Will this work? anybody try this before?

[locomk]

Both the A21 and A23 have both xlr and single ended inputs and rca loop outputs, for possibly connecting to another amp. the parasound manual states that it is the exact signal and signal strength that's going to the loop out that the amp is taking in. so can you run mono signal into the amp ( either left or right channel) and than use the loop out to power the other side, to create a bi-amp configuration. i know crossovers have been covered on this forum before, but without one, how will my speakers sound. i'm using energy veritas 2.4 towers.

[Chris D]

loco, I think what you're talking about is using both channels of an A21 or A23 to bi-amp a single speaker, utilizing the loop out from one channel to the other. Sure, you can certainly do this. Notice though, that on the rear panel of both of these amps, you have the capability to mono bridge the amp to use the entire power of the amp to drive one channel. I would personally opt to use this instead of the bi-amp. Although I can't say for a certainty that it will produce better performance, intuitively it would seem so.

[Peter Nielsen]

Bi-amping is better than bridging if you can do it. With bi-amping you're separating the lows and the highs. This means that even if the amplifier that drives the lows is strained, the highs will still be clear. Less audible distortion.

Peter

[rrrhemi]

I had my three A23's biamping my front and center speakers exactly as you described (using the loop outs) without an external crossover. I also have Energy Veritas speakers although my fronts are 2.3's. I did not hear a dramatic difference using the A23's in a biamped configuration as opposed to using them in a "traditional" stereo arrangement. A couple of days ago I bridged the A23's and picked up 6db in each of the front three channels. I have not had time to really listen to this "bridged" setup but I think I hear an improvement in the sound.

[Chris D]

Interesting discussion. loco, I'm glad you brought this up.

Peter, would you then recommend for those people using a 2-channel amp to drive a single channel, that they use it in a bi-amp setup as described here, instead of bridging?

[locomk]

thanks chris,


i've been trying all types of configuration options with my system. i bought a A21 and two A23's at a great price. orignally i was going to bridge the two A23's and hook them up to my Energy Veritas 2.4 towers. the speakers recommend 250 watts max power. i called parasound and spoke to richard, and he said that it's best to use the A21 because of the higher current, and bridging the A23 will increase power, but double distortion.

so my current configuration is the following. Rx-v3300 receiver pre out to A21 amp, than to speakers.

so the A21 has 60 amperes peak per channel and the A23 has 45. if i use the loops outs of the A23's and do a bi-amp configuration= sending 125 to highs and 125 to lows with seperate current. . can that mean better performance than using 250 watts in the A21 leaving the jumpers in the speakers.

[Peter Nielsen]

Bridging the amp will mean that the amp is less capable of driving low impedances. Unbridged, 4 ohm speakers are fine. Bridged, 8 ohm speakers are required.

Thus, if your speakers tend to dip low in impedance, don't even think about bridging. (If your speakers are 4 ohm, forget about it. It will ruin the amp).

Bi-amping is the way to go if you ask me.

BTW, that added 6dB gain does not mean anything towards sound quality.

Also, the difference in sound we talk about here are differences that will be heared when you reach the power limits of the amp (i.e. at high volume levels or transients). At low power levels, there should not be a noticable difference. (If there is, then something might be wrong with the interconnects or speaker cables).

Peter

[locomk]

i live in an apartment in san francisco. i could never play my music/movies loud. but sometimes in the middle of the day i do crank it up a bit. what i want to achieve in my HT system, is as much clarity at a moderate volume.

the manuel for my speakers say "8ohms nominal, 4 ohms minimal" which i don't understand completly. because i thought amps have differnt amounts of power based on the resistence/impedance of the speakers.

[Chris D]

You're right, loco, and speakers don't stay at the rated ohms all the time either. So I think what your speaker manual is talking about is that they are rated at 8 ohms, and never dip down below 4 ohms (where it would become very difficult for amps to drive them)