Should I Bi-amp or Bi-wire?

[mtrycrafts]

Yeah, the loudspeaker forum is the right place to ask. I meant "Audioholics" in general isn't the right place to ask. It's a rather objectivist site. Audioholics is going to stick with the "there's no evidence" argument, and that's about as far as it goes.

Exactly why this is the best place to ask such questions.

Where should I go to ask about psychics? To Randi or to a psychic web site?
Or, homeopathic medicines effectiveness?

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'd have to agree with Ottomatic that any "subjectivist" statements tend to get shouted down here.

That depends on how that statement is made. If it is a preference, not much to argue there. But, no, many claim things that can be tested and verified one way or another. That is what gets challenged.

 

[mtrycrafts]

How about oct-amping?
From this audioreview page:
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/speakers/floorstanding-speakers/b-and-w/PRD_119136_1594crx.aspx

"Amplification in this system is from 13 Krell 650W Monoblocks - 8 of these are for the snail-shell Nautilus, which differs from most other speaker designs in that it is active: the crossovers come in a separate box, split the signal, and pass it to each amplifier. 4 drivers per Nautilus = 4 monoblocks per speaker. "

Well, going active and amping each driver IS the way to go but, you certainly don't need a 350 watt amp for that tweeter when it will smoke at 25 watts

 

[mtrycrafts]

I didn't mean to spur such a debate, I thought it would be an easy answer. I guess I will Bi-amp, just because I "can"

And why is this the wrong forum to ask this? I asked because my new speakers offer 2 sets of terminals for this purpose, and this IS the loudspeaker forum....right... I don't get it.

You can learn a lot from debates

And, this IS the best place to ask your question as it is speaker related

 

[Brett A]

Well, going active and amping each driver IS the way to go but, you certainly don't need a 350 watt amp for that tweeter when it will smoke at 25 watts

True.
I think its safe to say that if you're buying these $35,000 speakers, you're into overkill

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

How about oct-amping?
From this audioreview page:
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/speakers/floorstanding-speakers/b-and-w/PRD_119136_1594crx.aspx

"Amplification in this system is from 13 Krell 650W Monoblocks - 8 of these are for the snail-shell Nautilus, which differs from most other speaker designs in that it is active: the crossovers come in a separate box, split the signal, and pass it to each amplifier. 4 drivers per Nautilus = 4 monoblocks per speaker. "

DAMN.

If only I were rich!!!!

Man, oh, man. Oct-amping.

I love B&W Nautilus.

 

[fmw]

Not at all. All objectivism does is provide a scientifically-sound basis for initial equipment selection and installation. None of we "meter-readers " would deny that the music is what matters in the end...we merely want to make sure we're worrying about the right things when compiling and installing a system. Once it's all in place, then absolutely it's all about the music and the ability of good music to take you far, far away. We just don't want to be "had" on the way to that destination, and the scientific method is the means to that end. But of course it's all about the music in the end...that's what we want a high-fidelity playback system for in the first place! Enjoy the music.

That's well put. Having been a subjectivist for 30 years and an objectivist for 10 years I can tell you I enjoy listening to music much more now than I did in the subjectivist days. In those days I used to do what audiophiles call "critical" listening which means listening to equipment rather than music. That isn't any fun. As an objectivist, I've done the tests, learned the lessons, put together a couple of systems that perform very well and I can simply forget about listening to equipment. It doesn't matter any more.

I might go as far as to say that objectivists might well enjoy music listening more than subjectivists.

B3nut and I are both musicians. We make music and we understand very personally how hard it is to make it well. Both of us can appreciate the quality of a great performance. It doesn't take "critical" listening and 100 lb. amplifiers. It takes music appreciation.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Remember, the less you spend on things that don't matter (eg cable), the more you will have available for things that do matter (eg speakers.)
This is the real purpose of being objective.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Ironically, I ended up biwiring my new Cambridge S30s. Why? Because the Canare "star quad" cable is what I would have bought for them anyway (it is Blue Jean's heaviest gauge), and it makes biwiring trivially easy. I still don't believe it makes any difference, but it doesn't hurt anything and it looks cool.

 

[Seth=L]

Warning, baited statement follows...

I think Buy-wiring can look "cool" but that's about all it does. It's apparently ever so slightly electrically superior, but not enough to be audible in any way.

 

[chadnliz]

Warning, baited statement follows...

I think Buy-wiring can look "cool" but that's about all it does. It's apparently ever so slightly electrically superior, but not enough to be audible in any way.

Looks like an opinion that isnt universal.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Ironically, I ended up biwiring my new Cambridge S30s. Why? Because the Canare "star quad" cable is what I would have bought for them anyway (it is Blue Jean's heaviest gauge), and it makes biwiring trivially easy. I still don't believe it makes any difference, but it doesn't hurt anything and it looks cool.

Joe, Joe, Joe...at least bi-amp them.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

Joe, Joe, Joe...at least bi-amp them.

Several issues with that. First and foremost, the manufacturer calls the speakers biwireable, not biampable. Second, my integrated does not support biamping. Third, my next upgrade (if there is one) is more likely to be moving up in the Azur range of integrateds rather than to seperates. Finally, I don't use more than 1/3 of the power provided by the 340A, so the added power from biamping would be pointless.

 

[OttoMatic]

Several issues with that. First and foremost, the manufacturer calls the speakers biwireable, not biampable.

If they're biwireable, they're biampable.

 

[noshortcuts]

I bi-wire because

I have the Sunfire TGA-7400 amp. This amp provides "current source" and "voltage source" outputs for the front channels. Carver recommends trying the current source to the highs and voltage source to the woofer ("current source for a warmer, more open tube sound or voltage source for tightest response. Use both in bi-wire configurations for the best of both worlds - warm, spacious highs; and tight, punchy lows!") I also had bought Canare 4S11 from BlueJeansCable so the wiring was that much easier. I can't say if it makes a difference. I've been having too much fun enjoying the awesome sound to get around to trying any other configuration - yet.