Bi-amping vs Bi-wiring: What's the Difference and is it Audible?

www.audioholics.com - Bi-amping vs Bi-wiring: What's the Difference and is it Audible?. Gene and Hugo discuss the difference between bi-amping and bi-wiring and whether you can hear a difference or not.
In a conventional wiring arrangement, a length of 2 conductor cable is run from the positive and negative terminals of an amplifier to the corresponding terminals on the rear of a loudspeaker. When a speaker has the ability to be bi-wired or bi-amped it has two pairs of terminals, and jumper straps are used to establish an electrical connection between the two pairs.
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[@JadeB628]

Listening to Gene always amazes me, his knowledge of audio is beyond anything I've ever heard. Thank you Gene even though this video is 8 years old. (still useful)

[@xXDimiXx]

I'm glad Lou Ferigno finally found a new job.....

[@alejandrocasas1455]

hahaha

[@mustism]

Just dont get him angry and all is well

[@xXDimiXx]

mustis M 😁

[@johnsmith-pu2zg]

What about when bi amping with a reciever? There is a difference in power handling between the high mid drivers and the low driver. what do you do about that situation? I'm having troubles finding this information through cerwin vega which is my speaker brand. I don't want to damage my hf and mid drivers with too much power. 2 cerwin vega xls 215 pioneer 1523-k reciever planning to bi amp like I did with my old setup.

[@c0uchsl0uch]

john smith I also have the xls215's. I would. Bi amp off of a solid 140 wpc receiver

[@Cowclops]

Oh man, i just got through the video. I love that you guys looped the outputs back into itself on the 5803 - I did exactly this with a 2803 (not as high end but the same model year/same exact process). I built my own active crossover tailored to 70s large advents (similar to powered advents which I also have a pair of) and used 4 of the amp channels on that denon the same way you did. The crossover i built also had a built in linkwitz transform to add some gain down low for flatter frequency response (didn't have much problem with the extra power at low frequencies because it didn't need much gain to extend the -3 point down to about 25hz). The final evolution of the system was that crossover, and a Bryston 4B and a Bryston 2B in a horizontal biamping config, so I had about 100WPC into the tweeters and 400WPC into the woofers, with a stacked large advent setup. It was pretty kickass but thats a lot of speaker real estate, complicated wiring/power up procedure, and ultimately not enough output at 20-30hz to handle movies with that much gain and no additional sub. Pretty amazing quality for music though with the stacked set up. Since switched to Mackie hr824s and an HSU ULS-15 sub for my main audio system - that still gives me biamping and the ULS-15 is much more suited to very low frequency output than the four advent woofers. Plus the tweeter is absolutely better on the Mackies.

[@quitmanlott7394]

A common connection will not have an impedance difference. You will only see an impedance difference if you run the wires to separate channels. Think about it!!!! But you did a better job of covering this subject than most of the other videos I've seen.

[@Audioholics]

We are talking about biwiring which uses the same amp to power each speaker. The connection point on the amp side is common for single wire vs biwire.

[@elongatuspiranha]

I honestly enjoy these older videos with Hugo more than your newer live vids.

[@Audioholics]

Yea me too. The good ole days :/

[@edbrumbaugh9202]

Great video, as always. I know this is an older video, but I keep coming back to it to copy the link to answer questions people still ask on the forums and on some of the FB groups I belong to. Appreciate the great explanations!!

[@GeorgeKyriacouGtr]

Thanks! You just saved me a lot of money, heartache, and headaches :)

[@russmaleartist]

I recently did turn my classic Dahlquist DQ10s into an active system using four amps and an electronic crossover. The results were outstanding in clarity, detail, control, bass . . . pretty much everything. It was an undaunting task . . . but also I knew that if I succeeded, my time and efforts would be greatly rewarded . . . and they were! I would only recommend this to someone, who totally understands crossovers, an active system, and has the courage to dive into this genre. I really do hear things in the recordings that I did not before, and the sound quality is only limited by your own ears. I say this because once your room characteristics are corrected, the customization of the sound is totally up to you, which is a very nice feature. In my system, the electronic crossover is hooked into the router of my internet; therefore, I am able to control my laptop wirelessly, while sitting in the sweet spot adjusting all the features in live time. SWEET!

[@Maravalmusic]

For the first time I've understood bi-amp and bi-wiring concepts. Thanks for the great educational video!

[@AndurilNarsil1]

Cool video. I think what you mentioned near the end of the video is the way to go... which is to use a dedicated mono block amp for each left and right speakers. Or in my case a 3 channel amp separate for just the front 3 channels.. I have my speakers biwired currently.

[@donalddeorio2237]

I had a pair of Dahlquist DQ20i and I had a Carver AVR 100 receiver 150 watts a channel and an Adcom GFA5500 at 200 watts a channel used the Adcom for the bass and the Carver for the mid and high frequency. They sounded amazing, wish I still had those speakers. Good video Gene

[@trexx32]

Thank you so much my buddy bi wired his speaker and told the world how much of a difference it makes

[@asthecrowflies1201]

Looks like they swapped shirts.

[@Half_Finis]

also sounds like someone is masturbating in the background, heavy breathing

[@thegrimyeaper]

Pretty good show, isn't it?

[@ravington666]

Lol !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Turtleback8024]

😂

[@kohnfutner9637]

Not only that, but their wire is larger than their speakers. 🙄

[@willbrink]

Honest talk in audio, nice to see. So much nonsense in audio. I know Hugo from other endeavors and had no idea he was into audio. Cool.

[@justchilling9442]

Thanks guy's, fairly new to this and you have saved me a load of money

[@kristibbitts3286]

I did an active tri-amp on my klipsch forte II's. Took a little modification, but holy smokes! Just amazing. You have no idea until you have heard something like that. I can not believe that there is not more custom active speaker systems.

[@middle_pickup]

You guys are so funny. Enjoying the videos. Good information. Thanks a lot!

[@itawad]

Thanks for clarifying this, I'll stick with the current one wire per speaker!

[@wolfmanjacksaid]

Love this video. I am now bi-amping (horizontal, passive) my new Klipsch RP-6000F II towers for my front channels using my Demon AVR's pre-outs and some audioquest RCA splitters and the sound is amazing. I'm using 2 very similar external stereo amps but the one with higher power is connected to the low freq network of course. The AVR itself is powering center, surrounds, back surrounds and height channels for my 7.1.4 home theater. Eventually I'd like to pre-out my center channel and power it externally but there's always more to do...

[@crashedcorvette]

You are always great to listen to. Thanks for the videos

[@jasonwalsh9211]

Thanks for the video and much truth spoken 👍🏻. One thing I would mention is the jumpers or links on bi-wire speakers do in many case come supplied with gold plated metal plates or bars.... I've found it better where possible to replace these with jumpers made from the same cable as that run from the amp.

[@fgroen1225]

Active tri-amping my DIY speakers (Eton 12" woofer, Accuton C2-90 midrange and Accuton C2-30 tweeter) here with a Classé CAV-150 (6 channel HT power amp) and a DEQX DSP based cross over and room correction preamp. Amazing results. It stopped my search for the holy grail. Now working on an additional subwoofer (Precision devices PD2150) with it's own DSP to see if a proper bass extension could bring more spatiality in the stereo imaging. One point of feedback on passive bi-amping: the video collapses two different situations. One is the situation that you remove the jumpers from the dual binding posts of existing speakers, and the other situation is the integration of bass systems (subwoofers) to existing speakers. In case of situation one, I would say that bi-amping is a waste of money. It may yield some advantages, but these will not be justified by the investment. E.g. the amp for the highs is still dealing with the voltage swings of the LF signal. Also the passive filters with all their disadvantages are still in use. In case of a set up from scratch they also need to be payed. It's like putting a bigger engine in your car and leave the handbrake on. As said in the video (and I concur) a good passive filter is very costly and very hard to design. On top of the marginal gains, the additional complexity of the resulting system will also introduce new issues due to the fact that no two amps are exactly the same. In case of situation two, big advantages are to be gotten. Integrating a passive subwoofer (as far as they exist) is nearly impossible to pull of successfully. Here, acitve amplification and active filtering for the subwoofer is the way to go. Hence the big offering of such subwoofers on the marketplace. Just my 20 cents.

[@dixielandfarm]

Another great video, guys!

[@2WhiteAndNerdy]

Great info! Glad you guys brought this up, as the whole Bi-wiring/amping issue has been on my mind a lot lately as I start to venture into better audio. Would be fun to experiment with, though! Fantastic video as always. Appreciate your BS-Free approach to things. :)

[@Thejoyofdriving1]

Thanks for doing this guys! I've always wondered. As always, thanks for the no BS education.

[@Crazytownmetal6]

You can hear the difference dude, they're full of shit the music is most definitely more clear

[@robertcudny1839]

@@Crazytownmetal6 experimented with bi-wiring, did not hear any difference, switched back to single wire.

[@danielseguin913]

Thanks for the helpful information!

[@hifijunkie2570]

You can also use a higher power amp on the lows to get more bass. Also, some amplifiers have dual outputs for connecting your speakers with bi-wired cables with a “series/parallel” switch.

[@user-ly8mk6mw5z]

Please check, how these "dual outputs" are connected under a cover... ;-)

[@titanxsand2153]

Thats what I do. Marantz 2 channel receiver runs the mids and highs Crown amp runs the lows sounds fantastic.

[@nishanthdsouza2763]

Great article guys. Thanks

[@theladubfovi909]

Having recently tried biwiring my BnW speakers (which I WAS very skeptical about!), I was amazed at how the sound was transformed by orders of magnitude. I heard vocals that I’d never noticed previously. The proof is in the listening! Maybe it’s manufacturer- or product/ setup dependent. But with my (SINGLE-amp!) gear, it worked.

[@chacha4119]

Hi. I recently did the same and noticed a difference. Heard things never heard before. Posted a comment on another video and got rubbished as they refused to believe that it makes a difference. I like the increased musical listening.

[@h3h3umm]

Informative as always

[@lensauer5845]

Thanks for all your great advice over the years. Part 1: Your comments on active crossovers got me thinking. I have 'biampable' Paradigm Studio 100's v5 LRC, 4 Crown 200W/Ch pro amps that can be bridged to 400W, run by Pioneer Elite SC-77 (supports biamping). Remaining speaker pairs are F Height, Side and Rear Surrounds in a dedicated theater room. Currently running LRC on the bridged amps (no bi-amp), FH on the other crown run stereo and the side/rear are from the receiver. I use the 77's room correction and the THX cinema setting. Also have 2 subs on the front wall in between the LRC. The SC-77 supports biamping LRC but only 5.1. Is it worthwhile adding active crossover between the receiver and the Crowns for the LRC's? Any recommendation on which units to buy? Part 2: Will you be testing the new Hsu and SVS subs soon? Thanks for your help!

[@howardskeivys4184]

A few years ago I upgraded to a pair of substantial floorstanders. Each cabinet contains 3 200mm low frequency drivers, 1 165mm mid range driver and a 25mm tweeter.organised in a 3-way configuration. I drive them with a pair of 300w monoblocks. To my personal taste, I felt the mid range would benefit from a little more body and the top end, more presence. For some time I’ve contemplated passive bi-wiring. Everyone I discussed this with told me it was a bad idea, they said active bi-amping was a better option and I can see the logic in their advice. But, as you pointed out, active bi-amping is a complex undertaking. So, I went down the passive route. I purchased a stereo power amp reputed for it’s detail retrieval whilst maintaining good tonal density. In the sane price bracket as my monoblocks vut not quite as powerful. Installation was a breeze, as my preamp has 2 sets of XLR outputs, powered simultaneously. The monoblocks and power amp had the same DB gain. I used identical speaker cable and identical cable lengths for both. I have the monoblocks powering the 6 200mm low frequency drivers and the power amp powering the mid and high frequency drivers. I really didn’t know what to expect. Well now the mid range is fuller, with far more detail. The highs are slightly more forward and airy. Applause sounds like applause, not like rain on a tin roof. Symbols sound like symbols, not like spoons. That maybe a slight exaggeration, but you get the picture. The bass is tight. Is well textured and defined, it carrie’s far more heft. So much so, that I have had to turn the gain down on my active subs! My normal listening level is around 79db, because I have neighbours. At this volume the audio reproduction is relaxed, effortless and transparent. The results are worth the effort. I have spent just under £11000 on amplification. The preamp, monoblocks and power amp. The question has to be, had I spent &11000 on a single higher end amp, would the benefits be greater?

[@albert0118]

Great video. I use bi-amping on my Sony DA-3400ES with my Infinity Reference 60s. They sound great.

[@SJMessinwithBoats]

So glad to hear about biamping. Looks like mainstream? Sanyo made biamp speakers and amp for car audio starting in late 70's. I quad amp now for the very least.

[@Chiroman527]

You made a interesting comment early on. I have paralleled 2 pairs of Bookshelf Speakers connected to my Denon DRA-800H Receiver connected to the A or B speaker connection. Both pairs are 8 ohms : 1 pair Elac Reference 6.2s and 1 pair of Fluances Signature Series Bookshelf speakers. They "play" very nicely together , filling my finished basement "Studio" created in the COVID Hibernation. I then added another pair of Bookshelf speakers to the A connection , playing in the front of the room. Another pair of Elac Debut 6.2s (also 8 ohms). Per advice from on line Audiophile Blogs, I stopped that after the Denon Receiver shut down (for Overheating and circuitry overload protection). I have since added another Integrated IOTA SA3 unit running with an Emotiva A-300 Amp. Leaving the paralleled speakers on the Denon , but connecting the other Elacs to the IOTA unit. I have now added yet another pair of Bookshelf speakers : Emotiva B1+s. They are connected to the Emotiva A-300. No problems with getting too warm or overload. When I run this setup , playing with the loudness controls between the 2 configurations, I am able to achieve a Concert Hall Sound. I know this is Anti-Audiophile way of doing things, but Hell I'm 69 YO , retired, and love My Music to listen to and play my renewed passion of drums (after a 50 year Hiatus ). Please comment accordingly. I appreciate all comments. FYI. I had the Elac Debuts and the Fluances (purchased in mid 2020), purchased the Elac References in December 2020, and now the Emotiva's just a couple of weeks ago. I am tempted with Trading the B1+s for T1+ (floor standing 3 way speakers ).

[@Cowclops]

I'm disappointed that this video has more downvotes than a charlatan's video (which was posted more recently, but has a similar number of upvotes too). Truth loses, salesmanship wins. Keep it up with these accurate videos.

[@plumberman19]

That's because truth is boring, and fiction is fun! Lol

[@derekselden3950]

Another great article guys, thanks. You mentioned something about under powered bi-amp receivers. Could you give us some guidance on what to look for when buying one? Cheers

[@franklandgraff1190]

I have a vintage Rotel RX-855 Receiver and a Rotel RB-850 Amplifier that I Bi-amp in mono(one amp to each speaker) with one set of posts on each speaker. This set up was designed this way and love it! They originally are 50wpc seperately and around 150wpc together.

[@lornelamoureux9500]

Best there are! KZbin videos are as cool as the internet. Interernet was made for you tube! Bless yous!

[@alfredtolentino8614]

Hi guys. Nice video. I have a question about bi-amping. Do I need to use Y-cables to split the signal to each amp? If so, any signal/quality loss by splitting the signal?

[@hansgilgen5016]

Excellent guys!!! Thanks so much!!!!

[@chadisrc]

I have a Marantz NR1604, which is Bi-Amp capable. I had some extra wire so I thought I would give it a try. I can honestly say I don't really hear any difference. Great video as always by the way.

[@kwengca]

Will I run into latency issues when bi-amping if using different model amplifiers for my lows and highs? I'm looking to do an active bi-amp setup using a minidsp to provide the line level outputs low and high amplifier setups. Thanks!

[@francoislefebvre9583]

Great comments, I learned something there, Thanks

[@vaggelisioannidis4636]

Hello,I would like to ask you: I have the cerwin vega xls 15 speakers & I power them with the Vincent sv 237 mk integrated amplifier. Can I use a power amplifier to bi-amp them(vincent manages the hf and the power amp manages the lf)? Are there any benefits for stereo use and would you suggest me doing this? Thank you in advance.

[@7dreams1935]

By the way, I enjoy your videos and think they are spot on. I am glad to see someone in the field dispel the snake oil claims and use common sense in reporting on our passion for audio excellence.

[@tictac9754]

Hi there, I have a brand new klipsch reference that comes with bi-wire. I also have 16 AWG 6 feet cable. Per your video, are you saying connecting that 1 cable to the high or low part of the speaker should work just fine? no need to buy a new set of bi-wire cable? Thanks in advance...

[@kef103]

Interesting video . I have a pair of canton ergo 900 dc . Would they benefit from bi amping? I know canton makes the RCL-A which is similar but is partially active having a built in amp for the woofers.

[@Deanzsyclone]

updating to Atmos yamaha amp very soon... doing the presence speakers on the ceiling and everything I seem to be reading I get the impression I need another amp to push the setup, to all of my Energy speakers. Does that sound right??

[@reddevil000777]

Great video Guys. Awesome stuff. Was planning on doing bi wiring on my Monitor Audio Reference Front Towers but don't really care about the Oooooo Aliens. More of a guy who loves his audio sound. Great videos guys learning so much watching your videos.

[@MrBriansprogo]

Hi. Thank you for a good explanation and good illustrations. I have a question for you. I've got an old Denon avr-8308 and want to go 2 channels with a sub with it. I am not able to have big speakers right now. I've got 2 Argon 6220 with possibility to go biamping. It's a powerful receiver but small speakers. Do you think the sound will get better by biamping? Thank you. Brian from Sweden

[@SHUTDOORproduction]

Man is it a breath of fresh air to see an audio related channel both not trying to sell something and also not spreading what can only be called "audiophile science"

[@drbarney1000]

I had a bi-amp system that had the 6SN7 driving two 245 triodes, one triode for both the tweeter and mid-range and the other for woofer. The bass was weak so I decided to build a "no balls no glory" 833-A SET for the woofers. The first thing I did was wire the tweeter to one 245 and the other to the mid-range which sounded much clearer that I had ever heard. I got the woofers in phase with the mid-range by trying reversing the polarity on the input transformer (Hammond 126B driven by a 245) and I put a volume control on it to keep the 833-As from being louder than the mid-range. The 833-A seems to have made my subwoofers unnecessary at least for music. All the low frequency energy that I hear in a concert hall is now in my listening room. The 833-A is not that difficult a circuit to build. Run it at 1000 Volts on the plate through a Hammond 1642 output transformer and filter the DC it takes to heat the cathodes with automotive digital 4.5 Farad capacitors that must be pre-charged before you shoot the power to heat the 10 Amp 10 Volt cathodes, a 10 Volt 20 Amp transformer, a bridge rectifier rated at 25 Amps, a 0.1 Ohm wire-wound dropping resistor rated at 75 watts (which only cost pocket change more than 15 Watts and will not be so damn hot when it runs) a 20 Amp fuse, and a relay that disconnects the 833-A cathode when the system is shut off. When it is shut off, keep the capacitors charged with a cheap 9 volt DC converter through 100 Ohms. By the way, I have been using your prioritization bodybuilding program and it is excelsior that you also tinker with sound systems.

[@TheOzthewiz]

I have a "horizontal" bi-amp set-up using a Hafler XL-280 for the top end and a Phase Linear DRS-900 for the bottom with a POLK AUDIO SRS-SDA system. I use the passive cross-overs (which Polk recommends). I have tried an active SAE crossover without bypassing the internal passive network in an attempt to add more dynamic range to my amps. I found that doing this messes with the "inter-aural cross-talk cancellation" feature of the system because of the inevitable phase-shift of the active cross-over, even if the cross-over is set to roll-off the frequency extremes (easily seen on the scope). I do find however, that bi-amping does increase the dynamic range slightly. As a side note, anybody who has these type of speakers that are inter-connected because of the SDA, SHOULD NOT bi-amp in the vertical mode (common ground amps are needed) unless you have a special transformer inter-connect cable made by Polk. If you do not observe this caution, you WILL HAVE A BAD DAY! CHEERS!

[@matty74123]

My Luxman 507u has A,B speakers, The L-507u page on the On a Higher Note website states “Takasina capacitors are used to parallel the output which permits bi-wiring a single pair of speakers.” my Kef R300 are bi wireable, in this case would there be any benefit of bi-wiring in this case? I'm using QED evolution XT speaker cable, so I'd have to fine some more of that to try it, and is it better to use spades at the amp side?

[@oyajikun]

Good stuff, thank you.

[@greenguitar4635]

Thank you for making these videos. I have found them very educational. While I agree with most points you made I have had different experiences. I have found that bi-wiring is an audible improvement in my system. I have a Vandersteen speakers and an Emotiva XPA-2 amp. I think one plausible theory as to why I was able to hear a difference is that the load across the mid/treble wires is much less than the bass wires which may lead to less distortion across the mid/treble wires. In regards to bi-amping though an AVR, I was not able to hear any benefit in my system. I think that unless your AVR has discrete amplifiers with separate transformers per channel you are just pulling power from the same power source effectively just bi-wiring your speakers. Thanks again for the videos and all of your hard work!

[@Audioholics]

Green Guitar That's great that you prefer biwiring however the "load' across the cables in insignificantly difference for single vs bi-wiring. Most AVR's do have discrete amplification but their power supplies typically aren't as robust as your Emotiva amp.

[@Rancher936]

Hey Guys great video, I have a pair of polk cti3 bookshelf speakers as fronts for my ht. i noticed they are capable of bi amping and also noticed my denon x2000 only supports minimum 6 ohms per channel would biamping be suitable here so that i dont fry my amp. thanks

[@gorillapancake]

What if your amp has 2 sets of (A+B) speaker outputs? Will there be an improvement if you bi-wire using those separate connections to each speaker?

[@DvjLuna]

Bi-amplification is a common practice in setting up most professional sound systems. There are even systems where the different speakers used require 3 or more amps to run such speaker boxes. It is not uncommon to see professional rigs run a 4 way, 5 way or as much as 6 way crossover systems to channel the right signal to the various different types of speaker drivers. Me personally I do not see an advantage to bi-wire a speaker but bi-amping a speaker has many advantages especially with systems consisting active crossover networks at the line level side of the amps.

[@ryanray6215]

Can I ask you , if I can connect two different amplifiers to a one pair of speakers ? I would like to use one 5.2 amplifier for home theater and the other stereo amp . for just listening to the music . I got only 2 tower speakers . Of course only one amp will be turned on at the time .

[@skipklauber1162]

I continue to find these videos helpful. Many thanks on both of these subjects, esp. the myth of bi-wiring which seems to have no basis in science.

[@justthebeginning1448]

Just because you can measure it doesn't mean you can here it. The truth has been spoken.

[@MusicPancho]

awesome video

[@scottyhankemeier9380]

I have a Yamaha RX-A3030 Receiver, and JBL studio L series speakers in my 5.1 home theater setup. The speakers/receiver have bi-amp/wiring capability. I just Bi-amped the front R and L channels. I was disappointed that the receiver did not have bi-amp capability for the center channel. So I used good 14awg cable for the tweeter wiring and 12awg for the lows. I thought that I read somewher detail/brightness can be lost if using too large awg cable. The center channel I just bi-wired. I wanted All 3 front channels bi-amped but no option on the receiver. Is there a way I can bi-amp my center channel with this receiver w/ out buying an external amplifier. If I do buy an external amplifier would the Yamaha A-S501 best match the factory amplifiers in my RX-A3030 or is there a better option? Thanks for any advice.

[@charlesjacques750]

Just purchased a vintage pair of cornwalls with Crites crossovers for a 2 channel short run new system for (digital) jazz music. What SS or tube amp do you suggest? Have a Newforce 200 that's 80 wpc and a Darkvoice tube or Aune SS headphone amp that could function as preamps.

[@esetlam]

Hi there, Would It Be A Dumb Idea If I Used Speakers A For The Highs And Speakers B For The Lows and both A & B pressed on? I have a Yamaha RX 1130 and Wharfedale 8.4. Thanks..

[@SuperBoris1976]

Hey guys looking at a set of mission speakers , the front are bi'wired, problem is my theatre system just has the normal single with 2 wires(standard wire) can I get around this? I have the bdv lz1000w (sony) I'm using it as a 7.1 and want to try some floor standers etc. Thanks

[@MegaF1guy]

Good video. would a NAD T785 receiver be a good receiver to bi-amp? it has two tororidal power supply's..

[@Giblet535]

What a coincidence! I added an active crossover to a Denon 5700 to drive some big JBL Pro cabinets. I'll never go back to passive crossovers. Biamping with active crossovers is the short path to Ultimate Smug. On the 5700, the 5803 (yeah, I have one too), and probably others, the pre-amped, intermediate level, input signal for each channel is routed right up there on top of the two output boards. Most of the COTS active crossover designs will work just fine at those signal levels, so it's pretty easy to wire one in (if you know what you're doing!). I used the original Surr-R and Surr-L amps for the JBL's HF horn stacks. The only hard part is finding room for an active crossover board inside a Denon, away from the power transformer. Denon is stingy with space.

[@danielphillips5229]

i got lost halfway through it said different names but the wiring diagrams looked the same. would using two amps increase the power to each driver? i have two inexpensive 50wattx2 amps that i thought about bi-amping into tower speakers but am unsure if its worth it or if i should spend the $$$$$ on a bigger amp.

[@mohamedkamal315]

Thank you for this informative video. Do you recommend Bi-Amping Jamo C109 floor standing speakers with Yamaha Aventage RX-A3050? Any benefits?

[@alialzyoud]

I advise you do it anyway if you have free channels not used. Nothing to lose, if it doesn't make it better it is not going to make it worse

[@David-jr9xs]

Question: if I by amp, use my AVR-6500H for the highs and by mono amplifiers for my lows for my Left, Right and center speakers, what will happen to the low frequencies out of my AVR? Yes, they will get filtered, but I will the lows be convert into heat and still tax my AVR or would the unused current be used for my other speakers as wanted (the surrounds are not getting by amped). Atmos set up. I do notice by AVR gets as hot as before so why not use it for the highs since is it is still getting hot (waisting power) anyways.

[@mayankpatel6943]

Hi I am setting new home theatre I will try bi amp my q acoustic concept 40 will it help I am setting 5.1.2 with Marantz 6013

[@kevinjekyll1521]

I find it funny, this all about audio and how clean it can be, man the background hum is what I would thought you would have picked up on. My vote is for biamp....

[@johngravett4638]

On a similar topic, can I ask your opinion on this. I have 8ohm speakers that with a sensitivity of 90dB, so relatively easy to drive. I’ve had them bi-amped for a long time and I did notice an improvement in the sound when I switched to bi-amping them. They are currently the front L&R speakers in my AV setup. The receiver is a Marantz SR7015, so enough power for them, even with 7other speakers being powered. My question is, if I was to get a stereo power amplifier, for just these front 2 speakers with more power than the Marantz can give to them, would the extra power be beneficial in sound quality over the my current setup, if I am not able to bi-amp them from the dedicated stereo power amplifier? In a nutshell, do you think the current bi-amp setup would be more beneficial to sound quality than single amp setup with more power?

[@arashjahn]

As of today's date, what are some pre/pros that support bi-amping XLR output for the front channels that you can recommend other than the Onkyo 5530?

[@jimmelia2342]

Thanks for the low down on Bi amping,jim

[@alexandermikhailov2481]

Thank you guys for your voice of reason in this age of audio snake oil. If a cable diameter is large enough and it's reasonably short there is no difference between bi-wiring and a single cable. If a thin and long cable has to be used then bi-wiring might help as the wire impedance will affect the bass signal path only leaving the mid-high frequencies unaffected. But then who would use thin long wires for a high current speaker setup except in emergency? I've been using a regular 50 cent per foot 14 ga braided copper wire for ages and my pretty decent setup sounds great. Reliable speaker wire connection is far more important than the bi-wiring for instance, and the very low amp output impedance too.

[@piglet1ification]

Dr Spock was listening intently, I think he was very impressed!

[@guyfroml]

"Mr." Spock to you, Sir.

[@flashtu]

is it true Bi-Amping if i use a single amp like the denon x1200w which can use the FL/FR and SBL/SBR channels for this? but if it is right this will make a 5.1 with biamp only from the 7.1 the amp have?

[@miavonni]

Id like your advice, I have the Paradigm Studio 20 v5 speakers and my receiver is the Marantz sr 7007 ,,, I currently Bi amp, but, I want to know if I can run the surround sound and keep my Bi amp set up??? If I cant, then I am probly going to purchase the Rotel RA-1570 class AB 2 channel integrated amp, set it up in another room with my Paradigms and listen to my hearts content! your thoughts...

[@SIedgeHammer83]

I have a question, a AV receiver lack of power to drive a speaker, but the speakers has bi-wire. AV gives out 100w per channel and speaker recommended 150w to drive it. Does bi-amping helps the AV to drive the speaker?

[@bombayteddy]

Thanks for a very informative video! What was particularly eye-opening was your opinion that bi-wiring does not make a difference, simply because the two "halves" are tied-together at source. However, bi-amping DOES make a huge difference; and is particularly useful in systems (like mine) which dont include a subwoofer. I have used B&W 640i, Wharfedale Diamond 9.6 and (currently) the Quad 25-LClassic, bi-amped, sending LFE to the bass units in the towers, and found I dont really need a sub! You're also right when you say that an amplifier/receiver with a beefy power-supply is required for bi-amping. My old Arcam AVR-300 could manage the difficult-to-drive B&Ws, the mid-priced Denon 2310 could just about take-on the Wharfedales but my current Denon A-1 really rocks the Quads!

[@gunzofthenavarrone8293]

About to run an active electronic crossover by DBX for 3 way towers via 3 separate amplifiers. I was planning on keeping the passive factory crossovers in place but perhaps I should bypass them? thoughts? thanks!

[@MaartenVisser2920]

I didn't see why bi-wiring would work. But this afternoon I had nothing to do, and some speaker-cable left. So just to get rid of them I bi-wired my speakers. Somehow there's a lot of difference in the sound. I didn't expect that. I did a blind test with someone putting the extra wires on and off, and there's no doubt.

[@kenasaoka888]

I was also curious and I just biwired my center speaker Polk706c, I definitely heard the difference!! Hard to explain but the clarity got even better and it feels like the center speaker is more alive. I guess it makes difference after all...

[@YuengsNwings]

@@kenasaoka888 It's likely that you guys are using high-gauge wires (i.e. 16 AWG). If you were using a thicker wire like 12 AWG there would not be any difference. Most high-end speakers do not have 2 sets of binding posts because they assume the owner will also spend a few extra bucks on proper low-resistance cables.

[@DrGonzeaux123]

My amp. (Denon AVR X2000) wasn't up to the task of properly driving my B&W 804's. After setting up the system with bi-amping the sound quality became a noticeably better. IMO it is definitely worth trying if your amp supports it.

[@Squishmallows24]

the receiver i have is a sony str-dn1050 and it has the bi amp feature on it. would it be worth it doing it or not really? im not sure if the receiver is powerful enougn to even make a difference. i use 12 gauge cables and have about 20feet to spare. any help?

[@robinsd4]

What about bi-wiring from A and B channels of the receiver (ex: bass on A and high on B)? Would it make any significant difference?

[@fulesmackofule]

I did the bi-amping, and the sound - even after recalibrating the speakers - was muddy: powerful, but imprecize bass, very harsh highs, mid was not creating any room. One cable is a shorter 2,5mm2 cross surface I used for the highs, the other one is a longer 4mm2 cross surface that I used for the lows. Is it the amp that is crappy, or the cables really have to have the same properties to do bi-amping? Of course, I removed the interconnecting wires between the speaker poles to keep the right impedance. Out of curiousity, I swapped the pairs in between high and low posts, and it didn't really do much difference, I expected hissing or lost sound due to filters of the speaker. Any tip? I have a Pioneer SC-LX88, I used the Top middle for highs, Front for lows as per the manual.

[@GFB280]

I still have a question...I no longer have the gold brackets that came with the speaker to connect LF to HF. Can I just put a small speaker wire into each positive & negative, if I now only have one speaker cable coming from the AVR? Hope I explained this clearly...thks

[@kingkobra1956]

This was a really informative video. It explained what I have always wanted to know about this subject. One question; if you have a sub would it be of any benefit to bi amp the low frequency section of the speaker? Excellent video.

[@XonURhed1970]

I have an pioneer sc-61 Elite amp. My question is this.There is a feature for a-b speaker set-up, I can bi-amp the rear surround channels to the front left and right. Does this increase the watts to 300 watts rms?

[@Prabhu_njd]

Hi guys.. you guys are doing a great job.. i have recently picked up a klipsch rf-7ii for my mains and a klipsch rc-64ii for my center and a pair of klipsch ks-525thx for my surrounds and a pair of klipsch r-112sw using my pioneer sc-lx90 susano to drive them in a 5.2 channel setup... should i bi-amp all my speakers for and all channel bi-amp or just leave them alone...?? Cos i find i have 5 more extra channels that i'm not using in my avr..

[@joshmaier18]

hey guys, I'm in the market for a "new to me" surround receiver. I currently have a Technics Sa-Dx940, I'm looking at the Technics Sa-DA8. what are your opinions? the newer unit looks nicer but is it worth a switch audibly ? I have all Technics HoneyComb drivers.

[@hlt241372]

I'm bi-wiring my Legacy Audio Studio HD's with a pair of Emotiva XPA- 100 mono block amps. Didn't hear a bit of difference, but it looks cool :-p.

[@rays9719]

Guys, I have the Yamaha RX-A3070 receiver. I want to use it for just Audio for awhile with 4 tower speakers. One set are the SVS Ultra's and the other is the Yamaha NS-777's. Both are Bi-Ampable. How do I do this and get the correct sound out of all the speakers, or is it even possible?

[@rsimmonsranman1]

What kind of Power Specs do you consider a Whimpy reciever? 7x120?

[@lawrence09151]

Lol I love how you roast on the DA enabled speakers whenever you can. I have the rp-280f speakers and bought the add on 140sa add ons and I was able to localize it as coming from on top of the tower and most definitely not directly above my head. Low flat reflective ceiling at 8ft w ceiling fan. I returned them. May or more not get ceiling speakers but I don't like how now atmos metadata is starting to only be available on UHD bluray.

[@DDastrup1234]

First off thanks you two, I watch every video you release and find great value with what you have to say. It is interesting how relevant this video is to what I’m working on. 2 weeks ago I sent an email to Bowers and Wilkins asking the question should I bi-amplify my Bowers and Wilkins 805 Diamond speakers? I have yet to hear back and am hoping to gain some guidance from you. I have the Marantz 5009 7.1 receiver and am using the pre-outs for my Emotiva XPA-200 which is currently bi-wired to the speakers. It is a 4.1 system and I am currently not using the extra channels from the receiver. I’m wondering if I would gain any additional fidelity by using the Marantz 5009 channels that are not currently being used. I’m thinking it might not be a good idea to have two different amplifiers running two different power ratings 150= Emotiva 100 = Marantz. Would I get sonic benefit from having another XPA-200 instead or not bother at all? Setup: Currently running 12AWG wire 20ft left channel and 30ft right channel C&E 12AWG CL2 Rated 2-Conductor Loud Speaker Cable I own one SVS SB2000 as the low end and have an 11’ by 19’ open room. Goldenear in wall speakers for the rears and no center channel. I thought for my setup a center channel wasn’t a great idea as the mains are 7’ away from me and I’ve never loved the sound of a center channel and now understand why again thanks to you at Audioholics. I also know that they sound different than the main speakers due to the way they are designed. Any additional advice would be appreciated

[@Audioholics]

The 805's are a small 2-way design. You really don't need to bi-amp them especially since you're running a powered sub and likely bass managing the 805s.