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Biamping with Jolida/McCormack/Proceed

Hi All,

I've read many of the threads on biamping here. I apologize for asking what I’m sure is covered somewhere, but I ask because I couldn’t find enough specific information to reassure me. I did read enough to know what I want to do is less than ideal, but it’s all I can afford right now.

I have a chance to try out a Jolida 102b integrated amp (before buying it) biamped with my McCormack DNA-1 power amp. I would control them with my Proceed AVR preamp (using its DAC).

The Proceed has “remote” analog output RCA output*, plus a switch where I can let my Proceed’s volume control adjust both the main and the remote output simultaneously. The Jolida of course has its own volume control and analog inputs. (*The Proceed has main/remote xlr output too, but neither amp has balanced input.)

I’ve read various things including that if I set the volume control on the Jolida and leave it alone, it will work fine. But I have also read that the amps’ input impedance should match, and in another place that their input sensitivity should match. In neither case do they appear to precisely match:

Jolida 102b:
Input Impedance: = or < 250Kohms
Input Sensitivity: Max. 900mV for 20 watt output at 1KHz

McCormack DNA-1:
Input impedance: 100k ohms.
Input sensitivity: 1.2V.

I want to ask if I should try this, and if so how I should hook it up? My idea as of now is to use the Proceed’s remote output to drive the McCormack hooked to the low side of my speakers; and to use the main outputs to hook to the Jolida, and then to the mid/high side of my speakers.

If I need any sort of attenuation or gain adjustments besides what I can do with the Jolida, would you please suggest? And if the Jodida can be adjusted, how? Remember, I just want to try this out without investing much beyond the Jolida.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have.
les3547

Showing 3 responses by iramirez

iramirez
68 posts
 
Hi,

To truly bi-amp you will have to defeat the speakers internal crossover. You need to use one amp for the mid-hi and one for the speakers low end. If you do it as you stated you will be sending the full range of frequency to the speakers low end, this will result in a very muddied midrange. You need an external crossover of some sort to direct the proper frequencies to each set of drivers.

Cheers,

Ivan
iramirez
68 posts
 
Steve,

I'm sure you are right. You are the expert, after all. But now I'm really confused. Is the method that you suggest considered bi-wiring or bi-amping? I bi-amp my own speakers with an external crossover, the links are removed at the binding posts, so each amp drives a particular set of frequencies discretely. What is the potential benefit of bi-amping without removing the speakers crossover from the picture? Is it the hope that there will be some magical synergy between two different sounding amps?

Regards,

Ivan
iramirez
68 posts
 
Wow, Steve, thank you so much for taking such extraordinary care in answering my questions. I certainly was not expecting such a coherent and detailed clarification. Many, many thanks.

I use an external crossover to bi-amp my own speakers. I chose to do so because I wanted to retain my relatively inefficient speakers -- I really like them -- while using low powered SET amps. I guess I got lucky. I am delighted with the result.

Regards,

Ivan
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