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Need help from smart people - biamping

Hi, I know some of you are electrical engineers or just knowledgeable - looking for your input. I'm looking at the option of bi-amping my speakers. One amp on the mid-tweet connection and an identical amp on the bass connection. Speakers are B&W N804s. Question is, if you do this do the two amps react to the loads as one amp would, or is it possible that if the two connections (drivers) have different impedences, the bass might be louder relative to the mid-tweet, or quieter? In other words, if the upper end has impedence of 8 Ohms and the amp puts out 100 w/ch at 8 ohms, and the lower end is at 4 ohms, and the amp 200 w/ch at 4 ohms, will this result in a problem in the resulting aural output than would have been experience with a single amp? Thank you.
jimmy2615

Showing 3 responses by nilthepill

nilthepill
842 posts
 
I was contemplating exact same configuration. With vertical passive bi amping, would the SPL increase at same volume level at preamp? If not, how about potential SPL increase capability with biamping at comparable before and after biamping?
nilthepill
842 posts
 
Hi Al,

Thanks that is exactly my thinking was. My preamp does have 'designed in' two sets of outputs (a balanced set and single ended set- I currently use only set of balanced at present). Not sure what that means to volume loss since both will pre-amplify the full signal still. Hopefully not much volume loss.

I was thinking that max volume capability increase, before clipping occurs, now would be close to 3db. Aren't we 'doubling' (than what it was) the power essentially to both m/t and l freq drivers? No? That is my primary goal. I am happy with the sound quality and overall tonal balance right now with one mono block pair.

In any case I would audition before buying an extra pair of amps but still there is shipping, extra pairs of same quality cabling, same tubes etc involved.

You do give enough technical info and reasoning for me to think about. Thanks!
nilthepill
842 posts
 
Thanks Al.

I do now understand the vol increase potential, which is to say slightly not to extent (3db) I was thinking. Dynamic headroom will most likely increase (==>better sound quality)

I meant to say that my preamp has 'designed in' TWO pairs of balanced and TWO pairs of single ended outputs for specifically this reason (biamping) So I suspect the output signal is already Y-split internally for each pair 'sets'. BTW, I just got A response back from my amplifier designer/rep (Zanden) and they also sort of said expected results in line with what you said.
Overall sound quality= better, SPL increase potential = slight.

I really appreciate your insight.
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