bridging an amp

The only benefit is to quadruple output power (49% louder).  Not every amp can be bridged (some are already bridged), but assuming you can, the main problem would be power supply that has to deliver 2x power (it has to be designed for that). Read amp’s user guide. If they don’t mention bridging - don’t do it. In addition output stage has to deliver 2x current. Your 4 ohm speaker will draw as much current as 2 ohm speaker would without bridging. My 6 ohm speakers have benign impedance dip to about 3.6 ohm, but bridged amp would have to be able to deliver current equivalent to driving 1.8 ohm and many amps would have problem with it. Amplifier’s output impedance doubles (two outputs in series). For some amps that have very low output impedance, like class D, it won’t make much difference, but for others it might affect the sound. In addition you need to invert phase of one channel. My amp, designed for bridging, has switch for that. You also need additional amplifier, to play stereo (2x cost). You could use this money to get better, more efficient speakers or better amp. That’s like additional loss of quality. I would consider getting 3dB more efficient speakers. It would give you equivalent of 2x power (22% louder). It won’t be as much as 4x power (49% louder), but it might be enough. Also, bridging amp likely won’t fully quadruple power.

g_nakamoto
what are the pros and cons of bridging an amplifier?

Bridging amp raises the wattage quite a bit, but that’s where the advantages end.

1: Distortion goes up,
2: Output impedance is higher (damping factor lower), which means bass is not as controlled.
3: The ability to drive below low impedance’s takes a hit.
4: The amp becomes more unstable..

The only thing you gain is more wattage into easy loads, your far better off getting the right amp to start with, otherwise you could end up with a powerfull P.A. amp. 

Cheers George

my son has a mcintosh mc7300 and mc2002 that he want's to bridge. is that ok with these amplifiers?

Tell him if he wants more watts, to sell them, and get the correct amps with the wattage he wants in a normal stereo amp/s. And to forget about bridging!

Cheers George

you are right. if you want more power, get the right amp.in his case he can't afford it. that's why he want's to bridge his 2 amps!

He's going to go backward in sound quality if he bridges if he has a decent system, just for the sake of going louder.

Cheers George

pros: increased measured power
cons: decreased perceived sound quality

The vast majority of what you hear the vast majority of the time is the first watt. Unless you are some headbanger driving everything to the max all the time, in which case you don't really care- or its silly to say you care- about sound quality. Doubling power only gives a small 3dB increase in volume. Doubling power only has any benefit at all in that last little occasional 3dB (or whatever it is) bit, which is hardly ever. 

Therefore as a matter of simple logic it is clear bridging an amp can only decrease the quality of sound you get all the time, and maybe not even improve the sound quality of the last little bit of high volume. Because who at that point is carefully listening anyway? 

Weigh the pros and cons. Its a pretty lopsided comparison. And yes people really are capable of pushing and promoting the same counterproductive ideas seemingly forever. See: bi-wiring, bi-amping, a single sub, HT and multi-channel, AVR, etc.

Don't bridge but get speakers with 3dB+ more efficiency. 

Stock answers to stock questions are not going to help the op.

Much of the disdain for bridging comes from an erroneous view that the two channels must be perfectly matched for gain. They don’t.

The answer is always amp and implementation dependent but in general the advantages of bridging are:

- cancels out even harmonics the harmonics of bad sound
- improves power supply noise rejection
- reduces impact of signal modulation of the power supply
- reduces non linearity from large voltage swings (distortion)

And yes as noted their are downsides but it is not a slam dunk that it sounds worse.

Besides all that has been said from above, this is an fyi, and my opinion. These two Mc amps are superior in sq than other Mc amps ( I have owned them both, and really liked the 7300 ), as they do not use the Autoformers. They happen to be different in sq, from each other. If your son bridges them, using the 2002 on 1 channel and the 7300 on the other channel, they will not be sonically matched, in a 2 channel set up. Enjoy, be well and stay safe. Always, MrD.

audio2design9 posts10-23-2020 10:34amStock answers to stock questions are not going to help the op.

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I'm glad you cleared that up. They sound pretty stock.. Bridge or not, make noise or not.. This is not a SQ issue, this is lets make NOISE..
I don't have a lot of money to spend, right.. Just a lot of noise.

You know PARTY, DUDE!!! Head banging stuff, NOISE...

If you follow his recent forums.. Just sayin', I have...

Regards

i have a question. if you have a pair of klipsh speakers that can handle 100 watts continuous does it matter if you have 200 or 600 watts?? what will the 600 watt amp do better than the 200 watt amp?

i have a question. if you have a pair of klipsh speakers that can handle 100 watts continuous does it matter if you have 200 or 600 watts?? what will the 600 watt amp do better than the 200 watt amp?

If it's the exact same amp with just higher rail volts for the 600watter, SFA. (aussie slang).

Cheers George