2. amps-preamps
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Monoblocks vs Vertical bi-amping vs Horizontal bia

In attemps to raise the sonic bar of my system, I'm considering my options which includes using a single stereo amp, mono blocks, or 2 stereo amps in either a vertical or horizontal biamped configuration.

Q1: Who out there has experience in how each of the above scenarios differs from one another. If you read Dennis Had's article on vertical biamping at his Cary web site, you'd think that that is the way to go but how does this differ from monoblocks which accomplish the same thing (i.e. one amp used per channel for all frequencies)?

Q2: In which situations do the various amp scenarios best lend themselves (room size, listening levels, speaker sensitivity and ohm rating etc. etc.)?

Thanks for your input.

Kevinzoe
kevinzoe
harpodog
2 posts
 
How is all this wired up please? Someone on another thread suggested that I think about bi-amping, as my speakers sound much better when I biwire them from the two sets of terminals on my amp. It is unclear to me though for either vertical or horizontal bi-amping how the wiring is done from the preamp. Can someone please explain?
Thanks
abex
322 posts
 
Forever Hifi--I tend to agree when havinf to save $$.I still need to see what my designer is up to so it's a wait and see game for myself,but I know I will be satisfied with whatever the outcome.

I tend to agree with your assertion that Parasound might be a good amp to use on the bottom end.Also Adcom,McCormickand Aragon are to be looked at closer as the Bass units will be hungry for power and current the Mids & Tweeter's I might beable to get by with far lees power and have them being driven by moderate powerd amps.

Thx!
kevin66
18 posts
 
Monoblocks. I've heard that bi-amping doesn't really give you any real benefit but it is expensive.
abex
322 posts
 
I would think that Biamping would be a bene as you would be dedicating an amp to different driver's freeing up power and giving them resreves to use.
kevinzoe OP
167 posts
 
ALL: Thanks for your input thus far. I've re-read Dennis Had's white paper on Vertical bi-amping (which he says has a stereo amp dedicated to one channel) and his argument is: (1) one stereo amp per channel equals 4 channels of amplification, and (2)a 40 watt/ch amp stereo amp in a bi-amp config. will outperform a 80 watt mono amp driving all drivers together. I'll have to trust his judgement as he makes both monoblocks and stereo amps. . .

CONCLUSION: vertical biamping is better than monoblocks. Which still leaves open for discussion vertical vs horizontal biamping. . . It would appear from all your posts that horizontal biamping is more "tricky" in that the amp for the bass across both speaker channels will have to have much more power than what is required for the mids/tweeters so using 2 diff. amps will necessitate a gain attentuator. So all things equal, I'd say that it'd be easier and perhaps less costly to go the vertical biamp route. Your thoughts?
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