Biamplification in Mid-Fi?

hi cornfedboy,

have ewe checked out marchand? they make excellent, useful, uncolored x-overs, imho - also reasonably-priced.

regards, doug

I'll try again based on you interest in experimentation. For mid-fi, you might also check out the Audio Control Richter Scale. If you really want to play, why buy speakers with design, parts, and labor included and then undo it? Why not check out Old Colony Sound Lab (Speaker Builder, Audio Amateur) or other souces of speaker designs, components, kits, and so on and do it all yourself?

Sounds like keeping it simple is best...thanks everyone.

But, the idea of building a set of speakers is interesting. Problems is, I worked in Pro Audio (sound reinforcement) and bi & tri-amplification is pretty standard. For awhile I had my old Paradigm 7se's biamped with NAD stuff, simply running the larger power amp to the bass set of inputs and my 3020 to the highs (using the internal crossover in the 7se to split the signal). I used a pink-noise generator and a Real-Time Analyzer(RTA) to set the balance for the room, and found improvements in detail, and tighter bass (was still kinda boomy, though). Since then, I've been thinking of trying the same thing with (somewhat) better equipment.

Oddly, its always been my opinion that with all the R&D manufactures put into their designs, that I could never approach anything they could build, yet I have a friend who builds excellent speakers/subs for pro sound reinforcement. I have the background in electronics, but not in acoustics, but I think it would be worth talking to him about it. The expense would be minimal, and the fun maximal, so why not?! I may suprise myself....

In the meantime, I think I'll be saving my $$$ for that cheapo YBA integrated (The Audio Refinement Complete), and biwire using some good cable (better than my current Moster Cable)

P.S. Thanks for the suggestion on the Richter Scale...looks like a lot of fun!

i would also check out diy crossovers here:

http://members.nbci.com/activecross/index.htm

if i wasn't already extremely satisfied w/my marchand x-over, i'd try doing this... sems like hi-quality for reasonable (cheap?) money...

One easy way you can actively bi-amp is by simply adding a powered subwoofer that has a good high pass x-over section. And there lies the problem. I've run into only two brands that offer "inexpensive" subs that have good (read smooth & transparent)internal x-overs. They are Velodyne and HSU. For example, you can get a brand new Velodyne FSR-12 for right around $900. The HSU's will be less. I have a pair of Studio Reference 20s in another system and they REALLY sing when you relieve them of low frequency duties. A better but more complicated approach is to buy a Marchand XM-9 deluxe x-over. It is a bit smoother and more transparent than the HSU or Velodyne x-overs and preferable to the Bryston 10B. This approach allows a broader choice of subs. By filtering out some lows, you can now use some of the more inexpensive but still excellent low power amps that are out there (like the Rogue 88) and still get good volume levels. Tube amps in particular (like the Rogue 88) become a real possibility. Did I mention the Rogue 88? Also , I would not be the least bit shy about openning up your speakers of choice and having a look inside at the x-over. My Studio Reference 20's x-overs, for example, are straight forward and should lend themselves nicely to being bypassed with the Marchand set to a 1500-1800 HZ symetrical, 24 DB per octave x-over. Another course is to bypass the internal, passive x-over and build another external passive one with the same component values but using higher quality parts. This approach is more time consumming but is definately cheaper and results in a less complicated system than a biamped one.