Bi-wiring a Denon 2802 (1 Viewer)

[Kevin Flanagan]

I just upgraded my receiver from a Denon 3200 to a 2802. From the model numbers, it doesn't look like an upgrade, but that's a whole different discussion.
On the 3200 there are 4 binding posts for each front speaker, specifically to make biwiring easy. The 2802 also has 4 binding posts, but the speakers are split into 2 separate systems, A and B, and each is switchable from the front panel and remote. In the Denon manual it states:
Be careful when using two pairs of front speakers (A + B) at the same time, since use of speakers with an impedance of less than 8 §Ù/ohms will lead to damage.
My speakers are Energy Veritas 2.2s, with 8 ohm nominal, and 4 ohm minimal impedance.
My question is this:
Can I safely bi-wire the speakers using both the A and B posts, and running power to both systems, or should I only connect to one set of posts?
-K
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[Kevin Flanagan]

Bouncing to the top. Any opinions?
K
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[Vince Bray]

There should not be a problem doing what you describe. Bi-wiring is electrically equivilant to single wiring the speakers. Bi-wiring basically moves the jumper bars that came on your speakers from the speaker to the receiver. Does this make sense? The jumpers parallel the woofer and tweeter at the speaker. When you bi-wire you parallel the woofer and tweeter back at the receiver.
If you think about it, any time you have a woofer and tweeter hooked up to one amp channel, you have two parallel loads at (usually) 8 ohms each. What makes it different is that your crossover (by definition) increases the impedance of the circuit it's on past the crossover frequency. So the amp sees the woofer as 8 ohms (minimum impedance - in practice it is generally more than that for most of the spectrum) until, say, 3000hz where the impedance starts rising toward infinity. The tweeter circuit works the same in reverse, so that at any particular frequency the amp will see at least an 8 ohm load.
1/load = 1/(woofer load + tweeter load)
this might be more info than you want, but in the equation above, if woofer load or tweeter load is very high or infinite, the equation could be looked at as equivilant to
1/load = 1/woofer load
Sorry you asked yet?
Vince

 

[Kevin Flanagan]

Nope. I like a nice detailed answer like that. Thanks, Vince.
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[David A. Frattaroli]

Kevin, I'm curious: what did you do with your old 3200? I have one and am considering an upgrade but am not sure what I would do with it.
Did you sell it?
Thanks.

 

[Kevin Flanagan]

David, I'm planning on selling it.
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[CarlV]

I was thinking of getting the 2802 also, but I read that it only has 6 channels of power. Is there any way to assign an unused channel- say one of the front channel (I have a 3 channel amp to drive the fronts and center) to be used as one back surround. I prefer dual back surround because I have full range surround speakers.
Carl

 

[Kevin Flanagan]

Carl, there's no way to do what you are asking with the 2802. It doesn't have assignable amps. I believe the 3802 has amps for 2 rear speakers.
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[CarlV]

Kevin, thanks for the reply. There goes my plan to sell my Denon 3801 and get the 2802. It would have been an even swap. Anyway I think I'll just keep my 3801 for now.
Carl