If bi-amping is so great, why do some high end speakers not support it?


I’m sure a number of you have much more technical knowledge than I. so I’m wondering: a lot of people stress the value of bi-amping. My speakers (B&W CM9, and Monitor Audio PL100II) both offer the option. I use it on the Monitors, and I think it helps.

But I’ve noticed many speakers upward of $5k, and some more than $50k (e.g., some of Magico) aren’t set up for it.

Am I missing something? Or is this just one of the issues on which there are very different opinions with no way to settle the disagreement?

Thanks folks…


128x128rsgottlieb
Some folks like to biamp,
Use a tube amp on the mids and top end and a solidstate amp on the woofers.Or maybe a small wattage class a solid state on the mids and tweeters and a more powerful solid state amp on the woofers.Or any other crazy combo you could ever think of.

There is also a lot of negatives in my opinion for biamping,
matching of sound levels and the overall amps being used having different sound characteristics.Also it just makes a system that much more complex more wires and cables.

I have tried it and it's been so long ago I couldn't give any particulars in what gear was involved.

I do like to biwire the majority of the different speakers I have owned,mainly so I have the flexibility to choose different speaker wires that go to the mids and tweeters and diff. maybe heavier gauge to the woofers.Just really my personal preference and if I have a set of speakers that only have one set of terminals I either add another pair or wire directly to the crossover.


After many years of biwiring I would like to say It makes a small but noticeable difference,adding clarity and better dynamics but honestly the jury is still out with this one.

The only way to truly know for your system is to maybe try it and see.

A lot of technical variables come in to play with this subject and if you ask 5 different audiophiles you will get 6 different answers.


Best of luck to you,


Kenny.


kdude66
You say a negative of biamping is different sound characteristics of the amps yet you like to biwire because you can select different sounding cables. Doesn't make sense. I biamp. My amps have volume controls and I also can get the power I need to drive my speakers using my favorite sounding amps
Alan
Alan
Alan,

Did you carefully read this statement,

Use a tube amp on the mids and top end and a solidstate amp on the woofers.Or maybe a small wattage class a solid state on the mids and tweeters and a more powerful solid state amp on the woofers.Or any other crazy combo you could ever think of.

It's using diff. amps that have totally diff. sound characteristics that don't match up in the overall sound of a given speaker.

If both of your amps have volume controls they are probably about the same in sound maybe diff. pwr output.

I don't have the need to biamp but like I stated I do biwire from one single stereo amp or mono amps.

What amps do you have?


Kenny.
I tried bi-amping once; B&W N801 speakers and two Pioneer Elite M91 power amps (each 2x200W). Certainly made a difference in my case; detail was more pronounced, dynamics improved and overall just sounded better. Also, two beefy power amps, with glowing VU meters simply looks plain cool IMHO. Then I went to a single Krell KSA-250 power amp, wow, what a massive improvement that was. Quite simply the best amp I have ever owned, period.

My advice; worth a try, why not? After all, this hobby (some would say addiction) is all about experimenting and having fun.

Marcus