Hi: Bi-Amped, Bi-Wired, or not

[BillBadBlack]

Hello everybody, I've just joined, so I'd like to say hello.

Here's my old system: Arcam Alpha 9/9P bi-amped into Mission 752 Freedom Speakers, Arcam Alpha 9 CD, Alpha 8 FM Radio, Yamaha KX 580 Cassette, Denon TU1800DAB Radio, and all sorts of expensive interconnect cables and power cables. Was very happy with it, BUT, the Alpha 9 Integrated packed up due to the input selector (apparently a common fault, and not fixable) corroding.

So I bought a Rega Elex-R to replace the Arcam, and sacked the 9p power amp. I also needed to buy a headphone amp, so the new sytem is pretty much the same except for the amp(s) change. I also didn't have enough inputs to use the Yamaha, as I've put in an Arcam r-blink bluetooth receiver. I'm not especially pleased with the Rega.

I was well versed in Hi-Fi when I bought my original system 15+ years ago, and was sold on bi-amping, and bi-wiring. I've recently read that this may not be as certain now, as it used to be. With the Rega, I'm reverting to no bi-wiring, just to see it if really does make a difference. I'd be interested in what anyone else thinks about this?

Thanks for your time. *scratch_one-s_head*

 

[dedier]

Hello everybody, I've just joined, so I'd like to say hello.

Here's my old system: Arcam Alpha 9/9P bi-amped into Mission 752 Freedom Speakers, Arcam Alpha 9 CD, Alpha 8 FM Radio, Yamaha KX 580 Cassette, Denon TU1800DAB Radio, and all sorts of expensive interconnect cables and power cables. Was very happy with it, BUT, the Alpha 9 Integrated packed up due to the input selector (apparently a common fault, and not fixable) corroding.

So I bought a Rega Elex-R to replace the Arcam, and sacked the 9p power amp. I also needed to buy a headphone amp, so the new sytem is pretty much the same except for the amp(s) change. I also didn't have enough inputs to use the Yamaha, as I've put in an Arcam r-blink bluetooth receiver. I'm not especially pleased with the Rega.

I was well versed in Hi-Fi when I bought my original system 15+ years ago, and was sold on bi-amping, and bi-wiring. I've recently read that this may not be as certain now, as it used to be. With the Rega, I'm reverting to no bi-wiring, just to see it if really does make a difference. I'd be interested in what anyone else thinks about this?

Thanks for your time. *scratch_one-s_head*

As much as I understand about bi-amping/bi-wiring it is all about the load and signal separation (no crosstalk), both of these are dealt with in a well-constructed and properly chosen amp for the job. Bi-wiring is much more frowned upon because it is all about signal separation after the signal leaves the amplification and this is highly dubious when it comes to audible results. This is why some audiophiles see bi-wiring as selling double the cable customer actually needs. I know some might disagree, but I didn't find any arguments to really support bi-wiring. Bi-amping may be discussed.

 

[MajorFubar]

BUT, the Alpha 9 Integrated packed up due to the input selector (apparently a common fault, and not fixable) corroding.

The 'damage' is done because you've already bought another amp, but you were given wrong information. There are specialist repairers who would have repaired it for much less than the price of a new amp. It's not a particularly difficult DIY job either (though it's fiddly) if you're handy with a soldering iron and don't mind pulling things apart.

 

[BillBadBlack]

MajorFubar: yes, but I didn'the find out until too late! I did search around for someone to do the repair, but couldn'the find anyone at the time, so I would be very grateful if you could let me know who they are, (or send a link), and I will get it fixed, as I'm not handy with electronics. I think the 9/9P combo will be better than the Rega, even though it's a more modern design. The Rega seems to be not behaving itself anyway, so maybe I'll try to take it back and get my money back.

Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[BillBadBlack]

Dedier: I'm coming round to thinking that too. I had my speakers bi-amped and they were excellent, but bi-wiring from the new amp seems to not have much effect. I'll know later in the week when I'll set it up normally, with no bi-wiring, and compare and contrast. I've currently got my bi-amp speaker cable used for the bi-wiring and soon for the single wiring, so there will be a lot of copper for the signal, which I hope is a good thing.

Thinking about bi-amping; the power amp, which powers the bass/mid-range speakers does most of the work, with the integrated amp just powering the tweeters, so I just wonder if that is an effective form of control?

 

[EleanorBay]

I bi-amp my speakers because my AVR has spare outputs and is a little short on power. I run a stereo system from an AVR because it packages the renderer and DAC I need. Using extra outputs probably does increase the power available, but in the end, it all runs from one transformer, and the limit lies there.

Bi-wiring is simply a fallacy used to sell more cables. The whole cable thing is a nonsense: the engineering industry never runs into the supposed high frequency problem while using much higher frequencies than hi fi kit does. The high frequency surface effect is real, but is insignificant except in sales brochures.

The myth is perpetrated because people tryiing expensive cables take off their old cables, with corroded and poor or loose connections, and replace them with shiny new connections, done up tightly, and hear an improvment in sound. They would have got the same by taking off the old cables, cleaning them, and putting them back.

IMHO....