Jump to content

Bi-wiring w/DD ready Receiver


Dman155

Recommended Posts

I am looking to buying some RF-3's or acoustic research AR-9's (any opinions?) which both have biwire capability. If I get a receiver w/5.1 inputs (DD ready), can I use say, the front left and rear left channels to power one speaker?

What I mean is, I'd take each channel from the source and split it. Then I'd plug one left channel into the left front input, and the other left channel into the rear left input. Then, I'd connect the front left output to one set of posts on the left speaker, and the rear left output to the other set of binding posts. Then I'd do the same for the right. Would this work?

I guess this would actually qualify as bi-amping right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You wouldn't get much out of the termianls from the rear outs.Bass from the surrounds wouldn't be much at all.And probably sound like "crap".IMHO

Bi-wire them from the front speaker outs running dual speaker wires from each front speaker out.Or if you have A and B front speaker outs run the tweet/mids from A and the bass from B.

Or not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not knowing what receiver you have, I think Steve is saying it will sound like crap because the front amp/channel and rear amp/channel will receive a different signal. The rear channel will receive signals that are totally different than the fronts. Even using the different surround modes that most receivers have will not enable you to get the same signal to the front and back channels. I don't know if it would have the same effect in a 5-D Surround mode, but I think you would get a much better sound if you were to use the A and B outputs like Steve suggested because the signal will be the same to both of those channels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By 5.1 inputs, I mean receivers with a front right/left, rear right/left, center, and subwoofer input, designed to be used with an external decoder. When a source is connected to one or any of these inputs, the signal is sent to the amplifier section, without getting processed.

If I have two channels, I connect one to the front right and one to the front left input on the receiver. Then, I would select the 5.1 channel input (just like I would select a CD player or dvd player as a source). Then, the amp would power the front right and left channels.

Now if you understand what I said, it follows that I could split the source signal (for a grand total of 4 signals, 2 each of right and left), and use 4 of the 6 inputs, and 4 of the 5 amplifier channels.

Now I think I know what I'm talking about, but if I have the 5.1 channel input thing messed up, let me know. FYI, the receiver I'm looking at is a JVC RX8000.

Also, I know how to biwire, the whole point of this is to bi-amp the speaker. Both the RF-3's and the AR-9's handle a lot of power, but most receivers make a 100 wpc. If I can use 4 of the channels, thats 200 watts per speaker.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What JTYoung said is what I meant.Wasn't implying that the receiver was crappy.

I should have asked for more info.

Yes you could do that I guess,if you were feeding the FL and RL with the left out-put of a CD player and the same with the right.

Is that what you are talking about?

One thing to remember is that a 5 channel receiver will not drive all channels at the same time with the same amount of power.

In all the reviews I've read on most 100 X 5 receivers,the power was checked with only 2 channels driven,power rating drops when all channels are driven.

Nov.2000 Sound and Vision has the JVC RX-8000V clipping on one channel driven at 100 watts,5 channels driven it clipped at 68 watts.

In Ht use it is rare for all 5 channels to need all the power out,the three fronts probably try hard in most movies.The center gets the majority of the power most of the time.

Driving 4 channels with almost the same signal will most likely tax even the best($3,000+)receivers.

The B&K AVR-307(150X7)clipped into one channel at 181 and all five it clipped at 138.This is a $3500 receivers.

Marantz SR-14EX($4700 140X5)did better at one,202 and at 5 144.It did what the manufacturer said it would do.

What you want to do will work,but not at the power you would like to have.

This is just my opinion,not meant to irritate anyone.

I bi-wired my L&R and Center and use my external amps A&B speaker outs so the amps see a 4ohm load,300 watts rms instead of 200 watts rms.

Now the same review shows the power out of the JVC RX-8000V(in stereo) clipping at 128 into 8 ohms and 192 into 4 ohms.Thats 56 biggrin.gif more watts and less chance to drive one or more channels into clipping,most likely the channels driving the bass section of the speakers.

So using 2 channel stereo with your speakers and using the A speaker out for the mids/highs and the B for the bass would yield more usable power to the speakers.The JVC has A & Bspeaker outs for the mains.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dman, I think the question you need to answer first is which speakers are you going to buy. The AR-9's have a sensitivity rating of only 92 dbs compared to the RF-3's 98 dbs. To arrive at the same volume you will need a lot more power with the AR-9's. A very loud 113 dbs with the AR-9's would require 128 watts and the RF-3's would require 32 watts. There are obviously other varibles, but if you assume all else equal this should give you a rough idea as to whether or not you need to bi-amp the RF-3's as compared to just bi-wiring them. Typically most audiophiles that bi-amp are doing it to use external crossovers not to extend more amplification. Of coarse this is just my opinion from past observations. If space is not a problem I would go with the RF-3's and a KSW-12. I would take a look at a high current receiver rather than a high wattage unit. The Harmon Kardons and Denons both have nice amperage available to the speakers. Current can be as important as wattage. I have three receivers, 2 HK's and 1 Denon. My 13 year-old Harmon Kardon will amaze you with its 45 watt sound when hooked up to the RF-3's. That little old baby has 25 amp's of current available. It sounds just as good as my Denon AVR2500. My main unit is a HK AVR7000 with a monsterous 75 amps of current. I would check out the JVC's current ratings; if your speakers run out of current they won't be able to get the needed power and the amp will start clipping. Again this is just my two cents worth.

Happy listening and enjoy!!!

JT

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...