Need help...to bi-amp or not to bi-amp Studio 100s in 2.1 setup

[OTU003PWH]

All this started when when the amp in my Sony ES, which has given me 12 years of faithfful service kicked the bucket. So step one was to find a replacement amp for my bedroom system whose primary duty is in a 2.1 configuration . Playing the low notes is a SVS SB2/Plus so that piece is already take care of. Enter the Rotel 1075 via audiogon.com for replacement power. Got a great deal and the plan was to bi-amp my Boston VR40s which have also given me 12+ years of great service. I get the amp and get everything is running great. I run things for a couple of days and suddenly realize that all my highs have disappeared. I have now managed to fry the tweeters in both speaker, what a waste, now I need new speakers. Enter the Paradigm Studio 100s V4. I have listened to the speaker and love them but am seriously concerned how power hungry they are.

So I am at a fresh starting point, here is the current Equiment Inventory:
1. Fried set of Boston VR40s (paper weights/firewood)
2. Rotel 1075 (5x120) (Can be replaced/used elsewhere/sold)
3. Paradigm Studio 100s V4 (Definately staying)
4. Sony ES CD
5. DishNetwork VPN211
6. Onkyo DVD

So I have come to a decision point:

Option #1 Bi-amp the Studio 100s with the Rotel 1075 and aquire the following: New preprocessor that can do high and low pass for mains, I have not found anything yet or find an external xcross over(any suggestions here) and seperate sub output.

Option #2 Sell/reuse the 1075 and find a mega power (300-500)x2 beast to run things and find a simple barebones 2.1 pre/pro to hande things.


Pros/Cons

Option #1 sounds good in theory but finding the equipment is just not working out. I am open to suggestions if someone has experiece with this kind of setup or is currenlty running one. I am not sure I am really going to get what I need from a power standpoint for the 100s even with the bi-amp. Waste one channel of the 1075. I am not sure if the 1075 is strong enough in a bi-amp mode to really make the 100s sing. Buy external x-over which seems like a waste just to use the 1075.

Option #2 requires reusing/selling the 1075 and acquiring another power beast. I will still need to pre/pro but my options are opened because I do not need an internal x-over.

Goals:
1. Meet the power hungy needs of the Studio 100s via 1075 or AMP TBD.
2. Efficient spending.
3. Get it overwith already.

Thanks in advance for helpig me ending my indecision crisis.

 

[Nick250]

The Studio 100s v3 are in fact quite efficent having a 91dB in room sensitivity. You are running a sub and that also will take some load off the receiver. Unless I am missing something, the Rotel should handle the 100s without breaking a sweat.

Nick

 

[AVRat]

Have you tried bi-amping (passive) with what you have now, you just need to split the L/R outputs going into the amps. An active crossover will only help to make more efficient use of the amps, because you will still be going through the passive crossovers in the speakers. The 1075 should provide plenty of power for the 100s as Nick said.

 

[j_garcia]

I don't see a problem either. Unless you have an extremely huge room or you are trying to go deaf, that amp should be fine with the 100s.

 

[OTU003PWH]

j_garcia, not trying to go deaf just squeeze everything out of the 100s

AVRat, I will try the passive bi-amp, I have often wondered on a scale of 100 what the performance benifit is when passive bi-aming vs using an active cross over if active is 100. Any ideas?

Nick250, I agree with the sub piece, but I do ont think I am going to do a high passs on the 100s.

Thanks a ton...anyone else got any thoughts?

 

[AVRat]

Passive crossovers in current, good quality speakers are fairly efficient so it may be difficult to detect a difference. The other thing is that to actively bi-amp your speakers properly, you need to get in and disconnect the passive crossover. This will probably invalidate the warrantee. There aren’t too many 2.1 preamps available, I don’t know of one offhand. If the logistics are feasible, you could go through the sub’s crossover.

 

[AmpItUP]

I'd go with Studio 100s v3 too.

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[indcrimdefense]

there is a significant difference between the studio 100 v3 & 100 v4, the v4 was upgraded with the tweeters out of the signature line, which are significantly better imho than tweeters in the v3. last year i demoed the v3 as a potential dual center & or surround speaker to go with my sig 8. amplifiers were a demo pair of cary audio 500 MB monoblocks. the v3 sounded great, but the v3 tweeter did not match at all with the sig 8 tweeter, so dad took the v3 home to demo in his setup (2805/2910). a couple hours later he calls & says they sound fine but there is no body & no bass (compared to what he had heard in my system). i went out, listened & then bi-amped the v3 with the 2805 & he and i were both impressed. was not quite as good as in my setup, but was damn good for alot less money. he didn't buy due to WAF, but he's getting a pair of v4 from me this year, just don't tell him. i have also spent multiple afternoons listening to the v4 on all macintosh system at the dealer (amp was 2x250, model # escapes me) & was very impressed.

 

[pbarach1]

There aren’t too many 2.1 preamps available, I don’t know of one offhand. If the logistics are feasible, you could go through the sub’s crossover.

a dealer told me about the B&K reference 20, which has a subwoofer output. I haven't listened to it.