“Bi-amping” with one amp?

[Martin Angus]

Ok, this is not bi amping at all...though the sonic benefits may be similar.

I have a Russound source/speaker selector lying around. So I tried setting it as follows:

Preamp/amp to the input, tweets to one output, woofers to the other. Passive crossovers in my paradigm 11SE mk3 speakers remain intact - without jumpers. I can now vary the relative power into the lows and highs by virtue of the Russound volume controls for each output.

This allows more control of the bass and treble signals beyond what the preamp is sending.

Any reason(s) why this might be a problem?

 

[whoaru99]

In terms of damage, no.

There is probably some technical minutae of details why it isn't ideal or could be done a better way. But, if this is what you have and you like the sound better having that control than not having that control, IMO, the other doesn't really matter.

 

[Bob]

confusing

preamp/amp - which? I think the output only.

speaker switch send power signals to only one side (treble or bass) or do
you hear bass when selecting the treble control, AND/OR do you hear treble
when selecting the bass.

theoretically the speaker switch will only send full signals to one or the other.
and if the speaker itself does not distinguish internal routing because you
did not disengage full frequency (usually metal coupling from treble to bass)
then you are simply paralleling the power signal by one-at-a-time.

since there's no crossover in the speaker switch and therefore does not
"channel" treble or Bass then is there a sound difference between
"treble" and "bass"?

your next step is bi-wire/parallel-speaker-cables with the addition of a
extra pair of speaker cables (you could simply try lamp cord but do
not steal from SO/wife's favorite floor lamp).

after that an external crossover, and a second pair of speakers. could
be a cheapy CL/roadside-find for the treble. do add another amp. this
will be the basis of a true bi-amp. (you could also use a single set
of speakers that is designed to provide bi-amping by having externally
direct access to internal driver assembles for both treble and bass.

 

[whoaru99]

He's using a speaker selector that also has level controls.

He's simply altering the signal levels going to the separated low and mid/high sections of the speaker.

Think of what he is doing as sort of a balance control, except it's balance between the top half and bottom half of the speaker rather than balance between left and right speakers.

 

[Martin Angus]

Zactley!! Works well except for one tiny downfall. The Russound unit apparently has protection circuitry built in which tends to attenuate the overall power. I have to drive the amp harder to get the same volume.

 

[gadget73]

What it sounds like you want is an L-pad between the woofer and the tweeter input on your speakers. The woofer would just be full power, but you could reduce the signal that the tweeter gets as needed. Likely thats what the speaker switcher has going on inside anyway.

 

[Martin Angus]

Except with the current configuration I can control both woofer and tweeter levels. The L pad wouldn’t permit tweeter level to exceed woofer level. Right now I can do that. Full control over hi and lows.

 

[gadget73]

You have to pay for that with signal loss though. The control box can't boost the signal, it can only cut. Thats why you have to run the amp higher, some of the signal is being wasted as heat in the speaker control.