biamp with active x-over

[Fossil]

If it so happens that I were to change to a 2-way spkr without biwire terminals, can I still use the amp which has already split the signals?

[JBL]

I do not really understand your question. I think you want to biamp with one amp. For biamp you need 2 amplifier nad an active crossover. Is this what you ask for?

[Super]

I'm not positive either, but I think his amplifier is set up for bi amping, but the speakers he's looking at only have a single set of terminals.

Fossil, if you used an active crossover before the amplifier, this will have to be removed. If you want to continue using this amplifier, simply don't use one of the sets of binding posts. I don't know of any amps that <b>require</b> you to biamplify with them.

Is this two way speaker you mentioned a DIY project or a commercially available speaker? I'm assuming its a commercially availble speaker. If you're willing to tinker with the crossover a little bit, odds are you can make it bi-wirable.

[Fossil]

Had a long day and din't manage to explain my situation.

I am planning a DIY amp with in-built active crossover and with 4-ch output. This will allow me to have individual amp driving a pair of biwirable 2-way spkrs, right?

However, if my spkr has only 1 pair of terminals, that is, non-biwirable, can I combine the outputs of the LF & HF and plug into the spkr? WIll I kill the amp?

[paulb]

It will cause problems because the two amplifiers will fight one another. Even if it did work, you've defeated the purpose of bi-amping by combining the two channels back together.
Can you take apart the speaker and remove the crossover inside, then wire the speakers individually?

[Fossil]

Thanx!
Suspected it might not work and wanted an opinion becoz I have another pair which in non-biwirable.

Just out of curiosity, for amps with several parallel output devices to boost wattage, how is it that the output trans don't see each other as 'loads'?

[grataku]

fossil
even if the speaker had two pairs of connectors you would still need to rip out the passive xover from the speaker cabinets unless you want to filter twice which would be redundant. You you have three choices: remove the passive xover and add a couple of terminals to the box then do the active xover thing, or modify the passive xover and separate the LF from the HF connections then just do biamp without active xover, or, finally, leave everything as it is.

[paulb]

> Just out of curiosity, for amps with several parallel output devices to boost wattage, how is it that the output trans don't see each other as 'loads'?

The output transistors are driven with the same inputs, and can only pass current in one direction, so they can't see each other as loads. They generally have load-sharing resistors on their outputs, and may even be matched to produce identical outputs.

[carlmart]

There's a third option that few people use and I think is the "cleanest one": use two power amps with a passive filter at both inputs. A low pass and a high pass.

That way you are not adding active circuits in between.

The only problem of this solution is if the amps are low power. You will also have to adjust the levels someway, by ear or using instruments.


Carlos

[Fossil]

Originally posted by grataku
fossil
even if the speaker had two pairs of connectors you would still need to rip out the passive xover from the speaker cabinets unless you want to filter twice which would be redundant.

That would be ideal. But I'm quite unprepared to rip out my spkr's x-over at this point.