Bi-Amp with Rotel RMB 1095 for $2k or spend $2k on a 2 channel amp? (1 Viewer)

[Joe Bauman]

I was wondering what might be the best option here for Paradigm 100s. These speakers can be Bi-wired or Bi-amped.

1 - spend $2000 on the Rotel RMB 1095 which is 5 channels at 200 watts and bi-amp my speakers. (Leaves on channel left over)

or

2 - spend $2000 on a better 2 channel amp and forget about bi-amping.

Anybody ever get to compare the 2 options with this equipment or similar equipment? Thanks.

 

[Darrel McBane]

I also have the Rotel 1095. I bought a pair of Revel F-30 and had to decide on bi-amping from the 1095 or going to a bigger amp. I opted on the Rotel 1090 (380wpcx2@8ohm). My Revel are 6ohm speakers so the amp puts out 500wpc@6ohms. The difference from the 1095 single wired...to the 1090 biwired is incredible. Power makes a lot of difference as to the sound my Revel put out. And not just volume. But both clarity and detail are just pushed forward. I've always believed in big power amps. You can choose to biamp from the 1095 at this time and I'm sure you'll hear a quit a difference from the 100s as well. I just wanted to keep two channels from the 1095 for my SVS 20-39 subs.

Good luck!

 

[Joe Bauman]

How did you split the signal to the amp to acheive the bi-amping?

 

[Philip Hamm]

You need an active crossover. Also, if your speakers have crossovers built-in (most "biampable" and "biwirable" speakers have separate low-pass and high-pass filters for the speakers), you'll need to carefully choose the crossover frequencies. Then if you get that right you need to make sure you balance the volume of the high and low sections.

That said I've never heard better audio than biamped speakers (admittadly somewhat high end Genelec professional studio monitors).

 

[Jeremy Hegna]

"You need an active crossover. Also, if your speakers have crossovers built-in (most "biampable" and "biwirable" speakers have separate low-pass and high-pass filters for the speakers), you'll need to carefully choose the crossover frequencies. Then if you get that right you need to make sure you balance the volume of the high and low sections."

Wow! I didn't realize all of that had to be done. I have another post going about the same thing...just figured if your speakers are bi-wirable, you could just split the pre-amp signal with a Y RCA, and run each into a seperate channel...from there, you would just run each channel into the high and low speaker posts. Is it not that easy?

Phillip, why would you need another crossover in between? Isn't matching volumes as easy as matching the gains on the amp? No I'm confused...

Jeremy

 

[Martin Rendall]

Hmmm. The Paradigm Studio manual specifically states than an active crossover cannot be used. Their diagrams match Jeremy's description. Comments?

Martin.

 

[Philip Hamm]

I'm thinking more of the pro studio method of biamping. I'm sure biamping using the crossovers in the speakers would work fine as well.