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Bi-Amping Question

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Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

Hi All: I have two NADC270 Amps & a NADC162 Pre-Amp hooked up to a
pair of NHT ST4's. Currently, I'm using a pair of Bi-wired cables,
each cable & amp driving one speaker.

Is this the "correct" way to Bi-Amp? Or should I buy 2 pairs of cables
& have one amp drive the lower & the other amp high frequencies? Keep
in mind that the gain is "exact" on both amps considering they are the
same exact units.

As it stands, my set up sounds pretty good for the coin I spent. I
guess I just want to make sure I'm doing the correct hook-up. Is the
two schools of thought here?

Also, what are your thoughts on Audioquest Type 4 speaker cable?
Audiovisor has a pretty good deal on the "No Thrills" version. I
really don't want to spend more then $100.00 on a pair.

Any & all insight from you "true" audiophiles would be very much
appreciated!

Regards,

Alex Moore

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Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

The way you arrange the output of the amps is what is called
horizontal or lateral biamping and it works as a pair of monoblocks
and has the same advantages. Shorter speaker cable length, better
isolation between the channels.
The other way that you mentioned is called vertical biamping and it
does away with the advantages of the monoblock, but has the advantage
of having one amplifier responsible for only a portion of the
frequency range. That can deliver lower distortion in the more
critical high and mid frequency ranges. It also allows some level
trimming in one area if desired and has the ability to be connected to
an active electronic x-over between it and the preamp, although that
is really only used in very large scale systems where very high levels
are needed (a concert hall or stadium for instance). You can get some
nice wire for less locally. Choose a suitable OFC wire (of 14ga or
more if you run lengths longer than 10' or so). You can get away with
16ga if you are close to the speakers and it is pure copper. I think
the newer Type 4 is OK, but I remember when it was dreadful many years
ago, despite it's price.
Other than adjusting the levels of the high or low frequency units, I
don't see much advantage for you to be overly concerned about changing
the orientation of the set-up. If you really want better sound, save
the money on the wire and get a better preamp.
-Bill
www.uptownaudio.com
Roanoke VA
(540) 343-1250

"Alex Moore" <AMooreonline@juno.com> wrote in message
news:cfvpn102j72@news2.newsguy.com...
> Hi All: I have two NADC270 Amps & a NADC162 Pre-Amp hooked up to a
> pair of NHT ST4's. Currently, I'm using a pair of Bi-wired cables,
> each cable & amp driving one speaker.
>
> Is this the "correct" way to Bi-Amp? Or should I buy 2 pairs of
cables
> & have one amp drive the lower & the other amp high frequencies?
Keep
> in mind that the gain is "exact" on both amps considering they are
the
> same exact units.
>
> As it stands, my set up sounds pretty good for the coin I spent. I
> guess I just want to make sure I'm doing the correct hook-up. Is the
> two schools of thought here?
>
> Also, what are your thoughts on Audioquest Type 4 speaker cable?
> Audiovisor has a pretty good deal on the "No Thrills" version. I
> really don't want to spend more then $100.00 on a pair.
>
> Any & all insight from you "true" audiophiles would be very much
> appreciated!
>
> Regards,
>
> Alex Moore

Reply to Anonymous

Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

Alex Moore wrote:
> Hi All: I have two NADC270 Amps & a NADC162 Pre-Amp hooked up to a
> pair of NHT ST4's. Currently, I'm using a pair of Bi-wired cables,
> each cable & amp driving one speaker.
>
> Is this the "correct" way to Bi-Amp? Or should I buy 2 pairs of cables
> & have one amp drive the lower & the other amp high frequencies? Keep
> in mind that the gain is "exact" on both amps considering they are the
> same exact units.
>
> As it stands, my set up sounds pretty good for the coin I spent. I
> guess I just want to make sure I'm doing the correct hook-up. Is the
> two schools of thought here?
>
IMHO you could have saved the bucks for the second amp and half of the
cables and would have the same sound.

> Also, what are your thoughts on Audioquest Type 4 speaker cable?
> Audiovisor has a pretty good deal on the "No Thrills" version. I
> really don't want to spend more then $100.00 on a pair.
>
> Any & all insight from you "true" audiophiles would be very much
> appreciated!
>

Alex you are a potential victim of all these quacks out there, Come on, get
informed, experiment. Do not take everything for granted. Why don't you try
it out yourself?

For example take 1 amp only and wire the speakers with only one cable. Use
the provided jumper on the speaker terminals. Now listen to those critical
pieces of your choice.
Now put the additional amp, the second cables and listen again.
And finally wire the amps the other way round lateral or whatever it is
called.
Do you really hear any differences? Well, the best is if you let somebody
else do it(the wife or a friend) without you knowing which combination is
playing. And you try to recognize which is which.
--
ciao Ban
Bordighera, Italy

Reply to ban

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