[ChrisDixon]

Ok, I finally took the plunge to separates. I got an Anthem PVA 7 (seven chanel amp) and AVM 30 (on order) for the pre/pro. I was leaning toward the MCA 50 amp, but I was able to get the PVA 7 for $900, so I couldn't pass it up. In preparation for the arrival of my pre/pro, I was planning out how I would maximize the PFVA 7 for music (which is a big priority of mine). Since I only have a 5.1 speaker system, would it be a benefit to bi-amp my Paradigm Studio 60 mains with the other two amps? Since it would be a passive bi-amp, would it still take some of the load off of the PVA 7 when listening to two channel music? I'd like to get as much headroom as possible.

My final question is a practical one (and probably demonstrates my ignorance on the subject). Hoe do you usually go about "re-assigning" the extra two amps? I didn't see anything in the online user manual of the AVM 30 for re-assigning outputs. The closest thing I saw was the two extra zones which can be assigned to the same pre-outs as the Mains. Is that the right way to go, or is there a more obvious way that I am missing? I tried to bi-amp using this method with my current Marantz SR-8200 receiver, but I couldn't get the multi zone pre-outs to work even when I activated multi zone and manually set it to the same source. I didn't see anything in the amp instructions about it either.

Thanks in advance,
Chris

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Quote:

Since I only have a 5.1 speaker system, would it be a benefit to bi-amp my Paradigm Studio 60 mains with the other two amps?

It’s impossible to say; you’ll just have to try it and see. Some people say they hear improvements when passively biamping, others think it’s a waste of hardware.

Quote:

Hoe do you usually go about "re-assigning" the extra two amps? I didn't see anything in the online user manual of the AVM 30 for re-assigning outputs.

There is no “reassigning.” The amp will reproduce the signal that is put into it. So if you want to biamp a speaker, you’ll have to split the pre amp’s output to the two amp channels.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

[ChrisDixon]

Thanks. So it is safe to use a Y-cable to split the pre-outs then? I'm always cautious about splitting anything in the analog domain. The Anthem also has the "balanced" XLR outputs which don't connect to my amp, but I'm guessing I wouldn't really need them for such a short cable run.

Chris

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

It’s no problem splitting audio signals. The only downside, if there is one at all, is what come call a slight loss in signal, but that’s really nothing more than voltage. You can easily compensate for that with the volume control, if needed, or the amp’s gain controls, if it has them.

No, you really don’t need the balanced outputs. What many people advocating them overlook is that the signal must be converted on both ends. It’s just more stuff in the signal chain.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

That’s a pretty interesting web site you have going there, Chris (myht.net). Had many people join in yet?

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

[ChrisDixon]

I'm still trying to determine if passive bi-amping the mains will put more load (ie. more amps working) or less load (ie. less power needed from each amp) on the amp for 2 channel. I'd like to maximize the headroom.

myht.net was an experiment from about a year ago, when I had more time. A fair number of people created profiles, but it doesn't get as much day-to-day use since I never finsihed all of the features (such as the search). I may come back to it at some point.

Chris