Well, here's my experiences thus far with with bi-amping 2 way monitors....First, what usually happens when you take the jumper out, and try to do bi-amp with most 2 way speakers I've encounterd, the speakers seem to sound much stonger and more dynamic overall, but at the expense of a usually forward (sometimes bright) sound altogher !!! In the end, I've found the brightness or forward pressentation a little to agressive and unnatural sounding. It appears that most 2 way's have a better balance, probably due to the way it was designed at the crossover (assuming most people are going to use "non-biamped" from the designers standpoint)!!Actually, I think this has a lot do with the fact that tweeters are more effecient(?) than the woofers usually, and need some attenuation overall...which my attemps have not adressed (I guess there's normally an attenuation at the crossover to accommodate this?). My attemps have involved identical amps, usin the existing internal "passive" crossovers, and haven't worked basically! Although the speakers sure sounded a heck of a lot more powerfull and dynamic!!!..which is alluring for dynamic music and soundtracks and such. 3 way designs usually due much much better overall with biamping (passive that is) than 2 way's!! Infact, I recommend everyone try "passive" biamping (using internal crossover) with 3 way's at least once!!!
However, just because my attemps at "passive" bi-amping have been unsuccessful, doen't mean that others would! If you try different power amp combo's (as your suggesting) perhapps you could get different results (however you'd need to volume match the amps probably some how!..?)
In your situation however(active biamping), using an external crossover(with adjustable gains for each output) with a 2 way could prove most interesting!...and fun. I'd bet you get a very very dynamic sound which, if you can get the balance right,
I'm certain would sound really really good!...assuming a quality effort, drivers, and electronic of course!
Actually, I've been toying with the idea of using an active set-up with some 2 way's I have pressently!
I can't tell you what active external crossover (inexpensive) to buy, nor have I experiene with any cheeper ones thus far. However I hear the Bryston 10b(?) crossover is supposed to be very good for not too too much money!...? I don't think that their amps and such are world beatters or anything. But the crossover is supposedly Stereophile class "A" rated design (if you go by any of that...?), and is basically a simple component, which can be fully adjustable for crossover points, slopes,volumes, etc. And, external crossovers are supposed to have a much greater advantage sonically than internal "passive" networks!....what I've heard from designers anyway.
I think you can find used Bryston 10B's on the net at times, going for around $700 (new $1600). It's worth a shot, and I bet you'd get good results. Good luck, I'm going to try this as well!...only using identical amps on top and bottom first.
