Bi-amping

[Freddie]

What is your opinion on Bi-amping using Electronic Crossovers?
Do you think it's worth to give it a try?
I do see that there some advantages... But there are also more parts along with the signal.
Rod Elliott seems to be a fan of bi-amping, and he has a quite nice "24 dB/Octave Linkwitz-Riley Electronic Crossover" on his webpage, perhaps it is worth giving it try.
http://sound.westhost.com/project09.htm

/Freddie

[GRollins]

This comes up often enough that it's a good candidate for any FAQ that we might eventually have.
I'm for it.
(Actually, I'm quad-amped...does mean I'm bi-bi-amped?)

Grey

[Won]

...perhaps it ought to be this link:

http://sound.westhost.com/bi-amp.htm

A digest version might be nice. Perhaps there should be FAQs for all sorts of different topics. Perhaps a glossary, too...newbie guide...wishful thinking...

-Won

PS oh, to answer the question: it can make your system better by bypassing the evils of a passive crossover, but it's obviously more complex because you need an active crossover and additional amplifiers...

[Freddie]

I think I should give it try!
But this means that I have to build one more amplifier, now when my Aleph is almost finished.

/Freddie

[Won]

Build a SoZ for the tweeters! And bug Nelson pass for his fet-based active crossovers!

-Won

[diyman]

I'm actually thinking of going tri-amping by totally getting rid of the passive crossover and building an electronic crossover into the pre-amp. I think there should be an improvement in sound without the losses of inductors and capacitors in the passive xovers. Anybody tried that? Does getting rid of the passive crossover change the original character of the speaker sound?

ckt

[Freddie]

What configuration should the electronic crossover use?
I did a little searching, and there are tons of different configurations..
Linkwitz-Riley, Bessel, Butterworth, Sallen-Key...

I guess Rod's 24dB/Octave Linkwitz-Riley filter is good. If I just replace the OP-amps with a simple FET follower.

Suggestions?

/Freddie

[diyman]

Freddie,

I was thinking of the phase coherent Linkwitz-Riley in the Elektor Magazine. It comes with the PCB layout as well.

ckt

[Freddie]

Rod Elliot's crossover is phase coherent too.
He also sells PCB for it quite cheap.
http://sound.westhost.com/project09.htm

The reason, that I don't buy the PCB is because it uses OP-amps.

The Elektor design you were talking about, does it use OP-amps?

/Freddie

[diyman]

Freddie,

It does. It can use NE5532s, LF353s etc. BTW, if you come across any units that uses discrete devices, pls let me know. I would definitely be interested to explore as well.

ckt