2. amps-preamps
  3. 162171-110508

Do I need bi amping?

Hello guys

I have a pair of power amps, one Line Magnetic LM-508 (300B-805 tube my favorite) and one Hypex NC500 class D.

I'm using today the tube amp, wich has more than enough power to drive my speakers at every volume level possible and the class D amp is in a closet.

As I have both amps and my speakers accept bi amping, I was wondering to try it out, using the tube amp for highs-mids and the class D amp for lows. 

Would you recomend bi amping? Have you tried it? 

I listen to all of my music streaming Tidal and my 2.2 system today sounds superb for me (I've heard some much more expensive ones sounding much worse). I also have pretty good hi end gear for the money and paid attention to every detail I could: AC dedicated line, AC filtering, cables, audiophile switch, digital signal processing, antivibration tweaks, speakers and subwoofers positioning, upgraded caps and resistors on my tube amp, better tubes, etc etc. I'm not looking for extra power, just better sound.

By the way, my Audio-gd Master 1 has RCA and XLR outputs to drive boths amps, but thr only caveat is that I need to match the gain of the outputs as they are different. 

If I do it right, would I get better sound?
plga

Showing 2 responses by oldhvymec

Ag insider logo xs@2x
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
What kind of speakers again? They sound good to you now?

Sure easy to do, if you want to try.. Couple cables.

It amazes folks when they cut a valve amp at 60-80 hz AT LEAST, but when the passive is cut at 280-300 hz, a lot of valve amps GROW a whole new personality so to speak... A LOT of head room, they run cooler, they sound better. What else do you want?

May want to check the impedance, it may change when you split the crossover.. The class d, is not going to care. The valve amp might. Just check..

Regards

Regards
Ag insider logo xs@2x
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
Hello OP, you have options here. BUT maybe read the END of my post first..:-) 

Plug the Class D into a passive preamp or the Schiit (I haven't use the Schiit). That is a high crossover point. DON'T plug your Valve amp into anything BUT the HF on board crossover of the speaker. Nothing else.
They may seem to sound better/worse, be patient, let EVERYTHING settle.
  
2.5K and down WILL benefit from a separate tone control, The Schiit if it has an EQ that would really be nice add a little bump in the mids and volume control.

That is what I do. I use a Behringer product (2496). I control everything from 300hz down with full blown DSP/Servo.  300hz UP, onboard OX of the speaker is perfect.

END:

Don't be surprised though, something about valves and you said it yourself.

"my 2.2 system today sounds superb for me (I've heard some much more expensive ones sounding much worse)".

250 hz to 2.5K that is THE sweet spot for me, child of the 60-70s
If you can live without "sugar sweet" valve doing mids..
I can for the summer months. I also can't wait for fall, right NOW...to change back to valves, though...

Just sayin'

Regards
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