[martyo]

Please don't crucify me with the bi-wiring.

I have Carver ALS Platinum's. For anyone not familiar with them, 4 12" woofers and a 60" ribbon per side. The speakers come ready to bi-amp or bi-wire with dual sets of jacks or jumpers for "normal" set up.

Recently we bi-amped them using my Ultra 550 and my brothers 550EXR6. There turned out to be more of a difference between the amps than I would have imagined. What difference did we hear you ask? Overall while the "character" of the amps was the same, the Ultra was quicker, more dynamic, more defined in the bass and a little more open overall. Maybe the difference could be described as if yet another veil had been removed, it sounded more real. We were more aware of the difference in amps than in hearing any benefit from bi-amping. If one reason to bi-amp is to reduce the load or stress on an amp, it might just be the 550's don't get stressed when pushed. The EXR6 is certainly no slacker, listening to it in my system is why I purchased the Ultra.

Since I don't have the luxury of owning 2 550's I decided to try bi-wiring, it only cost 20 more ft of wire and a couple sets of bananas. It does sound different, don't know if it's better yet, but it is different. I prefer to "live with" something for awhile, then switch back. I'm told by some that scientifically it can't sound different and the technical stuff I've read  about how it can improve the sound is over my head. Has anyone had any experience with this, how about you Maggie owners? 

I'm not trying to start another power cord, or interconnects or whatever debate, just looking for commentary.

[Zheeeem]

Frank wrote an article about biwiring in the April 88 audio basics.  Worth reading.

[Listens2tubes]

Hey Frank, I seem to recall you were going to try bi-wiring the Salk's.

  I'm too lazy to look up the thread.

[martyo]

Thanks Zheeeem. I just finished reading it. Actually he said what I had read in a couple other places but I was able to understand it the way he splained it.

Funny Tubes.  :lol:I remembered Frank saying something too but I couldn't find it.

[ricmon]

If one reason to bi-amp is to reduce the load or stress on an amp, it might just be the 550's don't get stressed when pushed. .

My 550EXR is in for repair/upgrade to Ultra status because it in fact did get "stressed when pushed" and well lets just say it stopped playing music.  However I am looking forward to the upgrade to Ultra and will stay with AVA.  We don't throw the baby out with the bath water. 

[martyo]

If one reason to bi-amp is to reduce the load or stress on an amp, it might just be the 550's don't get stressed when pushed.  The EXR6 is certainly no slacker, listening to it in my system is why I purchased the Ultra.

I said this because before I got the 550, I drove my speakers with the Carver TFM75, 750 watts RMS and when pushed to the limit you really heard it straining, not so with the Ultra. I've blown speaker fuses and the speaker fuses in the amp and still you couldn't hear any distress. OTOH, to my way of thinking it does run pretty hot driving my speakers and I've always understood that over time heat reduces the products life, so we built a cooling box to set in on to help dissipate the heat from the heatsinks faster. I'm saying the heatsinks get hot to my way of thinking. When I check the output devices with the thermometer Frank recommended in here on another thread, they check 140F when I've been listening for awhile with the fans blowing. I know 140F is fine, anyway.............ricmon, what were you driving with you're 550? I think you will be pleasantly surprised sonically with the difference with the Ultra.

[ricmon]

.............ricmon, what were you driving with you're 550? I think you will be pleasantly surprised sonically with the difference with the Ultra.

I was driving a pair of Lipinski L-707's.  When the amp went I was driving it damn hard.  I mean I was putting some db's in the room and there was no sign of strain from the amp or speakers.  But the volume was way pass sane listing levels also the tweeter followed the amp.

[Wayner]

Hopefully, your ears wont follow the tweeters and amp.

W aa

[martyo]

Must have had the volume at 11