biamp vs. monobridge (1 Viewer)

[Benihana]

I have 2 amplifiers that i am currently vertically bi-amping my main speakers with . They are Audiosource Amp Three's running Mirage M-3si speakers. My question is that will it be better to monobridge them and have 400 watts to each speaker as opposed to the 150 watts supplied to each low and high terminals on each speaker? When i went from just 1 amp to 2 amps on this system, it was an immense improvement, music just seemed to sound loud before, but now it doesn't sound loud, but IS LOUD, effortless. Just wondering if i can get better power/sound monobridging. Any ideas?

 

[John Garcia]

>edit

 

[JohnSmith]

You don't get extra power with biamping, however each amp is driving less drive units, so you'll find the amps will run cooler. That means the amps are being stressed less.

I use bi-amped HT & Hi-fi system and do notice the difference. Try it for yourself.

 

[ScottCHI]

a bi-amped setup allows more tweaking of the level of the individual drivers, doesn't it?

 

[JohnSmith]

Why should you want to do that? If your pre-amp and poweramps are from the same make/range then the input gain for both amps is the same, so no worries that one is out.

Unless you mean active bi-amping (with line-level crossover cards) between the pre and poweramp stages? (so one poweramp only receives HF, the other only LF)

 

[Robert Cowan]

since no one mentioned it yet...

when you bridge an amp, you do three things:

1.) increase power
2.) increase distortion
3.) half the lowest impedence you can drive.

so, for instance, if you bridge your amp, before, you got 0.5% THD, and the lowest impedance you could drive was 4 ohms, now, you have 8 ohms as the lowest and 1% THD. this doesnt mean your amp will explode below that, but its distortion figures go up a lot higher. basically, the amp will act at 4 ohms like it would have into 2 ohms. so, if in stereo mode, your amp gave 1% THD, and clipped easily, when it is bridged, you will get 2% THD and clip easily at only 4 ohms...

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

What Robert said. Bridging is fine for subs but usually not the best thing for mains.

 

[Chris_Liberti]

I always thought that bridging doubled power, halved the lowest impedance you could drive, increased the damping factor, and LOWERED distortion.

 

[Chu Gai]

No, what Mr. Cowan said is correct.

That's one way to look at it. It also allows for more mismatching and improper gain setting which is attributable to many noted 'improvements'.

 

[ScottCHI]

o i agree. the last thing someone (like me!) needs sometimes is more damn knobs to twiddle with.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Apparently the truth lies somewhere in between. In a cursory search at QSC’s website I found that their Powerlight amplifier line shows no increase in distortion when bridged. However, their DCA line doubles distortion when bridged.

A post made at another thread this morning indicates that HK’s PA-2000 is published with no distortion penalty in bridging mode.

However, I don’t see how bridging could ever result in lower distortion.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Chu Gai]

If the distortion is low enough, it becomes a moot point.

 

[Chris_Liberti]

True anything less than 1% is inaudible and most people can't even tell the difference up to 3% distortion.

 

[John Pine]

Ok, I understand the fact that "anything less than 1% is inaudible", but now I'm curious. Should I be suspicious of the fact that the THD is listed the same whether the amp is bridged or not?

H/K PA2000 specs:

4 x 45 watts @ 8 ohms, 20Hz - 20kHz,

 

[John Pine]

Anyone?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

I think you can find the answer to your question by revewing what has already been posted, John.

 

[John Pine]

Yes, yes Wayne I've already read the thread at least 3 times. But now I'm suspicious of the specs because of what I've read. I understand it's a moot point, but hey...I'm still curious.