[Brian Cheney]

I have occupied myself the past 10 days with programming the DCX2496 for the RM30M as part of our Special Digital Edition series of digitally corrected and crossed-over speakers. The RM30M SDE is $3880pr in the mls piano black cabinets, DCX 2496 included.

The DCX2496 requires biamping.  There's no getting around it, and I realize many audiophiles with considerable investment in equipment are loathe to double up on amp channels, interconnects, speaker wires etc. I am very pleased to tell you the inconvenience is amply rewarded with a quantum leap in sound quality over single amp/passive xover configurations.

I am not familiar with all the multichannel amps out there and am asking VMPS'ers  to chime in with suggestions.  I can recommend the following,  with which I have direct experience.

At the low end of the scale, a pair of the Behinger A500 provide 230W/ch into 4 Ohms, have no fans (unlike most pro gear), feature both RCA and XLR inputs, plus both Speakon and binding post outputs.  At only $598 retail for a pair of these stereo amps, you get very decent performance (greatly aided by the EQ options of the processor) for less than $150 per channel and 65 cents per Watt, an outstanding bargain.  These amps are fairly light and take up two rack spaces each. 

Moving on up, I can heartily endorse the multichannel ATI amplifiers (www.ati-amp.com)
Four channels of 200W/8 Ohms and 400W/4Ohms rms are $2100 and come mounted on a single large chassis.  XLR and RCA inputs are provided, and binding post outputs.  Need more power?  $2800 gets you four channels at 300W rms/8 Ohms, 600W/ch into 4 Ohms with excellent sound quality.  You'll need 20A electrical service to run these behemoths.

Finally, I currently use a pair of Son of Ampzilla stereo amps ($3800 ea), which give you four 100W/8 Ohms or 200W/4 Ohms in state of the art sound quality.  XLR and 1/4" phone jacks (RCA adapters provided) inputs are present, with binding post outputs.  The XLR inputs are fully balanced (the ACI amps are as well), so you preserve the advantages of balanced operation (lower noise floor, immunity from RFI) without extra op amp stages.

If any one else knows other good, reasonably priced, high performing multichannel amps, post them here.

[Early B.]

I concur with the ATI amps. They are exceptional performers for the money.

I currently use an Emotiva LPA-1 7-channel amp (125wpc x5; 50wpc x 2 into 8 ohms) to power my VMPS Tower IISE fronts and for only $499, it is an incredible deal with fantastic sound and build quality. I'd also suggest the higher powered Emotiva XPA-5 5-channel 200wpc amp with XLR inputs for $799.

[Brax]

The Earthquake Cinenova Grande series would compare to the ATI, but with a little more output and priced about the same. Comes with a 10 year warranty.

[John Casler]

For those using the SDE packages, I know we mentioned this before, but the SDE box is XLR in and out, so you are in great shape if you have XLR outs from your pre or source, and XLR ins on your amps.

To that end, as Brian mentioned all of James' AMPzilla amps are XLR ins, as are the ATI's, the (newer) CineNova's as well as many other high end amps.

I also like the Brystons (XLR ins) the NuFORCE (XLR ins).

If you are using gear with RCA in/outs you can simply get adaptors, or in some cases cable manufacturers will build a RCA/XLR cable for you.

Same goes for the Pre-AMPs.

Bongiorno's AMBROSIA has XLR outs
The Bryston BP26 I use has XLR outs

[woodsyi]

I have been using tube on the ribbons and class D ss on the woofers to great satisfaction.  To my ears, no SS is better on the ribbons than my Response Audio (Bill Baker) Extreme ASL Hurricanes and no tubes or Class A/AB SS amps are better at woofer control than my eAR 1001's. I think UcD and Nuforce should also work very well with woofers due to the damping power inherent on the Class D amps.  If you have to biamp why not get the best out of tubes and SS?

[Housteau]

I see that right when I posted this the first time that Woodsyi had beaten me to the punch while I was still typing .  So, I just modified my post keeping it the same but adding in this intro to recognize this fact.

There are many advantages to actively biamping a speaker system.  I tend to think of it as more of an opportunity, rather than a chore.  There can be the added expense, but also the reward in returns that often more than just balance this out.  Most people look at amplifiers as a whole.  That is, how well they reproduce the entire audio spectrum.  There is certainly nothing wrong with this, but when you biamp you have another way to go if you choose.  There may be an older amp that you own that is very well suited for bass duty, yet leaves something desired in the midrange and treble.  Well, that amp can now be given new life doing what it has always done best.  This then frees you up to consider another amplifier that excels  in the remaining frequency areas, the midrange and treble.

The RM-30 is a fairly efficient speaker.  Dividing up the frequencies through an active crossover then increases the efficiency of each section even more.  So, now a high range amplifier could be used with a much lower power rating than one needed to drive that entire speaker.  Most of the examples already given are of fairly substantial power ratings.  Once again there is nothing wrong with that, but there is another way to go.  My suggestion is for a lower powered tube amp for the higher frequencies and keeping that older solid state amp for the bass.  This is a way of getting the best of both worlds with amplifiers.

What to choose?  There are a lot of choices out there in the second hand market for very reasonable prices.  An added benefit of buying tube amps second hand is that the transformers are burned in, as sometimes it takes many years for them to sound their best.  There are also good choices for new products from companies such as Quicksilver and Dignity Audio (distributed by Monarchy Audio).  The Dignity Audio amps are 300B mono amps for $1600 a pair that received excellent reviews.

[BobRex]

Housteau, that's exactly what I did.  I have the BPS running the woofers and a 2A3 SET running the ribbons.  I can't get much above 92 dB or so on peaks, but I'm fine with that.  I've also removed the CDWG and opened the mid lpad all the way to get maximum efficiency.   

I have toyed with the idea of trying a more powerful amp, something along the lines of an Almarro 318 or McCalister SE32, or maybe an Atma S30 or Trancendent T16, but I haven't moved on that yet.

[Brian Cheney]

The key to successfull biamping is integrating the two amplifiers for level and EQ.  With the DCX2496 this is easy to do.

Let me make an offer:

Any purchaser of an SDE version of a VMPS Speaker (Rm30C $3495pr. RM30M $3880pr), plus the new SDE 626Jr SE ($1775pr), RM 40 or RM V 60 (both regular prices plus $599 for the DCX) who also owns or purchases from a VMPS dealer or the factory one of our three above mentioned amps (Behringer A 500, ATI, or Ampzilla) I will program amplifier EQ into your SDE unit at no charge.

Any new SDE purchaser who wants to use any combination of amplifiers can send them to me (freight prepaid) and I will program your DCX custom for this combination on the speaker pair you are purchasing (the actual pair, not some generic equivalent) for $150 plus return freight on the amplifiers.  This way you will be certain your amps are level matched and EQ'd for optimum performance with your new VMPS speakers.

Believe me, it makes a big difference.

[tbrooke]

This may have been posted before but what is the price for the modded 2496?

I have the RM30M with the external crossovers

Tom

[Brian Cheney]

The programmed DCX2496 is $599 and includes the "digilog" adapter for your speakers.

Shipping is $19.

B