[Christopher Witmer]

I have a great deal of experience with multi-amping of loudspeakers with outboard electronic crossovers, and perhaps my preconception of bi-amping as "something that obviates passive crossover networks" is interfering with my understanding of bi-amping in the case of the Panasonic SA-XR55/SA-XR70 receivers, but for whatever reason I have been having a hard time getting a grip on exactly what is happening when these receivers "bi-amp." As far as I can tell, the amplified signals leaving the amplifier via the two speaker cables are identical, correct? And the signal of one cable is going through a passive LOW-pass filter inside the loudspeaker, while the signal of the other cable is going through a passive HIGH-pass filter inside the loudspeaker, correct? And the main advantage of this is preventing back-EMF off the woofer from interfering with the high frequencies? (Another advantage would be that with a biwiring-capable loudspeaker, all six channels of the amplifier would be put to work driving a pair of loudspeakers.) But in any case, NO active crossover manipulation of the signal(s) is taking place inside the reciever, correct?

If anyone in the know could (dis)confirm/clarify/expound upon the above (as may be appropriate), I would be VERY grateful.

Thanks!

Christopher Witmer

[AphileEarlyAdopter]

I have a great deal of experience with multi-amping of loudspeakers with outboard electronic crossovers, and perhaps my preconception of bi-amping as "something that obviates passive crossover networks" is interfering with my understanding of bi-amping in the case of the Panasonic SA-XR55/SA-XR70 receivers, but for whatever reason I have been having a hard time getting a grip on exactly what is happening when these receivers "bi-amp." As far as I can tell, the amplified signals leaving the amplifier via the ...

The answers to all your questions is - YES.
It is not just back-EMF. The Panny amps are running without any feedback. So the amps dont have to 'damp' themselves drastically to play a high frequency immediately after a bass frequency, which demanded a surge of current (say because the speaker has a dip in impedence at that frequency).
The Panny XR55 is definitely a different beast compared to the XR50. I think it is mainly because of the biamp mode I am now running with my speakers.

[dwc]

Can I please piggyback on this thread?  I've got Meadowlark Kestrel 2's and the manual says they can be "bi-wired".  On the back of the speaker one pair of binding posts is labelled "tweeter" and the other "woofer".  Right now I'm using the stock piece of wire to bridge the two because I'm runing a single speaker cable.

Question is, are the Kestrels eligible for "bi-amping" via multiple output channels on the Panny?  (I realize biwiring is completely different from bi-amping, and thus my post.)  Can I send two full-range signals to the two pairs of posts on the back of the kestrels?

Thanks,
Dan

[dwk]

Question is, are the Kestrels eligible for "bi-amping" via multiple output channels on the Panny?  (I realize biwiring is completely different from bi-amping, and thus my post.)  Can I se ...

Maybe - the Panny units have one more characteristic that you have to be careful of, and that is that they are full-bridge units and so both the + and - output float WRT 'ground'.  IF the Kestrals have completely isolated xover sections, then you will be OK. However, if only the + phase is isolated but they tie the - sections together (assuming that they are grounded at the amp) then it will blow up.

I think that if use a DVM to check for conductivity between the two sections, it should tell you whether you are OK or not - if there is conductivity between the two - legs, it probably won't work.

[dwc]

To test that can I check the resistance across the two negative binding posts?  If I understand correctly I want to see high resistance, to conclude that the two negative inputs are not tied together. (?)

Thanks,
Dan

btw, none of the components in the stereo rig are grounded.  At the wall socket  I have the ground lifted with a 3->2 prong adapter, as the house is so old that that socket has no ground.

[dwc]

It looks like the negative binding posts are connected.  The positive ones are seperate, but negative are not.

[dwc]

Update: It works! (sowns reel guuuuud.)
-Dan