bi-amping etc

GefellTaper · « **on:** 17 Dec 2004, 03:39 am »

OK, let me first say I am posting this here and am very new, so if I seem like a complete fool, I certainly apologize. I got into this high end listening deal via concert taping, and wondering what my tapes would sound like in higher resolution, and needed the equiptment to actually hear it. So, here I am. I have about 8 grand into the recording gear, and now, I find another damned hobby which is quite enspensive.

Anyway, I have been pondering a few things in my set-up that I would like to try and am looking for suggestions as to whether I am wasting my time or not. I own two Panasonic XR-50's, one silver one black. The black one is on it's way to Wayne for the whole shebang. The second one is currently in the system. My setup is swan diva 4.1's as mains, a mirage sfx-8 sub, 36 hours to make diy venhaus cat 5 cables, rocket elt somethingorother rears, with soon to be more cat 5 cable. I am intrigued as to what to do next with my system. I am thinking of trying bi-amping. Can someone explain to me whether this is worth it or not, or whether I would be better off just upgrading jumpers and ditching the second amp! Thanks, and pardon my ignorance in advance!

Daryan

Why is it that everytime I come to this forum I end up wanting to spend more money

Red Dragon Audio · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 07:34 am »

Get your second XR50 modded by wayne.

Get a digital crossover that has digital inputs and outputs.

use one XR50 for mids/highs and the other one for the bass/woofers.

How's that for crazy

Wayne1 · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 02:35 pm »

Ditch the braided CAT 5 wire.

The full braided CAT 5 CVH design is very high in capacitance. A lot of my research is coming up with the idea that the switching FETs used in most digital designs do not like very high capacitance.

If you want to DIY something, choose the Jon Risch CC89259 speaker cable. That will work better with the digital receivers. I would try to stay away from hanging a lot of cable on the end of the receivers. Keep the capacitance of the wire as low as possible and use a very good quality jumper cable between the lows and highs on your speakers. A Bybee jumper would be a very good idea with the Panny.

FWIW the DAM compared the CC89259 to the M-80 speaker cable and the NITRO speaker cable and ranked them: NITRO first, M-80 fairly close second and CC89259 distant third. The CC89259 would still be better for the Panny than any high capacitance braided wire

mcgsxr · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 02:46 pm »

I was using DIY braided CAT5e until very recently, and have replaced it with the M-80 speaker wire, for use with my Teac tripath amps.

Very pleased with the improvement, both in sound, and in ease of use - I found the CAT5e to be a little odd to move around in tight quarters, but the M-80 is flexy, and simple to route around my system.

CornellAlum · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 03:06 pm »

Blah, I hate your answers Wayne, they end up costing me way too much money. I wilol do some research here this morning, since I plan on doing absolutely nothing today at work that I don't have to do since I am a Insurance AProfessional, and well, it's December

Where does one locate bybee jumpers?

Daryan

Wayne1 · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 03:27 pm »

Quote

Where does one locate bybee jumpers?

One gives Wayne even more money

NITRO Jumpers with Bybee Inside

These can be made with M-80 speaker wire for a bit less.

CornellAlum · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 03:30 pm »

OK, one is tired of sending Wayne more money. I found them and will start thinking here. Do the bybee's make that huge of a difference Wayne?

CornellAlum · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 03:44 pm »

Wow, that sounded rather negative. One doesn't mind spending the money if it is worth it though. Damn, why do I have two of the most exspensive hobbies known to man.

Daryan

Wayne1 · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 03:48 pm »

Daryan,

There is a lot of discussion on the matter of Bybees.

When a group of us listened to the modded Panny on a pair of VMPS RM-40s, we all felt that adding a pair of Bybees in the speaker line did smooth things out quite a bit.

If you are getting the Bybees installed on the output of the Panny, most of the job will be done. Adding anothet pair on the speaker high end section will continue to smooth things out.

Jack Bybee does suggest Bybees on the positve and negative leads of each driver in a speaker system. That does get to be expensive. A few folks do have Bybees in the main speaker leads and as a jumper. Others just use a jumper or just the main speaker leads.

I would honestly suggest that you should try the modded Panasonic with some wire that is not as hig capacitance as the braided CAT 5. I would also suggest that you use a high quality jumper made from the same wire as your main speaker cable. Bybees do help the sound, IMHO. I can't say for certain if you will think they are worth the money. A lot of folks do feel that way.

If you do decide to purchase speaker cable or jumpers from Bolder Cable, I will offer to install Bybees in them at a later date for just the cost of the Bybee.

CornellAlum · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 08:58 pm »

Well, you have talked me into it yet again. I will e-mail you this evening, I need to give you a CC for the bybee's in the xr-50 anyway. I am gonna see if Dad wants to buy me speaker cables for Christmas too!

Talk to you this evening, back to reading up on this stuff1

Daryan

Wayne1 · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 10:00 pm »

Your XR-50 showed up today.

My son has practice tonight, so I will be freezing my butt off watching them.

GefellTaper · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 Dec 2004, 11:33 pm »

Blah, screw that nonsense. I am sitting by the fire and drinking beer. I will shoot you an e-mail here in a bit. Thanks for alll of the very exspensive help guys!

Daryan