Advice on Audiolab biamping please

D

dSpS

Guest
Hello

I am confused between biamping with stereo amps or mono amps.

I presently have NEAT Motive 2 speakers driven by an Audiolab 8000A amp.

I wish to bi-amp the speakers.

One option would be to use my present amp to drive the treble and purchase a Audiolab 8000P to drive the bass.

However, if I go for a two amp set up, should it be 2 Audiolab 8000P (stereo amps) or 2 Audiolab 8000M (mono) amps? If going for this set up, I would also have to get either a Audiolab 8000C or 8000S preamp.

Many thanks
dSpS
 
I am confused between biamping with stereo amps or mono amps.

I wish to bi-amp the speakers.

Think of it this way.

You have 2 speakers.

Each speaker has a LF and an HF input.

So that's a total of 4 speaker inputs.

So you need 4 channels of amplification.

Whether that is 2 stereo amps, 4 mono amps or 1 stereo + 2 mono amps doesn't matter, so long as their tonal characteristics and per channel power ratings are the same.

There are obviously numerous combinations of running arrangements, but I would suggest it would be better to equalise the power on each stereo amp channel, e.g. use stereo amp 1 for Left LF and Right LF, and stereo amp 2 for Left HF and Right HF

Also, you only need 1 stereo pre-amp, from which you split its outputs to the appropriate power amp inputs.
 
Philip - many thanks for your response to my question.

I note that you have advised that I could use 1 stereo amp and two mono amps.

In the above scenario, does that mean that my Audiolab 8000A be modified to act as the preamp with two monoblocks providing the power?

dSpS
 
In the above scenario, does that mean that my Audiolab 8000A be modified to act as the preamp with two monoblocks providing the power?

I don't see any reason to not just use the 2 power amps in your existing amp/pre-amp for 2 of the 4 required channels, with either 1 stereo power amp or 2 mono power amps (of suitable rating), for the other 2 channels.

However, I was advising for the general case, without knowing that your current amp/pre-amp may not have any pre-amp outputs (depending on its build version), which are what you'd connect to your extra power amp(s).

The link below may be useful, but I'm afraid I can't advise any further, as I have no personal experience of these particular amps.

Separating the Pre and Power Sections on an Audiolab 8000A
 

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