Two stereo amps as mono blocks

[Blacksabbath25]

I thought I'd go back home and sell the bluesound powernode , Sony str-dn850 and audiopro 5.0 system to recover some costs. But after listening to this cheap Chinese system, in a near field setup. Iam now tempted to keep the powernode for my bedroom desk and add something like the elac uni-fi 5.

your better of building one good hifi setup .

forget about power amplifiers you will not gain anything only more power it's better to buy one good amplifier to do everything trust me I've been there it's better to save the money up and buy the best 2 channel amplifier you can afford and source , speakers . You need the amplifier to sonically match your speakers ones you have found that match it's hifi heaven and you will stop upgrading .

I have stopped upgrading my Hifi as I managed to find the perfect partnership with Dali and Yamaha and people on here who no me will tell you I had the upgrade bug when I first joined this site

its better to concentrate on one setup to try and get perfection to get the best possible sound you can afford that's what it's about Vladimir is correct your just box swapping and I mean this with no disrespect to you save your money my friend and do it right .

 

[Al ears]

I thought I'd go back home and sell the bluesound powernode , Sony str-dn850 and audiopro 5.0 system to recover some costs. But after listening to this cheap Chinese system, in a near field setup. Iam now tempted to keep the powernode for my bedroom desk and add something like the elac uni-fi 5.

your better of building one good hifi setup .

forget about power amplifiers you will not gain anything only more power it's better to buy one good amplifier to do everything trust me I've been there it's better to save the money up and buy the best 2 channel amplifier you can afford and source , speakers . You need the amplifier to sonically match your speakers ones you have found that match it's hifi heaven and you will stop upgrading .

I have stopped upgrading my Hifi as I managed to find the perfect partnership with Dali and Yamaha and people on here who no me will tell you I had the upgrade bug when I first joined this site

its better to concentrate on one setup to try and get perfection to get the best possible sound you can afford that's what it's about Vladimir is correct your just box swapping and I mean this with no disrespect to you save your money my friend and do it right .

If you read the thread and his signature I think you will find he already has (hint:- Parasound Halo Integrated)

 

[Vladimir]

If you read the thread and his signature I think you will find he already has (hint:- Parasound Halo Integrated)

John Curl was cost cutting by not installing VU meters. It's rubbish. *biggrin*

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I thought I'd go back home and sell the bluesound powernode , Sony str-dn850 and audiopro 5.0 system to recover some costs. But after listening to this cheap Chinese system, in a near field setup. Iam now tempted to keep the powernode for my bedroom desk and add something like the elac uni-fi 5.

your better of building one good hifi setup .

forget about power amplifiers you will not gain anything only more power it's better to buy one good amplifier to do everything trust me I've been there it's better to save the money up and buy the best 2 channel amplifier you can afford and source , speakers . You need the amplifier to sonically match your speakers ones you have found that match it's hifi heaven and you will stop upgrading .

I have stopped upgrading my Hifi as I managed to find the perfect partnership with Dali and Yamaha and people on here who no me will tell you I had the upgrade bug when I first joined this site

its better to concentrate on one setup to try and get perfection to get the best possible sound you can afford that's what it's about Vladimir is correct your just box swapping and I mean this with no disrespect to you save your money my friend and do it right .

If you read the thread and his signature I think you will find he already has (hint:- Parasound Halo Integrated)

it was the fact that he had 3 hifi setups and wanted to buy power amplifiers and so on were does it stop and yes I knew he got a Parasound amplifier . It's his money I just wanted him to work with what he has got .

 

[Al ears]

If you read the thread and his signature I think you will find he already has (hint:- Parasound Halo Integrated)

John Curl was cost cutting by not installing VU meters. It's rubbish. *biggrin*

Obviously.... perhaps not for those that haven't a clue what VU meters show anyway.. ;-)

 

[Al ears]

I thought I'd go back home and sell the bluesound powernode , Sony str-dn850 and audiopro 5.0 system to recover some costs. But after listening to this cheap Chinese system, in a near field setup. Iam now tempted to keep the powernode for my bedroom desk and add something like the elac uni-fi 5.

your better of building one good hifi setup .

forget about power amplifiers you will not gain anything only more power it's better to buy one good amplifier to do everything trust me I've been there it's better to save the money up and buy the best 2 channel amplifier you can afford and source , speakers . You need the amplifier to sonically match your speakers ones you have found that match it's hifi heaven and you will stop upgrading .

I have stopped upgrading my Hifi as I managed to find the perfect partnership with Dali and Yamaha and people on here who no me will tell you I had the upgrade bug when I first joined this site

its better to concentrate on one setup to try and get perfection to get the best possible sound you can afford that's what it's about Vladimir is correct your just box swapping and I mean this with no disrespect to you save your money my friend and do it right .

If you read the thread and his signature I think you will find he already has (hint:- Parasound Halo Integrated)

it was the fact that he had 3 hifi setups and wanted to buy power amplifiers and so on were does it stop and yes I knew he got a Parasound amplifier . It's his money I just wanted him to work with what he has got .

I do see your point.......best to flog the lot and spend the money on a Parasound stereo power amp... ;-)

I have two systems:- Bedroom (Main) and Lounge (Ancilliary) but both were bought to suit the room and not pieced together from a bunch of kit I had hanging around.

....That way trouble lies....

 

[newlash09]

That was a very valid point you made. I should concentrate on one good stereo setup as you mentioned. I can understand what you mean. IAM so content with my home theatre setup, that i wouldn't want to change one thing till something broke down. IAM hoping I reach the same level of contentment on my stereo setup too. Excellent advise...thanks

 

[newlash09]

Was just curious to know if you gave it a try. And any sonic gains heard.

 

[insider9]

Was just curious to know if you gave it a try. And any sonic gains heard.

Hi Newlash09

I've done it yesterday. I've recently been using a smaller integrated that didn't measure as well as neither of the bigger ones (worse distortion figures). Mainly to test it before selling. Yesterday I sold it so went directly from little Sony to two big ones.

I've taken acoustic measurements of the bi-amped setup and compared it to measurements I had when using just one amp (same model). I cannot see any gains in any metrics. There may be some but they don't seem significant.

What's weird and may be the difference coming from small one is that I can hear a sonic improvement. The separation feels greater and soundstage feels bigger and more involving. I've noticed this correlates to distortion before and would explain the change from the smaller amp to two big ones or probably just one also. As that I can clearly see in measurements.

I've also noticed slightly more impact from music, drums hitting harder etc. but it might be the fact I was listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dead Cross quite loud

I guess the biggest test will be when I switch back to just the one amp. But I'll only do it after a few days probably after the weekend. I no longer do quick A/B.

 

[newlash09]

Iam still a little confused here, as to your actual setup and wiring. Are you using a seperate preamp with the two amplifiers acting almost like mono blocks. The pre amp left and right out, go to each amplifier. The four speaker outputs on each amp go to a single speaker's two drivers via four cables. So basically each pair of speaker outs on each amp is driving just one driver. It may be obvious to others, but Iam a little lost. Sorry.....

This way I guess you are almost using something similar to a mono block setup. And should really aid in separation and imaging as you rightly noticed. If I had two amps, I would continue using them as per your setup and never return to a single amp again

But would be interesting to know , how you find things after you go back to driving both speakers with a single amp. As presently the change from that small Sony to your present setup must have been huge. And really difficult to make out if the sonic gain is because of the bigger and better amps or beacuse of bi amping. Maybe will find out next week

 

[insider9]

Fully passive setup no bi-wiring, no dsp.

Preamp left channel to one amp, right channel to the other amp. Single wire connection from amp one (left channel) to one speaker, single wire connection from amp two (right channel) to the other speaker. Both amps level matched and set to max volume I'm comfortable with (dials turned to 9-10 o'clock). Overall volume controlled from preamp.

I find it very good but then again the real test will be when after the weekend I go back to just one amp.

I'll do acoustic measurements before and after to have comparison. But only to compare how perceived changes (if any) can be translated on screen. I already managed to learn quite a bit this way so will be interesting to see if anything comes of it.

 

[newlash09]

All clear now. And well understood

I was wondering if it's possible to take things further by using a RCA splitter from the pre-amp into the amps. That way you can have all the four speaker out terminals from a single amp giving amplified single channel signal. And if your speakers have multiple binding posts, then you can maybe even bi amp. Don't know if IAM right in my thinking.

 

[insider9]

All clear now. And well understood

I was wondering if it's possible to take things further by using a RCA splitter from the pre-amp into the amps. That way you can have all the four speaker out terminals from a single amp giving amplified single channel signal. And if your speakers have multiple binding posts, then you can maybe even bi amp. Don't know if IAM right in my thinking.

It's possible I could do it no problem. I have a capability of running two sets of speakers (A/B) if I wanted to do it. Got plenty enough cable to do it. Might be next step. Although when I tried the traditional biwiring in the past I could not hear any difference.

 

[newlash09]

Was just thinking out aloud. Since you seem to have all the kit readily at hand