Bi-amp or bi-wire?

For 15 years I've been running my reQuest and Logos with a Classe CAV-150 in a bi-amp configuration. The CAV-150 has 6 channels (300w @ 4ohms), and I've used two channels for each of the reQuests (bi-amp), and one channel for the Logos. So 5 of the 6 channels are in use.

I'm wondering if there is any advantage to bridging the amp to 3 channels (~600w @ 4ohms?) and bi-wiring the reQuests. I assume the amp would remain stable (maybe not). Is 2x power bi-wire better than 1x + 1x bi-amp?

Hola Dobbler. Your Request are power hungry... but you have a bi-amp configuration to drive them. I think that the only way to be sure is doing a quick test. Bridge them, listen carefully material that you really know, and tell us your findings. Power sometimes makes the speakers to be more aggresive and you could have piercing highs due to power, but I am just speculating. Remember that you have one of the best mid-range of the world! and 90% of the music is mid-range. I will do the test, perhaps I might like it better than be bi-amp, besides one channel is not in use, and bridged config makes all power amps will be working. Get good speakers connectors for the binding posts. Happy listening,
R.

roberto said:

Power sometimes makes the speakers to be more aggresive and you could have piercing highs due to power, but I am just speculating.

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Roberto, I'm surprised you say that. If you are listening at the same sound level using an amp that is bridged to provide more power, why would the highs be more aggressive than unbridged? The amplifier would be working in a more "comfortable" range (less chance of clipping).

Bi-amp is the winner, even if its passive x/o its better that no bi-amp.

I said that because when you a driving a car, and you have big motor, you like to go fast, right? When you have that kind of power, you will cranked up, I just was dreaming about it... perhaps my mistake, my apologies, my friends... but sure, I would do the test!. I know that 5 volts are 5 Volts, but when your bridge an amp, its sensitivity is lower, making you think that you are getting twice the power, also you have 4 times power, due to headroom benefits of the bridge, also slew rate goes up, the amp is faster and usually gets more dymanic, more aggresive... that happened to me when I bridged my Perreaux long time ago. but this does not means that will sound better, just different... and you could like it, right?

Yes, this is more high end connection, but if you have the chance to try it, using exact power ampls that allow you to be bridged, I will do the test... and choose the one that I liked better. When I had my Tympanies (long time ago) I used bridged Brystons 4 Bs for bass and Brystons 3Bs bridged for highs... for powe stereo amps, two for bass, and two for mids and highs... and I liked them better bridged than just one for the bass and so...just what I did like at that time...again, my apology because I could make this missunderstood...

So what you're saying is I need *another* CAV-150

No, no, of course not. But it would be nice, right? And your speakers could handle that kind of power easy. I have always said that I like better quality watts than quantity... but here you have quality watts everywhere!.

Well, it's sort of a moot point now. Picking up a Classe CAV-180 tomorrow. It's not bridge-able so I'll be bi-amping with a more powerful (360w @ 4ohms x 2) and (I hope) slightly higher quality amp.

Congrats on the new amp.

And IMHO, bi-amping is best, assuming decent quality, capable amps, which you seem to have.

Bridged mode in many amps *reduces* their current capabilities and limits their impedance capabilities (one often sees warnings to this effect on instructions for bridging).

A Bridge Too Far

Hi Dobbler,

I have done both over the years, it may be dependent on the amp maker but whilst I found bridging gave more power, I lost some 'finesse' and found the sound coarse. My personal preference is always to bi amp where ever possible, this gives me both refinement and power delivery.

My 5c worth

Fjeff

I'm now bi-amping with the CAV-180. It's definitely a step up in power, and I believe I'm hearing a bit more detail. The CAV-180 is definitely more "forward". The CAV-150 has a more "pleasant" and warm sound. I'm not sure which I prefer yet...

Almost 6 years later, I'm back! So that CAV-180 I bought had to be almost immediately returned to the seller. That thing got WAY TOO HOT and I believe something was wrong with it.

So tonight I finally got around to trying a bi-wire configuration with the CAV-150. Aside from the massive swearing involved getting two spade connectors on the amp terminals it wasn't too hard LOL

The results are.................it sucks. Volume levels are not as high (maybe 10% less?), and the panel/woofer separation isn't as well....um, separated as in the bi-amp configuration.

I think I just need more power to bring more life into these classics. I've had them 21 years this month!

Dobbler said:

I've had them 21 years this month!

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LOL and to think, they were only 15 years old when you started ..............:ROFL: