Questions for Bi-wire or Bi-Amp

[GDUB]

I am a new guy to the site and would like to know or hear some reccomendations on getting the best possible sound from My ML Re-Quest speakers.

I am looking to spend between 2k-4k on a new amp/amps set up for the two main front speakers. Is Bi-amping the speakers the best, or is it a marginal gain over bi-wiring. Also, do you use one amp (assuming two channel) for the bottom drivers left and right, and one for the panels leftg and right?

Looking for some direction here...i know, i know, I'm green and we do not have much in the way of a professional audio store in Tulsa to get advice....at leasat that i know of.

Thanks,

Greg

 

[Pcar928fan]

GDUD,

Welcome to the family. It is a nice friendly family. I like your pic! Is that you or are you just into motorcycle road racing? I tried that once...ended up riding moto-X instead and broke my back doing that...no I race Porsche's.

Anyway, on to your question. I don't know the real answer but logic dictates that bi-wiring is a marginal improvement over single wiring, but Bi-amping can have HUGE benefits if done correctly.

I too am new here, so I look forward to seeing what others think.

All the best and lets see some more pics!
:guitar:

I am a new guy to the site and would like to know or hear some reccomendations on getting the best possible sound from My ML Re-Quest speakers.

I am looking to spend between 2k-4k on a new amp/amps set up for the two main front speakers. Is Bi-amping the speakers the best, or is it a marginal gain over bi-wiring. Also, do you use one amp (assuming two channel) for the bottom drivers left and right, and one for the panels leftg and right?

Looking for some direction here...i know, i know, I'm green and we do not have much in the way of a professional audio store in Tulsa to get advice....at leasat that i know of.

Thanks,

Greg

 

[attyonline]

Passive biamping is rarely a major step forward. Get a better amp for better sound.

 

[fubar1764]

I agree with both of the comments above. Bi-wiring isn't nearly as significant as bi-amping. But if you have a good amp, that would be best.

IMO, the best time to bi-amp is when you want a separate amp to power your LF. Because those woofers move a lot of air and quickly, they take up a lot more power, especially the electrostats.

Also IMO, if you're looking for a more inexpensive solution for LF, consider getting a couple of powered subs. Subs are ideally located next to walls or corners in order to increase their efficiency. Unfortunately, what's good for woofers is terrible for everything else. By splitting up the LF and everything else, you can get your imaging and crisp sound while still having the bass foundation. Keep in mind that LF is not directional so your ears really will measure it as foundation!

Good luck!

 

[jfm]

And you have come to the right place Greg. Welcome!

You'll find many opinions on biamping on the Net, but most of them are about cone speakers. With a hybrid ESL, there are additional considerations, all of them good in theory...and good in practice too, in my experience. I am going to quote a friend whose knowledge far exceeds mine...

"The idea of biamping is to separate the ES panel and woofer, and present the driving amplifiers with a less complicated load.

The panel part is a very reactive (highly capacitive) load, it is actually like a big capacitor. So it presents the amp a high impedance at low frequencies and very low impedance at high frequencies. The power is not dissipated by the panel but stored, and sometimes sent back to the amplfier; so less stable designs could oscillate.

This is the opposite of the woofer which is mostly resistive and inductive in nature. The power is dissipated as heat in the voice coils and big woofers with thick coils tend to be very power hungry and requires lots of current to move. The ES panel, on the other hand, requires large voltages and little current (which is why tube amps which are high voltage devices are very suitable for the job).

As you may have already guessed, many amplifiers are confused by the load presented by the combination of woofer and ES panel which is why hybrid speakers tend to sound disastrously undynamic even with some high power amplifiers.

With a hybrid ESL speaker, biamping is the way to go."

 

[GDUB]

Thanks guys. Yep, that's me racing at Texas world speedway in College Station TX. Anybody reccomend two amps or one in my price range for bi amping? Sounds like i should stay away from bi -wiring....not much of an advantage there.

-Greg

 

[wink]

Thanks guys. Yep, that's me racing at Texas world speedway in College Station TX. Anybody reccomend two amps or one in my price range for bi amping? Sounds like i should stay away from bi -wiring....not much of an advantage there.

-Greg

Welcome to the site Greg,

I've owned a pair of ReQuests for a little over eight years now. I've tried every possible amp connection with them and I have always gone back to bi-amping them. Single wire or bi-wire, the panel just seems to struggle when power is needed the most, especially reproduction of the high notes when the ohm load really drops and stable power is needed.

Been out here to race in Phoenix yet? Or was that just a track day? I need to get in a track day this spring, nothing like it! For now I just keep to the local twisties in the northern mountains above Phoenix.

Stay safe out there,

Dan

Here's a pic of my toy.....

 

[Pcar928fan]

Dan,

Love your toy! One of these days someone is going to make a set up like this guy out in CA and this guy in Austrailia did that allows those of us in wheelchairs to get back on bikes and when they do I am getting a 'busa! Maybe a ZX14...na I like the Busa better!

Remember ride like you are invisible! Assume NO ONE can see you and you are riding almost carefully enough!

Been out here to race in Phoenix yet? Or was that just a track day? I need to get in a track day this spring, nothing like it! For now I just keep to the local twisties in the northern mountains above Phoenix.

Stay safe out there,

Dan

Here's a pic of my toy.....

 

[wink]

Thanks James,
I try to stay out of the traffic as much as possible and go where the air is clean and the roads are clear(mountain twisties:rocker I like the zx-14 but just can't seem to get comfortable in the seat.....I bought the Busa new 4 years ago and I wouldn't own anything different, well except maybe a 2007 GSXR 1000. It's just the 6' 2" 225lb frame of mine makes it tough to get comfortable in that seat too.

Dan