There seems to be a fair amount of confusion and conflicting info about bi-amping, so I suspect that some folks are hesitant to even try. Every situation is different, and one size fits all does not apply. Bi-amping can applied in many different ways, and it can be effective in many situations. You can even get creative about it.
- Bi-amping can be done with passive or active crossovers, or a hybrid of both
- Bi-amping can be done with identical amps (vertical bi-amping) or non-indentical amps (horizontal bi-amping), regardless of the crossover options used.
- Bi-amping can be done with solid state or tube amps, or a hybrid combo of both
- Adding an active subwoofer is a form of horizontal bi-amping
- Every option has pros and cons, and every option may or may not be optimal for your situation.
I was using twin monoblock tube amps for years, which is really a type of vertical bi-amping. They had great clarity, but somewhat sluggish bass bloom. More recently I added an active low pass crossover and a solid state integrated amp to the woofers below 80hz, and still run the tube monoblocks on the mids/tweeters. For my situation it’s the best of both worlds. I get that incredible tube clarity through mids and highs, and the SS amp slams the woofers with good authority in the bass region. The mids and treble got even clearer because the tube amps no longer have to drive the woofers. I can also adjust the woofer level independently of the mids and tweeters, so it doesn’t muddy the vocal range if I turn up the woofers relative to the mids/highs. Love this setup, and was remarkably inexpensive and easy to do.