Advice with "bridging"?

[ArizonaMatt]

Hi all. I've got an Adcom GFA 555 (series I) and I'd like to use my Carver Receiver 900 as a pre-amp. The receiver does have the "pre-out/main-in" connections. Some questions:scratch2::

1. Am I right in assuming that having the pre-out/main in connections on the receiver means that I can use it as a pre-amp?

2. What are the connections that I'll need to make to do this (I'm embarrased to have to ask, but can you literally tell me exactly what plugs into what)?

3. When doing this, should the "bridging switch" on my Adcom be switched on?

4. Is what I'm proposing actually "bridging?" I don't think so...but what do you call what I'm talking about here and how does it differ from bridging?

5. Assuming what I'm proposing is not in fact "bridging," would it be possible (and is there any rationale) to bridge my Adcom and the Carver receiver? What about bridging to a Carver Receiver 2000 (that way both amps would be contributing 200 watts--is matching the power between two bridged amps important?).

Any info would be much appreciated!

--Matt

 

[ugornot]

Take the pre out on preamp to the main in on the amp. Left to left, right to right. The bridging switch makes it a single channel amp. To use these in stereo you need 2 bridged amps. Or just leave the bridge switch off and it is a regular stereo amp. HTH

P.S. To use the reciever and the adcom you could not do bridging with different amps. You could do a bi-amp. Use Y interconnects. 1 rca plug on one end 2 cables come out with the end result 2 rca plugs. If your speakers are bi-ampable speakers I would use the carver on the top end and the adcom on the bottom. Do not use both amps into the same speaker connection. As far as matching power in some ways it is important but the upper side always uses less power, but the voicing needs to be the same. Some have described the adcom as a warmer amp. The carver is somewhat brighter. You can mix the two top to bottom on a bi-amp speaker, but not left to right on the speakers. Let me amend that statement. Conventional wisdom says what I told you. You can actually do anything you want. Its your stuff.

 

[Paul C]

You don't need to bridge the amp. Most people WAY overestimate the power needed in a living room.

 

[Markw]

Hi all. I've got an Adcom GFA 555 (series I) and I'd like to use my Carver Receiver 900 as a pre-amp. The receiver does have the "pre-out/main-in" connections. Some questions:scratch2::

1. Am I right in assuming that having the pre-out/main in connections on the receiver means that I can use it as a pre-amp?

Yes.

2. What are the connections that I'll need to make to do this (I'm embarrased to have to ask, but can you literally tell me exactly what plugs into what)?

You would first break the connection between the preamp and power amp stages. Usually, this means removing two jumpers. Save these for future use. You never know...

3. When doing this, should the "bridging switch" on my Adcom be switched on?

No. Totally unrelated to this.

4. Is what I'm proposing actually "bridging?" I don't think so...but what do you call what I'm talking about here and how does it differ from bridging?

No. You're simply using the internal preamp with an external power amp. No fancy nomenclature.

5. Assuming what I'm proposing is not in fact "bridging," would it be possible (and is there any rationale) to bridge my Adcom and the Carver receiver? What about bridging to a Carver Receiver 2000 (that way both amps would be contributing 200 watts--is matching the power between two bridged amps important?).

First off, here's a brief definition of bridging. Too many people throw this term around willy-nilly and it's best you get the correct idea.

Bridging is combinng the two channels of a power amp into one channel in a specific way that the output power is doubled, or even more.

Bridging requires special circuitry and not all amps lend themselves well to this. If it's not designed for it, I don't recommend trying it.

You would need two stereo amps (four channels) to wind up with a bridged stereo pair.

One particular downside to bridging is that the bridged amp "sees" the speaker load as one helf of what it's rated at. i.e. it will "see" an eight ohm speaker as four ohms. Four ohm speakers on a bridged amp can be troublesome since it "sees" those speakers a two ohms and many amps don't like this.

hope this helps.

 

[ArizonaMatt]

Thanks!

Great information as always! :thmbsp: I'll give this a whirl tomorrow.

--Matt