker, not biamping."

Nope, you're wrong. The 'bi' in 'biamp' has to do with using at least 2 channels of amplification PER SPEAKER. 'Bridging' channels of an amp is completely different and has nothing to do with how you're driving the speaker.
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undertow
1,033 posts
 
Yeah very wrong, you can infact run Passive crossover bi-amping by simply dumping the jumpers between your 2 sets of binding posts on each speaker... You will still have a dedicated crossover on each section don't worry.. Also, one of the real benefits to the biamping with the 4 channels out of the 5 on your amp opposed to 2 channel is the Higher current delivery to the woofer section without sharing to the upper range of the speaker, so say your amp peaks at 20-25 amps of current per channel, well now you will probably get about 10 to 15% more current to your lower bass drivers, this can tighten up things and have better head room for power, however it is not a guarantee in depending on the equipment and speakers reaction.. its all about synergy, so single channels in some cases could sound just as good or better as well.. bottom line try it and see what you think.
erasmusj
14 posts
 
Apologies - I did not know that running pairs of amplifiers through the passive crossover was also referred to as bi-amping. I tried this years ago and was disappointed.
Recently I managed to get the right equipment together for actively biamping my Tannoy D900s. While not a trivial job, the result was well worth while. Besides slightly greater realism, it was particularly helpful on the louder passages when voices stand out better against the instruments. Much better for rock music for the same reasons. Another advantage is less distortion in the very high frequencies resulting in better cymbals on those recordings that have the information in the frst place.
mtandrews
43 posts
 
I also have a pair of Wharfedales (1.6 Modus) and have one amp running the highs and a twin running the lows. Imo it sounds better at moderate/high to high volumes. It also sounds clearer on "complicated" tracks. Now Ravel's Bolero and Orff's Carmina Burana O fortuna is stunning instead of ok.
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