Biamping

Bi-amping offers more advantages than just an additional power supply. Vertical bi-amping can offer the same benefits of monoblocks, plus the benefits of bi-amping. Bi-amping reduces the responsibility of each channel, and can offer a lot of flexibility for using active or passive crossovers. Separate amps on each channel reduces crosstalk.

I’m currently running tube monoblocks on the mids and tweeters, and a solid state amp on the woofers in a horizontal bi-amp configuration. I still use the passive crossovers on the speakers, but have the option of adding an active high pass filter for limiting the bass into the amps that drive the mids and tweeters.

With good equipment and a decent system, you should definitely hear a difference. Bi-amping with something like a modest AV receiver is less likely to offer much improvement.

So called ’passive’ bi-amping, feeding both LF an HF full range and still maintaining the stock passive crossovers is simply a waste of money. It maintains all the drawbacks, eg cost and complexity, while providing none of the benefits of actual bi-amping.

There are pros and cons with every option. That statement immediately dismisses the separation advantages of using a separate amp on each channel that occurs with a vertical bi-amp setup or monoblocks... with active or passive crossovers. It also dismisses some exceptional well designed passive crossovers that bring a performance level that can rival or surpass some active crossovers. Neither active or passive crossovers are created equal...there are excellent and poor examples of each. Doing an active crossover well still requires some user input to get it right, and there’s certainly no guarantee it’ll happen. With a good passive crossover you know exactly what you have.

I’ve been running my tube amps full range as monoblocks for a while. I just recently added a used integrated amp for $50 to drive the woofers (horizontal bi-amping) Not expensive at all, and still offers an audible benefit and a ton of flexibility without active crossovers. When I was running them in a vertical bi-amp configuration (still with the passive crossovers) the soundstage was incredible.

The point is you can start very simply even with passive crossovers and still get some benefit from bi-amping, and have the option of adding active crossovers down the road if and where you choose, or use a combination of passive and active crossovers. Bi-amping offers tons of options and flexibility, and can let you get pretty creative.