Bi-Amp or BIG Amp, for L-R Speakers with a Receiver? Is one Better than the other?

[BuddTX]

With the help of other members here, I am considering getting a HT receiver, (Haven't decided yet) and possibly the Axiom M60's (EDIT, I meant the M80's - M60s are 8 ohm). BUT, as everyone probably knows, they are 4 Ohm, and need a good amp, so I am thinking about letting the receiver drive the OTHER channels, and getting a seperate AMP for the main speakers, and possibily the center channel.

NOW, I first thought that I could get mono amps, like the Outlaw M200, and let each one drive each speaker.

BUT THEN I thought about it, and there are tons of good stereo channel amps out there, why not bi-amp each speaker?

So, is one option better than the other option?

One Big Honkin 200 WPC mono amp for each speaker, or a nice stereo 100-200 WPC amp, bi-amped for each speaker.

My goal is Better, clearer, more accurate, crisp sound, NOT just lounder sound.

Thanks.

 

[happy540i]

If your goal is better,clearer sound I suggest bi-amping your main speakers. My current setup is a 5803A but I'm not using the amplifier section of the receiver. My speakers are all powered and bi-amped already. I have noticed a difference in sound quality. It is a lot cleaner.

 

[djoxygen]

Bi-amping - usually the way to go

Just take great care setting your crossover frequency(-ies). Since you're bypassing any internal crossover(s), you'll be sending the full power of the amp channel to each individual driver. A recipe for bad sound and possibly damage.

However, a properly configured bi- or tri-amped system will very nearly always beat a single amp channel driving a multi-driver speaker.

 

[BuddTX]

Has anyone seen this thread?

AVS Fourm using Pro amps (Like the Crown 402) for home use

Very interesting read It has like 900 posts!

This has opened my eyes. I could possibly have near state of the art sound, with, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, a realistic budget.

I could bi-amp, my center, left and right speakers, and hook up a 7 channel system, with 5 amps, at a cost of about 1500 bucks. (Or, if I did not bi-amp, I could do 7 channel and one unpowered sub with 4 amps, or 1200 bucks!)

there is no way, one could get this kind of power with audiophile amps for anywhere near this price.

Now, I am not looking for loud, my current Pioneeer Elite 100x5 receiver gets almost as loud as I would ever listen to music or HT.

I am looking for clear and accurate.

My only question, is that, could my current AC power outlet handle all of these amps?

As everyone here seems to be geared toward the AUDIO end of HT and Audio quality in general, I thought I would get some good comments from yall.

Any thoughts?

 

[Yamahaluver]

Bi-amp is always a better option but then using two crappy amps instead of one well built amp is not condusive to good sound.

 

[djoxygen]

Now, I am not looking for loud, my current Pioneeer Elite 100x5 receiver gets almost as loud as I would ever listen to music or HT.

I am looking for clear and accurate.

My only question, is that, could my current AC power outlet handle all of these amps?

If clear and accurate (rather than loud) is really what you're after, then your household AC should provide more than enough juice. The amps should draw current somewhat proportionately to how much power they are sending to your speakers. If you're not going to play any louder than your current system, you shouldn't have any trouble. If you max them all out, you'll probably have a race between blowing a circuit and blowing your eardrums.

You don't say if you have any kind of conditioning, but a regular power strip might not cut it. If you want to wire like a pro (to match your amps) look at Furman power distribution, or something similar. Even some of their lower-end stuff will hold up to 1800W draw before popping a breaker.

Also, even though some of the posters on the AVS thread say they can't hear the fans much, 5 of them together (in your full bi-amped system) will make a bit more racket. You might also consider at least putting them in a rack with some baffling if you can't get them out of the room entirely. I know from experience that the noise would drive me crazy, but that's just me.

 

[BuddTX]

Thanks,

I do not know what yet, but I do know that I am going to get serious about power conditioning and surges (and the funny thing is, I thought I was ALREADY serious about this!)

My house got hit 3 weeks ago with lightening, and even though I had 2 APC UPS / Surge protectors, my TV and REceiver (and PC modem and DVR) got hit.

Whatever I buy, I will fill out the warantee, and take pictures.

If you read that 900+ post thread on AVS, some people have removed the fans and replaced them with "Quiet" fans, others have addes a 1 wat, 100 ohm(or was it 10 ohm) resistor to the fan power wire, and received very acceptable levels of quiet from the fans.

So, back to the question of Bi-Amping, so, I am wondering if there is a benefit, even if, you have enough clean, power with each channel. I am considering the Axiom M80's, and these are 4 Ohm speakers, and the Crown 402, at 4 Ohms, list 480 WPC @ 4 Ohms.

480 WPC @ 4 Ohms, WOW. Would there be a benefit to bi-amping THAT KIND OF POWER?

I really do not know.