If bi-amping is so great, why do some high end speakers not support it?


I’m sure a number of you have much more technical knowledge than I. so I’m wondering: a lot of people stress the value of bi-amping. My speakers (B&W CM9, and Monitor Audio PL100II) both offer the option. I use it on the Monitors, and I think it helps.

But I’ve noticed many speakers upward of $5k, and some more than $50k (e.g., some of Magico) aren’t set up for it.

Am I missing something? Or is this just one of the issues on which there are very different opinions with no way to settle the disagreement?

Thanks folks…


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Showing 4 responses by dkzzzz

I had my first bi-amping epiphany today. I never believed it is useful to do with just two dumb power amps. I was bored today and connected two integrated amps with tone controls to my speakers. I let Ayre run my treble and then vintage Marantz to run my mids and bass. I adjusted tone controls for more bass, adjusted balance since LP was playing uneven in volume. I was shocked how much more decent bass I have extracted from my speakers that were always light in that department. The difference is HUGE. So if you want to play around with bi-amping try two integrated amps with at least VOLUME control, so that you can adjust the sound for the type of music you are playing. My speakers came alive after 8 years for the first time. I listened to some classic jazz and  Leonard Cohen, it sounded so, so good.... I am going to do the same to Wilsons when my Luxman returns from recap service.
Level matching amps from the same manufacturer.... No that is completely contrary to what I am trying to achieve. I want to have control of the treble and bass separate from each other. I don’t always agree with mastering engineer decisions on how the record should sound. In those cases where I feel treble is out of control or bass is severely lacking , I want to be able to use tone control and volume separately for Treble and Bass. So when particular recording or my own speakers don’t deliver desired tonal balance to my ear I will intervene and adjust to my liking.
On a side note; I have heard that tone controls are frown upon by purists, but to my logic : why spend thousands upon thousands on your gear and listen to someone else idea of the music instead of adjusting it every time to your particular liking?

Another bit of a news from bi-amping experiments. Have you ever tried to run tweeter only and listen to the quality of your treble/tweeter alone? Holly cats, I tried that on a several recordings considered to be really well mastered and I came to unfortunate conclusion that my tweeters are compressed hot mess. I know to some this might sound like revelations of an audio-novice, but I never considered testing any speakers by listening to transducers separately just to see the quality of the sound they are capable. Try it with your speakers, but don't say I did not warn you. 
Bi-amping with tone controls using vintage amps, that is where it is at. For around 800USD one can have two Ymaha Class A amps or Luxman Class A running their system. You can adjust treble, mids and bass to get the best out of recording. My speakers are always lacking in bass on Jazz or Hard Rock. One touch of tone control and the bass comes out...
I recently bought wide buffle speakers from Pioneer that are capable of tri-amping (not that I am gonna do it) but just to show that the ideas are very old as Pioneers are from 1970s. I'm lately became drawn to wide baffle sound (JBL, Wilson, Devore) and really come to dislike thin sound of the narrow baffle speakers.