Bi-Amping a HT setup Bi-Amp questions

[mahdlokg]

I admit, I'm a total novice to bi-amping. If I understand this concept, I would need two sets of pre-outs on any pre-amp or pre/pro regardless of whether it is multi channel or not, correct? If that is the case, are there any current multi channel pre/pros out there for use in a HT setup. I realize that there are some 7.1 pre/pros that can be configured so that the mains can be bi-amped. My situation is that I have two medium powered 5 channel amps and was hoping to bi-amp my entire 5.0 setup. Is this possible?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I admit, I'm a total novice to bi-amping. If I understand this concept, I would need two sets of pre-outs on any pre-amp or pre/pro regardless of whether it is multi channel or not, correct? If that is the case, are there any current multi channel pre/pros out there for use in a HT setup. I realize that there are some 7.1 pre/pros that can be configured so that the mains can be bi-amped. My situation is that I have two medium powered 5 channel amps and was hoping to bi-amp my entire 5.0 setup. Is this possible?

First, are all your speakers bi-amp capable?

If so, all you need is a Y-splitter for each channel. So that's a total of 5 Y-Splitters for 5 channels. These are $5 each (which I think are pretty good):

https://www.cablesforless.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=14146

Then each channel becomes two-mono channels and connects to two channels of amplifier.

If you need even better quality of Y-splitters, then Blue Jeans Cable is $15 each.
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/subwoofer/index.htm

But the best one I've seen is the Outlaw Audio for $25 each.
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/cab_y_about.html

 

[mtrycrafts]

I admit, I'm a total novice to bi-amping. If I understand this concept, I would need two sets of pre-outs on any pre-amp or pre/pro regardless of whether it is multi channel or not, correct? If that is the case, are there any current multi channel pre/pros out there for use in a HT setup. I realize that there are some 7.1 pre/pros that can be configured so that the mains can be bi-amped. My situation is that I have two medium powered 5 channel amps and was hoping to bi-amp my entire 5.0 setup. Is this possible?

What are you hoping to accomplish by this setup?

 

[mahdlokg]

What are you hoping to accomplish by this setup?

I have a 100 X 5 and a 125 X 5. I was just hoping to build some more reserve power if and when needed

 

[fmw]

I have a 100 X 5 and a 125 X 5. I was just hoping to build some more reserve power if and when needed

Home theaters are intended to include subwoofers. If your system has a powered subwoofer, then biamping the mains won't gain you anything. It is the bass that requires all that power. The mids and highs don't need much at all. I would think normal listening levels in normal rooms with normal speakers would require a watt or two and perhaps 5 or 6 at the peaks, if you remove the bass from the equation. 100 watts per channel for the mains is way more than necessary for speakers of average sensitivity in a normal sized room in a private home if you have a powered sub handling the deep bass. In my home theater, 25 watts per channel would be overkill.

If it is something you want to do for the heck of it, they Y adapters are the way to go.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Home theaters are intended to include subwoofers. If your system has a powered subwoofer, then biamping the mains won't gain you anything. It is the bass that requires all that power. The mids and highs don't need much at all. I would think normal listening levels in normal rooms with normal speakers would require a watt or two and perhaps 5 or 6 at the peaks, if you remove the bass from the equation. 100 watts per channel for the mains is way more than necessary for speakers of average sensitivity in a normal sized room in a private home if you have a powered sub handling the deep bass. In my home theater, 25 watts per channel would be overkill.

If it is something you want to do for the heck of it, they Y adapters are the way to go.

Yeah, I think all of us are doing crazy things like bi/tri-amping for the heck of it.
They didn't call us Audioholics for nothing!

 

[fmw]

Yeah, I think all of us are doing crazy things like bi/tri-amping for the heck of it.
They didn't call us Audioholics for nothing!

There is nothing wrong with that. I spent decades experimenting with audio. I just don't want the fellow to be disappointed when he discovers his system sounds the same after the effort.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

There is nothing wrong with that. I spent decades experimenting with audio. I just don't want the fellow to be disappointed when he discovers his system sounds the same after the effort.

Yeah, I think speaker companies provide bi-amping/tri-amping to give them that cool "edge" over other companies. It may be a psychological tactic, but it works. I mean if they sold speakers with quad-amping & 4 pairs of speaker posts, I would have bought it.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

and I just "fake" bi-wire my speakers every once-in-a-while so I can send I picture to Seth just to piss him off...

Yeah, I think speaker companies provide bi-amping/tri-amping to give them that cool "edge" over other companies. It may be a psychological tactic, but it works. I mean if they sold speakers with quad-amping & 4 pairs of speaker posts, I would have bought it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

and I just "fake" bi-wire my speakers every once-in-a-while so I can send I picture to Seth just to piss him off...

Next time send him a fake "quad-wire" & see how he likes that

 

[mtrycrafts]

Yeah, I think speaker companies provide bi-amping/tri-amping to give them that cool "edge" over other companies. It may be a psychological tactic, but it works. I mean if they sold speakers with quad-amping & 4 pairs of speaker posts, I would have bought it.

In reality, speaker companies do it so they will not lose the buy-wire and bi-amping customers; all bases are covered.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

In reality, speaker companies do it so they will not lose the buy-wire and bi-amping customers; all bases are covered.

If I were a speaker company, I would make a quad-amping capable speaker. Who is going to compete with that? As long as the speakers sound fantastic, people might just think that it has something to do with all those wires.

If people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars on just the wires, they would go crazy on a quad-amping speakers. I think.

My center speaker is tri-amp. Are there any speakers out there that are quad-amp?

 

[mtrycrafts]

If I were a speaker company, I would make a quad-amping capable speaker. Who is going to compete with that? As long as the speakers sound fantastic, people might just think that it has something to do with all those wires.

If people are willing to pay hundreds of dollars on just the wires, they would go crazy on a quad-amping speakers. I think.

My center speaker is tri-amp. Are there any speakers out there that are quad-amp?

Well, I bet if that speaker didn't have 4 speakers in it, they may start asking questions though? Maybe not all but most?

 

[Johnd]

Well, I bet if that speaker didn't have 4 speakers in it, they may start asking questions though? Maybe not all but most?

Hmmmph.

I fear many wouldn't, Mtry, provided it it had eight connections.

...drink from the mirage in the desert...

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Hmmmph.

I fear many wouldn't, Mtry, provided it it had eight connections.

...drink from the mirage in the desert...

Yeah, 8 connections & 4 drivers: tweeter, midrange, woofer, & subwoofer

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Well, I bet if that speaker didn't have 4 speakers in it, they may start asking questions though? Maybe not all but most?

Check out this $10,000 Linn Komri QUAD-WIRE speaker:

View attachment 5146

Well, when I win the lottery, I'll buy it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Check out this $10,000 Linn Komri QUAD-WIRE speaker:

View attachment 5146

Well, when I win the lottery, I'll buy it.

Correction: these are $20,000 for each speaker or $40,000 a pair!

 

[mahdlokg]

I admit, I'm a total novice to bi-amping. If I understand this concept, I would need two sets of pre-outs on any pre-amp or pre/pro regardless of whether it is multi channel or not, correct? If that is the case, are there any current multi channel pre/pros out there for use in a HT setup. I realize that there are some 7.1 pre/pros that can be configured so that the mains can be bi-amped. My situation is that I have two medium powered 5 channel amps and was hoping to bi-amp my entire 5.0 setup. Is this possible?

Thanks for the input. I have decided that bi-amping is not worth the effort. I know enough to set up and operate my HT system. I know very little about the technical aspects, other than to not stick my finger in the socket. If I'd known how much I'd be into this hobby when I started buying audio equipment in the 70's, I would have become an EE, and maybe figured out to make a couple of bucks out of this obsession. At least enough to offset my expenditures! Thanks to all for the feedback.

 

[fmw]

Thanks for the input. I have decided that bi-amping is not worth the effort. I know enough to set up and operate my HT system. I know very little about the technical aspects, other than to not stick my finger in the socket. If I'd known how much I'd be into this hobby when I started buying audio equipment in the 70's, I would have become an EE, and maybe figured out to make a couple of bucks out of this obsession. At least enough to offset my expenditures! Thanks to all for the feedback.

If all the audio advice came from EE's there wouldn't be so much misinformation and confusion, I think. I doubt there would be much of a high end audio business either. However, the audio industry is a mixture of science and belief. The belief side screams a lot louder than the scientific side of it, unfortunately. Keep your finger out of that socket.

 

[mtrycrafts]

If all the audio advice came from EE's there wouldn't be so much misinformation and confusion, I think. .

Don't be so sure about that
There are enough EEs who have embraced the 'Dark Side' of the force and use EE chatter to support their claims, or try to.
No different from others with degrees of all sorts to embrace the 'Dark Side.'