One Monoblock or Two?


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When driving a speaker with a difficult load, is there a difference in driving the speaker with one large monobloc or biamping the speaker with two smaller monoblocks?

Specifically, would it make a difference in driving the speaker with one 600 watt monoblock, or to bi-amp the speaker with two 300 watt monoblocks? This is assuming that each amp doubles in power as the impedance halves.
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128x128mitch4t

Showing 2 responses by spectron

Bi-ampling will make sense ONLY if speakers you use are very difficult to drive and create gross distortions with both of these two configurations.

For example, lets assume that the source of the distortions lies in low frequency area. If you use one monoblock then these distortions are spreaded across the spectrum including ear sensitive mid-range. If, on other hand, you use two monoblocks then you limit audible distortions , in this example, only to bass area which is less ear-sensitive and keep your midrange and treble pristine.

The power by itself tells me very little as some speakers need high current but others need high voltage.

All The Best

Simon
"First, what do you call a 'difficult load'? "

- High values of "Equivalent Peak Dissipation Resistance" or EPDR which is, simply, the resistive load that would give rise to the same peak power device dissipation as the speaker itself. Using EPDR as a figure of merit, the speakers can be compared directly with each other.

"The high frequencies need much less power than the lows,"

It is correct assumption with some speakers and wrong with others. For example, most of electrastatic speakers high
frequencies required 7-15 times more of EPDR (see above for definition) then low frequencies.

All The Best
Simon