Monoblock setup inquiry

Your speakers have internal crossovers so you might as well bridge those amps and get the extra power out of them. Nice set up BTW.

HI,
I also have a Freya+ and 2x Aegirs, Note that you need to use XLR connection for monoblock mode. As for which sounds best, you need to try it out which works best for you, but for me:
Monoblock sounds cleaner and slightly more defined, but slightly leaner as well.
Vertical/Horizontal/single sounds the same to me, but is slightly richer vs monoblock.
I would probably choose monoblock mode for the R3.

@douglas_schroeder  how is mono with bi-wire different from vertical Passive bi-amp?

@abasia Where did you find the info on using XLR for monoblock mode? I've scoured the web and read the Aegir manual(surprisingly unhelpful) and haven't been able to find much info about setup instructions.  Also related to my previous question If I use the XLR cables for mono block mode would there be any benefit to bi-wiring?(or using 2 cables from each amp to HF and LF posts on speakers?) Also on the Freya+ are both SE out terminals active? would I use those to do either vertical or horizontal amping?

I think there may be some confusion as bi-wiring from what I understand is technically using 2 different types of speaker cables one that handles HF well and one for LF.  I have no intention of doing that, just using 4 of the same cables to isolate each HF and LF to each channel. correct me if I'm wrong..

Hello,
To start out I would use one amp for the bass/ low and the other for the tweeters/ high since the new amp will not match the old one for a few weeks. After the break in you can play with the connection options. I prefer one amp per speaker so you do not get cross talk from a channel. Bi-amping can help by removing EMI from the crossover. These are not strong amps so I would not bi-amp and just use jumpers. Please do not use the heavy metal jumpers that might have come with the speakers especially with these amps.  Use real speaker wire instead. Not sure if you can go XLR. If you can it will increase the power from 3db to 6db and remove any interference from the cables. Good choices on the equipment from Shiit Audio. 

glaspmart, you will see in the specs that in Mono mode the power rating changes significantly, doubling into 4 Ohms (and again into 2 Ohms with amps that are more suitable to drive less efficient speakers and ones with difficult impedance curves). Doubles again to 400wpc in Mono, and that’s a big difference in output from 100wpc. Pay attention to the speakers you would pair with this amp, as 1. It’s not rated for 2 Ohm speakers, and Mono is only rated for 8 Ohm speakers. IOW, it’s not a workhorse, and could be strained to use in either of those situations. Most amps are well built enough to work in those conditions, but if pushed, could cause damage to itself and/or speakers. Respect the specs.

Doubling the Output makes easily perceived changes in listening; macrodyanmics are improved, bass seems more powerful and cleaner, but not necessarily more "plump"; more headroom, which makes the amp seem to be loafing/having an easier time of it; soundstage usually opens up more and seems larger/deeper, etc. Often there is a sense of more solidity to the images.

There is often also a perceptual decrease in absolute resolution, and for that reason, some prefer biamping. Some may feel the change imbalances the frequency spectrum, and so would opt for less power and what they consider more top to bottom coherence.

Every amp is a discrete experience, and while most amps from same manufacturer are fairly easily assessed (i.e. Usually a more robust, upper end stereo amp bests two lower end mono block units - Yes, I have tried that comparison several times), no one knows absolutely which would be better performing once amps of different build (i.e. stereo, mono, etc.) are compared from different manufacturers. Generally, the upper end brands are far superior, but one simply must compare to make any definitive statements - and then, it’s a matter of preference. But, usually far superior amps garnish a lot of fans.

You simply must compare all the amplifier modes if you want to get the best result that you enjoy the most. Do not simply take advice from others who have completely different systems and have different preferences as though it’s universally superior for your setup and preferences.

Any of these could be preferred:
Different amps
Upper end models
Stereo bi-amp/ Mono with bi-wiring
Different Integrated amp
or
The one(s) you own in various configurations

Bi-wire is simply running to different sets of cables out from the amp (either from one or two sets of output posts on amp) to two pair of speaker inputs. If you want to use only one set of speaker cables, then you use a "jumper" between the two sets of speaker input posts. As might be expcted, there is also a difference in sound when comparing these two methods, and even changing speaker cables or mixing them in doing so confers yet another change.

There are MANY options and results to explore. Or, you can set it up one way and forget it, but you will likely not have the best sound by ignoring all the options.

BTW, amps perform in seemingly radically different ways with various speakers. I have had products I thought I knew pretty well, having used them in many rigs with four or five speaker systems of different genres. Then, I paired it with a completely different genre of speaker, and... WOW, the performance leapfrogged that of amps of a different genre. Did the less costly amp typically do so, no, not at all- so do NOT expect budget amps to pull off things like that typically. It took a particular type/technology of speaker and building dozens of systems to do so. So, one in about 20 systems was a shocker. Will the average audiophile find that? Perhaps, if they want to build 20 systems. The idea that anyone who buys a budget amp is going to get that kind of result is nonsense. Because of reasons such as that, when people make declarative statements about what is universally best, they are often wrong.