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CRT_Ben
Joined: 28 Aug 2006
Posts: 1684
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:19 pm Post subject: Bi-amping with smaller amps vs. single channel w/larger amp |
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Hey guys,
I'm taking my first foray into surround sound separates here.
I bought a Sony SDP-EP9ES from ebay to do DD surround decoding and as a volume control for 5.1 analog TrueHD, probably from a Tosh HD-A1.
For amps, I picked up an Adcom GFA-545 (100wpc/8ohms, 150/4ohms) and two GFA-535s (60wpc/8ohms, 100wpc/4ohms). For now, I'll run my fronts off the 545, the rears off one 535, and I guess bi-amp the center with the last 535. I'll be using some temporary speakers that I have laying around for a little while.
The plan is to build all of my cabinets myself (shooting for 4 ohms). I'll probably end up using Dayton's reference line for most or all of my drivers, tentatively one 8" woofer, 2" dome midrange, and either the Classic silk dome tweeter or the Reference line aluminum tweeter. I am also planning to build all of my speakers identically in order to get the best imaging possible.
So - the question is - I would (eventually) prefer to bi-amp my speakers, one stereo amp per speaker. I probably can't afford or really need to do that with 545's, but I was wondering what you guys thought about, say, one 545 per pair vs. one 535 per speaker. On paper, I would have 50w more per speaker with the 535s along with the benefits of bi-amping. It would be a bit more expensive than one 545 per pair but do-able. Additionally I would have a more flexible, more modular setup and it wouldn't be the end of the world if one of the 5 amps breaks. Not sure if I would put the 545 on a sub in that case but just wanted your guys' thoughts on all of this.
Thanks!
Ben
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zaphod
Joined: 16 Jun 2006
Posts: 2002
Location: Cloverdale
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| Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:45 pm Post subject: Re: Bi-amping with smaller amps vs. single channel w/larger |
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| CRT_Ben wrote: | Hey guys,
I'm taking my first foray into surround sound separates here.
I bought a Sony SDP-EP9ES from ebay to do DD surround decoding and as a volume control for 5.1 analog TrueHD, probably from a Tosh HD-A1.
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nice pre-amp. how much did you pay for it? i have one at home that's gathering dust and i keep thinking about selling it.
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CRT_Ben
Joined: 28 Aug 2006
Posts: 1684
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:59 pm Post subject: Re: Bi-amping with smaller amps vs. single channel w/larger |
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| zaphod wrote: | | nice pre-amp. how much did you pay for it? i have one at home that's gathering dust and i keep thinking about selling it. |
Paid $150 with $25 shipping. Depending how I like it, my brother is also in the market for a 5.1 preamp, and he might well be interested. What would you sell for?
Ben
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Curt Palme
CRT Tech
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24396
Location: Langley, BC
TV/Projector: All of them!
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| Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:29 pm Post subject: |
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Good score on the amps. I bought and sold a 545 a couple of months ago. Solid construction inside.
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CRT_Ben
Joined: 28 Aug 2006
Posts: 1684
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Curt Palme wrote: | | Good score on the amps. I bought and sold a 545 a couple of months ago. Solid construction inside. |
Yeah and they're getting quite cheap on the 'bay. I picked up all three amps for $450 delivered, and there's another few 535's that I could pick up for around $135 delivered, which is why I'm tempted to go one amp per speaker.
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zaphod
Joined: 16 Jun 2006
Posts: 2002
Location: Cloverdale
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 1:12 am Post subject: Re: Bi-amping with smaller amps vs. single channel w/larger |
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| CRT_Ben wrote: | | zaphod wrote: | | nice pre-amp. how much did you pay for it? i have one at home that's gathering dust and i keep thinking about selling it. |
Paid $150 with $25 shipping. Depending how I like it, my brother is also in the market for a 5.1 preamp, and he might well be interested. What would you sell for?
Ben |
probably for the same ballpark. 150 + shipping. i paid 335CDN including shipping back in 2002 (which in those days was 213 USD). i can probably mail it from the states to save border concerns and stuff.
let me know what your broter thinks of it.
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:47 am Post subject: |
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Problem with trying to get good used amps is that everyone is looking for them, bidding on them, and sniping each other for them. I tried for some time, but it wasn't worth the hours per week trying to get a 'deal' on them. I let those whose time is worth less to them than mine is to me. 
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CRT_Ben
Joined: 28 Aug 2006
Posts: 1684
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:50 am Post subject: |
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| WanMan wrote: | | Problem with trying to get good used amps is that everyone is looking for them, bidding on them, and sniping each other for them. I tried for some time, but it wasn't worth the hours per week trying to get a 'deal' on them. I let those whose time is worth less to them than mine is to me. |
Agreed, which is why I bought my 3 all with BIN. The 535's that I mentioned above are BIN as well.
So my two 535's came today, and I tested them out with my Wharfedale Emerald 97's. Gawd I wish I could find another pair or three of these speakers for what I paid (about 280 delivered, new). The amps sound fantastic, and I've come to the conclusion that bi-amping with one 535 per speaker is the way to go and probably all the power I would ever need.
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oliverg
Joined: 15 May 2007
Posts: 800
Location: Melbourne, Australia
TV/Projector: Sony G90 X2 - Vidikron Vision 1
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| Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:30 am Post subject: |
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I saw some TAN9000ES's going for $200 each. (They are a Sony seperate, orignally for the TAE9000ES digital pre-amp and TAP9000ES analog preamp)
These can be run in BTL (balanced tied load) mode, which gives them 200WPC. They are monssters (very heavy) with the typical Sony ES build quality.
For bi-amping they are just amazing. I had two driving my electrostatic panels (Martin Logan SL3s) they were seriously impressive amps. Considering they were $2k new and perform so well.
As they can be run in 5.1 mode, you can have a 3rd running your effects speakers.
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jask
Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 10187
Location: kamloops BC
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:50 am Post subject: |
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the rane MA-6 is another good amp for bi-amping and home theater.
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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| oliverg wrote: | | I saw some TAN9000ES's going for $200 each. |
I am not finding these on ePrey, Audio/videogon, etc.
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