Bi-Amping Question

CDLehner

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So...I've never bi-amped before, but I have a question.

Is it common, to maybe run something muscular for the bottom; like a class-D powerhouse...and then sweet tubes, up top? Or is that a recipe for disaster?
 
Chris

Unless you have the ability to adjust the gain difference if any of the two amps you will have a mismatch volume wise. Only time I tried it was with Snell Type A's using Snell's external crossover which had adjustment for each channel and amp. Takes time and patience. There external units from Behringer and the like that will do it.
 
Gain aside , you have to be careful with input impedance drive between units and your pre-amp, there will a tonal change because of this, you can hear it as you parallel the inputs. You can check this when having the system playing and then plug in the second amp, some pre's change alot some barely, then of course the gain stage differences.


Best to do it with identical amps, if not then you may need to add a volume pot to one of the amps ...



Regards...
 
I've done it plenty in the past with Sanders, Plinius & to some degree now with my 2 WB Torus amps running each generator & whatever other amp doing the mids & highs. With the Torus's it is fully adjustable so it is easily integrated. To my way of thinking the simplicity & the more unfettered signal of the same amps would be better but I like your thoughts with class d for the bass. Could be a good saving as well as sound.
 
I've done it with ARC DS450 monos and ARC REF250's. Worked well, gain was close enough, but at the end of the day, I preferred just the 250's.

FWIW - I find the Devialet's A-D hybrid technology gives class D type bass control, definition, speed with class A mids & highs.
 
There was a product some years ago called Electronic Visionary Systems Nude Attenuator. It simply was a discrete resistor potentiometer of high quality. I used to use them to adjust the output of my pre-amp.

They would be a good way to match the level of different power amplifiers in a bi-amp configuration.
 
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