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Amp, One Set of Speaker Connections Or Two?

I’m no expert in much of the audio equipment specs and opinions about what is best, that’s for sure, but I am in the camp that biamping speakers is better than one lead to the speakers and using the speaker post couplers. I know that also can be a contentious debate. I’m just relating my opinion on that because in my experience, I’ve noticed better sound from my speakers when they are biamped.

That brings me to my question... because I’ve been thinking of adding a new stereo amplifier to my home theater for when I listen to 2 channel music, and really do like the Parasound Halo A21, but, it only has one set of speaker outputs so biamping is out, or get a set of speaker cables that split, and I’d rather not do that. But, question is, should an amp anticipate that some people are going to want to biamp their speakers and build their unit with two sets of speaker outputs instead of one?

Just looking for opinions and other people’s experiences.

I will add that in my back room I have a high end Dell desktop I stream Amazon Unlimited Music on to a Yamaha Natural Sound Integrated Amplifier A-S801 via an Audioquest USB A to B cable, and are pushing Bowers & Wilkins DM-604 S2 with a single 10 gauge cable to each, although the Yamaha does have speaker A & B connections, I haven’t biamped the speakers, yet, because it actually sounds pretty good.

Thanks in advance for thoughts and opinions.
hog_tech
erik_squires
15,646 posts
 
You mean bi-wiring. 

You can use spades AND bananas in the A21. 

If you actually wanted to bi-amp, the A21 has XLR in and outs, so you can add a second A21.
hog_tech OP
3 posts
 
No, I mean bi-amping... 

Traditionally speaking, bi-amping means the use of two separate amplifier channels connected directly (no passive crossover in the signal path) to individual loudspeaker drivers optimized to reproduce a particular frequency range.


https://denon.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/59/~/bi-amping-versus-bi-wiring
reubent
6,935 posts
 
@hog_tech  - You cannot bi-amp with a single 2-channel amplifier, like the A21, regardless of how many speaker connections it has. 2 channel amplifiers that have A&B speaker connections share the 2 channels of amplification between the 4 speakers. The amplifier connects the 2 Left speaker cables and the 2 right speaker cables inside of the amplifier.

If you want to bi-amp, you need 4 channels of amplification.

You can bi-wire with a 2-channel amplifier that has 2 sets of speaker connectors. However, you can also bi-wire with one set of speaker connectors, running bi-wire cable that are 1 into 2 (one set of connectors on the amp side, 2 sets of connectors on the speaker side). Or you can stack 2 pair of speaker cables using spades, or spades and bananas, as Eric suggested.  
erik_squires
15,646 posts
 
Having 2 pairs of speaker outputs does not mean you have 2 amps. :)

My integrated has this, so I can use 2 pairs of speakers, A or B or A AND B. this is purely a convenience feature. Still single amp.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,313 posts
 

As per Denon definition: you need four channels of amplification to power a single pair of loudspeakers.  The definition is poorly worded.

Buy two A21's if you really want to bi-amp.

Otherwise, if your loudspeakers have two sets of terminals, get another set of speaker cables to bi-wire.

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