bi-amp w/reciver and 2-ch amp

G

Gameface

Audiophyte
So I'm putting together a new system and I have a specific question about my speakers (Polk Audio 70 II) bi-amp terminals.

I have a Yamaha RX-V687 receiver that is advertised as 95WPC x 7.

I also have an Onkyo M-282 2ch amp, advertised as a 100WPC x2.

My surround speakers are:
C - Infinity TSS-1100
FS - Infinity TSS-1100
RS - Difinitive Audio 800

So the speakers have two sets of terminals for bi-amping. I have read a few posts saying that using my receivers rear surround to bi-amp is pretty much a waste of time, no real gains. So, would it make sense to bi-amp using the M-282 to power the LF terminal and my receivers front channel to power the HF terminal?

Would I be better off just jumpering the terminals and running the monitor 70s off the amp?

Or, have I wasted money on the amp and I should just run my all speakers from the receiver?

Thanks for any help!
 
B

bikdav

Senior Audioholic
My Opinion

I'd just jump the terminals and run the Polks full range off the receiver. Many times speakers like that don't need to be bi-amped when being driven by a decent receiver like your Yamaha. Quite frankly, I think that the bi-amping tactic has no serious sonic benefit unless you're just trying to "raise hell". And no, don't run the speakers off the rear surround. Rear surround is not meant for that purpose.
 
G

Gameface

Audiophyte
Oh, I should have specified, the rear surround can be set to run in bi-amp mode, but I get that it isn't going to do anything for me.

So, I've got the amp. Are you saying I shouldn't bother using it, or that it's actually worse to use it? I mean, if it could serve a useful purpose I'd like to feel like I didn't waste my money. The way things are set up right now the speakers are jumpered and are running off the amp only. The amp is connected via the pre-outs on the receiver. Would it be better to run the front speakers off the receiver. I figured at the very least I've got a second power source for the front speakers and the surrounds/center could run off the receiver.
 
G

Gameface

Audiophyte
I guess another question I have is if it is possible to use the speaker terminals on the receiver and the pre-outs at the same time? Is it even possible to hook the front channel from the receiver up to the speakers on one terminal and then run the front pre-outs to the amp and then connect the other set of terminals on the speaker from the amp?

I'm sort of an audio newb, but I'm fairly good at working with electronics.
 
B

bikdav

Senior Audioholic
Oh. O.K. I didn't realize that about the rear surrounds. That sounds like a good feature. Still. I'm not certain that bi-amping is going to be beneficial with that receiver and those speakers. As for your second question? If I am correctly picturing what you're trying to do, I don't think that will work. With all such systems that I have seen or worked with, when you separate pre out and main in, you are separating the pre amp section of the receiver from the power amp section of the receiver.
 
G

Gameface

Audiophyte
Oh. O.K. I didn't realize that about the rear surrounds. That sounds like a good feature. Still. I'm not certain that bi-amping is going to be beneficial with that receiver and those speakers. As for your second question? If I am correctly picturing what you're trying to do, I don't think that will work. With all such systems that I have seen or worked with, when you separate pre out and main in, you are separating the pre amp section of the receiver from the power amp section of the receiver.
Thanks for your advice.

I had the house to myself tonight, so I did some experimenting with my system. I'm much happier running the fronts off the receiver. At any volume I'm comfortable with it sounded better that way. I also made some better jumpers and upgraded the wire going to the fronts. I'm going to upgrade the rest of the wire to the surrounds over the next couple days.

I think I'll use the amp for a zone 2 in the next room over.
 
B

bikdav

Senior Audioholic
Glad I Could Help

Thanks for your advice.

I had the house to myself tonight, so I did some experimenting with my system. I'm much happier running the fronts off the receiver. At any volume I'm comfortable with it sounded better that way. I also made some better jumpers and upgraded the wire going to the fronts. I'm going to upgrade the rest of the wire to the surrounds over the next couple days.

I think I'll use the amp for a zone 2 in the next room over.
Yea, that is pretty much what I figured would happen. When it comes to speakers, many times simpler is better in terms of connecting equipment. Using the Onkyo amp for second room duty sounds like a neat idea. With the power that it has [along with its general quality], you can very safely run some big floor standing speakers off of that. I've always found such speakers to be easier to listen to than small stand mounted ones [but that may be just me].
 
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