What I don't get about the entire concept of using SS for low freq and tubes for high freq is there will always be a dramatic power differential. So how can you begin to balance out the sound levels coming from your tweeter and woofer when the amps delivering the signal are themselves delivering noticeable different volumes? To me that means that the tube/SS suggestion has always seemed sort of useless unless you automatically include an electronic crossover and the ability the sound balance. Am I missing something here?
Bi-amping Rules
I wasn't sure if this question belongs in the amp or the speaker section but I figured I'll post it here. Those of you who have bi-amped your speakers, what's the general rule for deciding which amplifiers are better for low frequency vs. the high frequency drivers. I recognize an accurate answer will depend on the particular speakers and amp combinations but I'm looking for general rules of thumb from personal experiences and not application specific recommendations. For the sake of the argument, let's assume the amps are different but the gains on both amps can be adjusted if that matters. Thanks.
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aewhistory What I don't get about the entire concept of using SS for low freq and tubes for high freq is there will always be a dramatic power differential. So how can you begin to balance out the sound levels coming from your tweeter and woofer when the amps delivering the signal are themselves delivering noticeable different volumes?The issue isn't one of a power differential between the two amplifiers or whether one is solid state and one is tube. The issue arises when the amplifiers have different amounts of gain, independent of power. That's why you use an active crossover to balance them out. |
At the minimum, you need to be able to control the gain of one of the amps in order to make the bi-amp approach work properly. Even then, the results can be very mixed. My NAD preamp allows for changing the gain on the second pre-out output. Some amps like my Mac MC2200 also have separate gain controls for left and right channels. But gain aside, I still don't quite understand the need for an outboard crossover to control the frequency between the HF and LF sections since both amps are feeding full range and each section of the speaker still operates within its own design frequency range. |
russbutton66 posts07-29-2016 8:45pmWhen you bi-amp, you become a speaker designer, like it or not. Can you share a number of your 'supply' dealer so I can try it too? |
kalali But gain aside, I still don't quite understand the need for an outboard crossover to control the frequency between the HF and LF sections since both amps are feeding full range and each section of the speaker still operates within its own design frequency range.When biamping, the active crossover has separate low and hi frequency outputs, which then feed the amplifiers. The amplifiers don't run full range. This, imo, is the only way to get maximum benefit from biamplification. |
- 35 posts total