Arcam 10P mono?

[admin_exported]

Hi guys, I'm a newbie on the block and realising the benifits of a decent hifi set up.
Set up - I have Arcam CD37 CD player, Arcam FMJ A32 intigrated amp, Arcam Alpha 10P power amp. Monitor audio GX300 speakers.
Currently sey set up with the A32 to the speaker HF and the 10P to the LF.
Question - I wanted more power for the GX300's so should I buy another 10P and then fit the mono link on each one and use one 10P per speaker, then use the A32 as a pre-amp only?
Would this increase the power output from the 10p's (ie more than the rated 100W).
Is there a better way of doing it with the Arcam?
I was concidering buying a Arcam P38 but from what I read I probably won't gain or notice much difference over the 10P.
Any thoughts or experience out there?

Cheers,

 

[Anonymous]

As per the Alpha 10P manual:

"MONO LINK - The Alpha 10P can be configured to provide two mono loudspeaker outputs from a single input. Using the U-link 0 supplied, connect the LINK OUT sockets together. Utilising one Alpha 10P per loudspeaker in this manner will allow bi-amplifying of bi-wireable loudspeakers. This is particularly beneficial for top quality stereo installations with a separate pre-amplifier"

I'd say you're on the right tracks!

The 10P is still a superb power amp with around 105wpc and in mono (with 2 of them of course) I'm sure the GX300's would sing!

I always wanted to try the 10P's as mono's (Had the Alpha 10 and 10P myself with some MA RX6's) and it made for a mega powerful but very well controlled sound indeed; always regretted selling those amps!

The FMJ A32 is also stilla stunning amp and still fetches great money on eBay & the likes; have you thought about selling that up and going for a dedicated pre such as the C31 etc...?

 

[eggontoast]

The Alpha 10P's aren't bridgeable poweramps so you don't get more power when adding the links, if you insert the mono links you get two 100watt channels from one input. You would have exactly the same as you already have, two 100watt channels per speaker which in fairness should be more than ample.

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers for that guys,
I still have my Alpha 10 integrated amp and I believe other arcam integrated can be switched into power amp mode. Is this the same for the Alpha 10 integrated?

Cheers

 

[eggontoast]

Cheers for that guys,
I still have my Alpha 10 integrated amp and I believe other arcam integrated can be switched into power amp mode. Is this the same for the Alpha 10 integrated?

Cheers

It is indeed, just pop the lid off (with the power disconnected) and you will see a little slide switch right next to the Pre Out - Pwr Amp In phono sockets, just flick it to the other position. Not sure how this is going to help you though, are the speakers Tri wireable ?

 

[Anonymous]

Speakers only bi-wireable.

Was planning to use A32 as pre-amp and the alpha 10 and 10P to vertically bi-amp speakers, ie 1 amp for the left speaker and 1 amp for the right.

I'm not sure if this will give any improvemnts to my system or not??

I've read the GX300's benifit from poweful amplification and so was trying to see what I can do with the equipment I have before spending hard earned cash on a bigger power amp.

Another alternative could be to use more powerful power amp, maybe the Arcam P1000 as this gives 135w/per channel.

 

[eggontoast]

But your A32 integrated amp is 100 watts per channel and the Alpha 10P is 100 watts per channel so you have 200 watts of amplification going to your speakers at present. Substituting in the Alpha 10 integrated into the equation as a power amp is only going to replace your existing A32's 100 watts per channel with the Alpha 10's 100 watts per channel ie the same amount of power, no change just more boxes.