Question about bi-amping

[TheMaestro]

Hello, and greetings from the Netherlands.

I'm quite a newbie in the hi-fi world and just signed up a couple of days ago.

I read alot about the Arcam brand and currently am looking on the used market to score a good deal.

I was wondering how this bi-amping thing works. Do you need a 4 connection speaker to set up this bi-amping or is it just a matter of connecting the 2 amps?

Thanks for the input.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

Bi-amping is a bit over rated ime with arcam kit..just get a better integrated amp or proper pre power combo or better still a pre and some mono blocks.but yes you need speakers with high and low frequency terminals which most good speakers have these days and running a set of speaker cables from each amplifier preferably the power amp for the LF and the integrated /pre for the HF run of cables.

 

[nopiano]

Hello, and greetings from the Netherlands.

I'm quite a newbie in the hi-fi world and just signed up a couple of days ago.

I read alot about the Arcam brand and currently am looking on the used market to score a good deal.

I was wondering how this bi-amping thing works. Do you need a 4 connection speaker to set up this bi-amping or is it just a matter of connecting the 2 amps?

Thanks for the input.

To bi-amp you need two stereo amplifiers and a pair of speakers with four terminals. Then each amplifier either powers the bass or treble unit, but not both in the fashion of 'normal' operation.

As already suggested it really isn't worth the effort. The money is usually better spent on a better source, or decent stands and tables.

 

[Al ears]

Hello, and greetings from the Netherlands.

I'm quite a newbie in the hi-fi world and just signed up a couple of days ago.

I read alot about the Arcam brand and currently am looking on the used market to score a good deal.

I was wondering how this bi-amping thing works. Do you need a 4 connection speaker to set up this bi-amping or is it just a matter of connecting the 2 amps?

Thanks for the input.

To bi-amp you need two stereo amplifiers and a pair of speakers with four terminals. Then each amplifier either powers the bass or treble unit, but not both in the fashion of 'normal' operation.

As already suggested it really isn't worth the effort. The money is usually better spent on a better source, or decent stands and tables.

I'd agree with the above statement regarding economics. Proper bit-amping would have a pre amp and two monoblock power amps each attached to one of the speakers so, in this instance, you don't need bi-wired speakers.

 

[TheMaestro]

Hello, and greetings from the Netherlands.

I'm quite a newbie in the hi-fi world and just signed up a couple of days ago.

I read alot about the Arcam brand and currently am looking on the used market to score a good deal.

I was wondering how this bi-amping thing works. Do you need a 4 connection speaker to set up this bi-amping or is it just a matter of connecting the 2 amps?

Thanks for the input.

To bi-amp you need two stereo amplifiers and a pair of speakers with four terminals. Then each amplifier either powers the bass or treble unit, but not both in the fashion of 'normal' operation.

As already suggested it really isn't worth the effort. The money is usually better spent on a better source, or decent stands and tables.

Many thanks for the clear explanation. I have Quadral Ascent 850 speakers with 2 terminals each. Bi-amping is no option for me. I'll stick to your advice and stay on the lookout for a good integrated amp like the A32. That one gets awesome reviews.

 

[plastic penguin]

Hello, and greetings from the Netherlands.

I'm quite a newbie in the hi-fi world and just signed up a couple of days ago.

I read alot about the Arcam brand and currently am looking on the used market to score a good deal.

I was wondering how this bi-amping thing works. Do you need a 4 connection speaker to set up this bi-amping or is it just a matter of connecting the 2 amps?

Thanks for the input.

Do you mean bi-amping or bi-wiring speakers?

If the latter I wouldn't bother. I've tried bi-wiring and wasn't that impressed. Single wire all the way for me.

 

[Al ears]

Hello, and greetings from the Netherlands.

I'm quite a newbie in the hi-fi world and just signed up a couple of days ago.

I read alot about the Arcam brand and currently am looking on the used market to score a good deal.

I was wondering how this bi-amping thing works. Do you need a 4 connection speaker to set up this bi-amping or is it just a matter of connecting the 2 amps?

Thanks for the input.

Do you mean bi-amping or bi-wiring speakers?

If the latter I wouldn't bother. I've tried bi-wiring and wasn't that impressed. Single wire all the way for me.

The OP mentioned connecting two amps so I assumed he did mean bi-amping in my reply. Good point though as many get confused between them.

 

[newlash09]

Hi maestro...I almost went down the biamping route. And spent some time reading about it. So this is what I learnt....

Every speaker has a inbuilt crossover . The function of this crossover is to only allow a fixed range of frequencies to pass through, that the particular driver is optimised for. So though the amplifier is sending a full range amplified signal. Most of it is stopped at the cross over.

Now making a cross over that stops a frequency dead at its set frequency is expensive. Only the very expensive speakers have these type of accurate crossovers. Having something that accurate, will cost as much as a good preamp.

Now due to the poor cross over in most budget to mid priced speakers, some frequencies at the cut off frequency for a small range, manage to sneak through. This similar band of frequency is also going to the other driver, though on the other side of the cut off frequency. So for example of we consider that a 5 Hz signal sneaks in at one driver, and another 5 Hz above or below this sneaks to the other driver. We now have two drivers playing this Singal band, instead of a single driver, causing a boost in output near the crossover frequency. Or in some implementations, that same 5 Hz is cut off. Resulting in none of the 2 drivers playing that signal at all, resulting in a dip in output at the cross over frequency.

If we want to mitigate this, we have two options. Go for high end speakers , with expensive well designed cross overs. Or use average speakers, and spend a lot on bi amping. Doing both, that is bi amping with high end speakers is waste of money.

Now that the problem is known, if someone wants to stick with a particular speaker because of aesthetic or room considerations. Then bi amping is the very expensive way of fixing this.

Hope this helps. I can go on regarding the actual implementation if you are still interested 🙂

 

[CnoEvil]

IMO. Bi-Amping may give a little more control, but it doesn't give more power....it is advisable to go for a better amp to start with and ignore bi-amping.

Also (imo), the Pre Amp has a huge impact on the quality of sound you will get.

 

[newlash09]

that there is a cheaper way of fixing this problem at the cross over. It is called as parametric EQ. Unlike most normal EQ's which are wide band, ie you can only increase or decrease the level of a wide band of frequencies. However, in a parametric EQ , you can change sound levels at fixed frequencies, without effecting the levels of frequencies below and above it, ie narrow band control. The more you spend on a parametric EQ, the narrower it gets. This can be used to mitigate the dips and highs at the crossover, for the least amount of money. Going one step ahead, you could do better than that, and even nullify to some extent the dips and highs induced due to the effect of the room. This is the cheapest way to mitigate the effects of a bad crossover, before attempting bi- amping.

 

[TheMaestro]

that there is a cheaper way of fixing this problem at the cross over. It is called as parametric EQ. Unlike most normal EQ's which are wide band, ie you can only increase or decrease the level of a wide band of frequencies. However, in a parametric EQ , you can change sound levels at fixed frequencies, without effecting the levels of frequencies below and above it, ie narrow band control. The more you spend on a parametric EQ, the narrower it gets. This can be used to mitigate the dips and highs at the crossover, for the least amount of money. Going one step ahead, you could do better than that, and even nullify to some extent the dips and highs induced due to the effect of the room. This is the cheapest way to mitigate the effects of a bad crossover, before attempting bi- amping.

Many, many thanks for your informative and detailed explanation and for your time doing this.

In my case this is way over my head, I must admit.

I'm not giving up on my Quadral speakers, so I'll just get me a more than average integrated amp.

I'm thinking A28 or A32.

Greetings from the Netherlands!

 

[newlash09]

And even I eventually dumped the whole bi amp route and went for a better amp 🙂