[Christof]

Silly question for you guys.  I have two stereo Khartago amplifiers from Klaus.  I was planning to have them converted to mono's but due to a major renovation project I'm going through, right now I'm a  bit strapped.  To get me by can I use the stereo amps like monos and biamp?  Perhapse I'm saying it wrong, can I use one stereo amp to feed the tweeters(L&R) in a 2-way speaker and the other amp to feed the bass drivers?  Would there be any (dis)advantage to this?
-c

[DSK]

Yup, with two stereo power amps you can either:

a) use one amp for L & R tweeters, second amp for L & R woofers

OR

b) use one amp for L tweeter & L woofer, second amp for R tweeter & R woofer.

[TheChairGuy]

Silly question for you guys.  I have two stereo Khartago amplifiers from Klaus.  I was planning to have them converted to mono's but due to a major renovation project I'm going through, right now I'm a  bit strapped.  To get me by can I use the stereo amps like monos and biamp?  Perhapse I'm saying it wrong, can I use one stereo amp to feed the tweeters(L&R) in a 2-way speaker and the other amp to feed the bass drivers?  Would there be any (dis)advantage to this?
-c

Yes - as DSK intoned.

You have 2 stereo amps at your disposal...each one has two channels.  Your 2 way speakers have 2 drivers each (one woofer and one tweeter). Stereo means two channel (mono is one, eg.)

Bi-amping them means you need 4 channels of amplification...and you got that now 

If you're manufacturer of your speakers gave them bi-amp capability to start life with, it usually is beneficial to do so with high quality amps like the Khartago's. Enjoy the good life 

[andyr]

Silly question for you guys.  I have two stereo Khartago amplifiers from Klaus.  I was planning to have them converted to mono's but due to a major renovation project I'm going through, right now I'm a  bit strapped.  To get me by can I use the stereo amps like monos and biamp?  Perhapse I'm saying it wrong, can I use one stereo amp to feed the tweeters(L&R) in a 2-way speaker and the other amp to feed the bass drivers?  Would there be any (dis)advantage to this?
-c

Hi Christof,

Yes, you can do what you asked - or the other alternative configuration explained by DSK (provided, as TheChairGuy pointed out, your speakers have 2 pairs of binding posts).  But because this is "passive bi-amping", you may find you don't get much of a sonic benefit (but there certainly shouldn't be any disadvantage!  ).

Using multiple amps typically comes into its own when you use an active crossover instead of passive.

Regards,

Andy

[accentstryping]

  "Using multiple amps typically comes into its own when you use an active crossover instead of passive."

   And what that means, is your amps would only be supplying current/amplification in the frequency range specified by the crossover
And then you can use differant amps < G > ... like tubes on top (twets/mids) and SS on bottom (woofers)

[DSK]

I agree with AndyR that the biggest benefit of bi-amping is usually heard when going active. However, if your speakers are low sensitivity and would benefit from more grunt than your single amp can provide, then the extra headroom may well provide audible benefits.

I understand the temptation to go with different amps on tweeters and woofers. However, be very careful with this. Different amps, especially mixing tubes & SS, will have different sonic signatures, different tonality and different spatical characteristics. Without a lot of careful listening and/or luck, you may find that the different sonic signatures of the amps induce a discontinuity in the sound. For instance, some amps bring sounds forward more than other amps. If you use a more forward amp on one driver and a less forward amp on the other driver, then sounds from one driver may be recessed while sounds from the other driver are more forward, and sounds that have a frequency range that spans across the xo point (ie. reproduced by both drivers) will be somewhere in the middle and possibly not well focussed in a front to back sense. The tonal/timbral differences may also upset the timbral balance of such sounds, making the particular instrument sound a bit unnatural.

[andyr]

  "Using multiple amps typically comes into its own when you use an active crossover instead of passive."

   And what that means, is your amps would only be supplying current/amplification in the frequency range specified by the crossover.

And then you can use different amps < G > ... like tubes on top (tweets/mids) and SS on bottom (woofers)

Sorry, accentstryping, I'm with DSK here ... supposedly "optimising" the sound by using a combination of tubes and ss amps won't necessarily give you a good result, for the reasons which DSK lists.

Certainly with an active setup, your amps would only be supplying current/amplification in the frequency range specified by the crossover, but "seguing" the highs to the lows is probably a key issue.

Regards,

Andy

[Wayner]

I assume your speakers have 4 input terminals on each one and are capable of bi-wiring or bi-amping (one set for high frequencies, one set for low frequencies), remember to remove the connector straps or wires between the paralleled inputs if you decide to try the bi-amping technique. I just hate to see someone blow up their amps and speakers because they didn't know to remove the bridge connectors.

W

[Christof]

Thanks guys.  I assume I should be OK since both amps are identical.  A while back, Bob at SP Tech gave me a pretty good explination about biamping with different amps and the sonic benefits/problems and why/how they happen but we never discussed using the same amps to biamp. I suppose not many people have two identical stereo amps laying around.  I just wanted to do it for the extra juice.  So there should really be no difference between "horizontal" or "vertical" biamping in this aplication correct?

Thanks
c.

[Soundbitten]

I've always ( twice ) improved my systems by bi-amping ( passively ) . Maybe I've just got lucky .   

[Bob Reynolds]

So there should really be no difference between "horizontal" or "vertical" biamping in this aplication correct?

Thanks
c.

I guess the "vertical" method would allow you to use shorter speaker cables -- placing the stereo amp near its associated speaker.

[opnly bafld]

I've always ( twice ) improved my systems by bi-amping ( passively ) . Maybe I've just got lucky .   

Me too, but I did not spend a lot of money to try it.
Used amps I already had or picked up reeeal cheap.

Lin

[andyr]

Thanks guys.  I assume I should be OK since both amps are identical.  A while back, Bob at SP Tech gave me a pretty good explanation about biamping with different amps and the sonic benefits/problems and why/how they happen but we never discussed using the same amps to biamp. I suppose not many people have two identical stereo amps laying around.  I just wanted to do it for the extra juice.  So there should really be no difference between "horizontal" or "vertical" biamping in this application ... correct?

Thanks
c.

Hi Christof,

Yes, logic says "there should really be no difference between 'horizontal' or 'vertical' biamping" with identical stereo amps" but, strangely enough, there does seem to be a difference - at least with one particular amp/speaker combination!!   

A mate of mine has some massive Dali 3-way speakers ... he can run them:
* with one stereo amp
* with two stereo amps, or
* with three stereo amps.

His mate has an identical rig - the same Dali speakers and the same Bryston amp.  So he borrowed his mate's Bryston and tried them horizontally AND vertically biamped.  One way did sound better ... hard to understand why but that's the case!!

So I think you have to try it both ways and see which way you prefer.

Regards,

Andy

[Christof]

Great, this is the first bit on news I've gotten regarding my audio system that actually translates into money saved!  I will request that Rick Craig designs my new speakers for bi amping.  The two Khartagos should provide more than enough juice for 2-way mtm design with Seas w18's and ScanSpeak AirCirc 1" dome.