Confused about bi amping. Advice please!

P

philly

Junior Audioholic
So I recently got the Marantz AV10 and Amp10. I have a 5.2.2 configuration with all Bowers and Wilkins speakers. The front two floors are 702S 3's, the center is HTM71 S3. Bookshelf surrounds are 706 s3s, all biampable. But I'm told I can only biamp the 2 front floors even though I have 16 channels? Don't understand. Also what other amps could I add this, such as a monoblock or additional power amp?
Thanks in advance!
 
adk highlander

adk highlander

Sith Lord
You can only biamp the front two via the software configuration. To biamp the others you would need a y cable to split each channel output to the amps inputs. Your mileage may vary if it will make a difference.
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
You can only biamp the front two via the software configuration. To biamp the others you would need a y cable to split each channel output to the amps inputs. Your mileage may vary if it will make a difference.
Better to buy a more powerful amplifier than to bi-amp passive speakers, but his Marantz amplifier seems to be quite beefy for each channel in the first place.

 
P

philly

Junior Audioholic
Thanks, but I guess I'm still confused about the 16 channels. And some say that they are assignable. So why can't I use 2 more even just for the center channel?
Also is biwiring beneficial or not?
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
I have a total of 7 speakers, two fronts, one center, two surrounds and two heights. [2 subs if that matters]
Your amplifier (from specs) is more than capable driving each of your speakers just fine without bi-amp or bi-wire. You’ll just have many unused amplifier channels. Perhaps add more speakers for Atmos?
 
P

philly

Junior Audioholic
Your amplifier (from specs) is more than capable driving each of your speakers just fine without bi-amp or bi-wire. You’ll just have many unused amplifier channels. Perhaps add more speakers for Atmos?
Ok thank you! I'm not concerned about the loudness. It's very loud. I was just told that bi amping helps to bring out the mid-range more, and I figured since I have good speakers and a good amp, I should utilize the potential of both.
The group that did the setup for me did biamp the 2 fronts and biwired the center so I should leave it as such, for now you think?
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
Ok thank you! I'm not concerned about the loudness. It's very loud. I was just told that bi amping helps to bring out the mid-range more, and I figured since I have good speakers and a good amp, I should utilize the potential of both.
The group that did the setup for me did biamp the 2 fronts and biwired the center so I should leave it as such, for now you think?
And they’re the same people that sold all of this to you as well?

As the bi-wire and bi-amp is already done just leave it in place: It won’t affect the sound quality either way.

That said, if you later on wish to add more speakers you can just disconnect some of the superfluous bi-wire/bi-amp to free up amplifier channels.
 
P

philly

Junior Audioholic
And they’re the same people that sold all of this to you as well?

As the bi-wire and bi-amp is already done just leave it in place: It won’t affect the sound quality either way.

That said, if you later on wish to add more speakers you can just disconnect some of the superfluous bi-wire/bi-amp to free up amplifier channels.
Got everything through a mix of online and store, and someone who knows this stuff helped me hook it up.

The strange thing is Marantz's customer service told me I could biamp the fronts, center and surrounds. Crutchfield said I couldn't, and they ended up being correct.
Not that it's probably worth it, but just out of curiosity, How would an additional amp or a mono block(?] amp work in this situation?
 
Trell

Trell

Audioholic Spartan
Got everything through a mix of online and store, and someone who knows this stuff helped me hook it up.

The strange thing is Marantz's customer service told me I could biamp the fronts, center and surrounds. Crutchfield said I couldn't, and they ended up being correct.
Not that it's probably worth it, but just out of curiosity, How would an additional amp or a mono block(?] amp work in this situation?
Your current amp is just fine.

Is there something with the sound you’re not happy with?
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
Got everything through a mix of online and store, and someone who knows this stuff helped me hook it up.

The strange thing is Marantz's customer service told me I could biamp the fronts, center and surrounds. Crutchfield said I couldn't, and they ended up being correct.
Not that it's probably worth it, but just out of curiosity, How would an additional amp or a mono block(?] amp work in this situation?
You do not want to mix amps when Bi-Amping.
While I agree the benefits are likely minimal, there are edge cases for Bi-Amping passive Speakers, and that is in situations where the Speakers are difficult loads to drive. B&W is known for this problematic design. Impedance Minima below 4 ohms, challenging phase angles, all at lower frequencies...

Regardless, if you want to passively Bi-Amp your mains as they already are, no harm is done as long as the wiring is correct which it sounds like it is.

The Bi-Wire setup is a whole other story... it's is most likely completely pointless for 99% of use cases and is just a reason to sell more Speaker wire, which if you bought into premium brands can be very expensive for no gain.

If you wanted to add additional Amps, you would need to buy Four Monoblocks or Two Stereo Amps. Make certain they are capable of driving your Speakers, and remove the Amp 10 from the chain to your Mains. I would absolutely not mix other Amps for the Highs or Lows while using a different Amp for the other.

If you feel you have to Bi-Amp other Speakers "just because," you simply need to split each pre-out with a Y and run the signal to separate Amp Channels, then on to each Speaker Channel accordingly.

(If you can't tell, this is generally considered a silly practice by most of us here. Some schools of thought will argue otherwise, but there is ZERO evidence that this will pay any dividend for the expense.) :)
 
P

philly

Junior Audioholic
Your current amp is just fine.

Is there something with the sound you’re not happy with?
Haha, you raise a good question! not on the surface now, it sounds great. I do need to get some isolation panels for the walls behind my chairs though. As it's part of my man cave and is a pretty small area.

Just my obsession and compassion tbh! again when I have that speakers can be biamped, why not? I just wonder if I would notice the improvement in sound.

Also I am considering increasing the size of my listening area and getting a bigger TV and possibly The diamond series B&W speakers, down the road if my budget allows...
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
Zero reason for passive biamping those speakers, any of them. If anything I'd fix the peaks and valleys in the frequency response if you haven't already (the ones above 1000hz as the 100hz is a product of their measurement technique.
518BW702fig3 (1).jpg
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Ok thank you! I'm not concerned about the loudness. It's very loud. I was just told that bi amping helps to bring out the mid-range more, and I figured since I have good speakers and a good amp, I should utilize the potential of both.
The group that did the setup for me did biamp the 2 fronts and biwired the center so I should leave it as such, for now you think?
You heard a fairy tale. Passive bi-amping does far more harm than good. Do yourself a favor and forget about passive bi-amping. There is audiophool BS all over the net. You have been caught in one of their nets!
 
P

philly

Junior Audioholic
You heard a fairy tale. Passive bi-amping does far more harm than good. Do yourself a favor and forget about passive bi-amping. There is audiophool BS all over the net. You have been caught in one of their nets!
So leaving the two fronts biamped will cause no harm for now?

I plan on investing in the isolation absorption tiles for the wall behind my seating
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
I'm reading that I should have absorption foam panels behind my seating area like the GIK acoustics after doing the 'mirror trick'. would you agree?
???

Usually you use the mirrors on side walls to find the First Reflection Point.
Some Absorption or Absortion/Diffusion panels are usually recommended here. Back wall is usually for pure diffusion...

If smartly placed and planned, you only need treat about 25% of the total surface area of the walls...

BUT!
...You need to start by having proper measurements of your room. If you don't understand the acoustics that are happening in your room, you are only guessing and can do more harm thn good to your listening experience.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I'm reading that I should have absorption foam panels behind my seating area like the GIK acoustics after doing the 'mirror trick'. would you agree?
Not particularly, more like what Ryan says....and would also depend what particular frequencies you're trying to absorb as to the make up of a panel. Even just a well furnished room could be sufficient.
 

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