Balancing Bi-amping into a Sona Fabre Grand Piano Hm speaker

[David H. 382]

Balancing Bi -amping..

I have a pair of Sona’s Faber Grand Piano home Speakers that have only they a single ( Right / Left )speaker input. I  Sold my brother my Energy Veritas v1.8 , and kinda of worked this into the deal. One of the tweeter were blown, and I’ve replacing the tweeter with one that at this point  is our best starting point. I don;t want to change my system  when I compare them with the Snells,  or testing them out, and would like to know the right way to Balance the speakers right now without a dbx-360  venue, etc..  But, I would like to run them by bi -amping my two m500t’s mkll’s (Dennis Miller). It was brought up in one of my last threads about “Balancing “ the two or three amps , so as all the amps and speakers are in sync .  With the Sona’s,  which has the single right/left speaker input, which system would be best in powering them with two amps.  1) Run both Rights inputs with one amp, and run the other amps for both lefts on the Sona’s. 2) Power one speaker with one amp, the 2nd amp powering the other speaker.  Righ now , I am bi - amping my snell’s ,type D’s with one amp running the high’s and the other amp running the Low’s. 

 I realize that each speaker system might work best one way  with the Sona’s Faber, and the Snell’s May be better the other way. Right now I don’t have a mixer like the DBX- 360 venue, But it’s been suggested that it could be the next step for me inregards to my 2 channel system in helping with the balancing of everything together.

But without the mixer, or even with one, Is there a system with the two amps that works best when bi- amping speakers as I mentioned above, or that for lack of my knowledge, or  there’s a different and better way for it to be done not mentioned so far as to use Bi-amping with either speaker system, and to have everything balanced . The dbx-360 would be my next big “ Homework assignment and understanding “ how all these things come together  for the music sound I am loving and learning .

Thanks again

[zumbini 6,150]

Let's start with your vocabulary David.

 

The Venue is a top of the line speaker management system. It combines a 3 input/6 output electronic crossover with multiple virtual graphic and parametric equalizers and many additional functions.

 

A mixer is used to group and balance the levels of many discrete microphone and line inputs. They may have a simple graphic EQ on one of more of the outputs and the ability to add "digital effects" (e.g. reverb, flanging, compression, etc.). If they have a crossover it's generally for a sub with only basic control over the XO frequency and phase.

 

As to bi- or tri-amping your Sonus Fabers, you have at least 2 choices:

Passive would require splitting the existing crossovers electrically and adding a 2nd (or 3rd) set of binding posts to each speaker.

To go active you'd have to disconnect all or part of the passive crossovers, rewire the speakers, and add a 2nd (or 3rd) set of binding posts and an electronic crossover.

 

Frankly both options require a healthy knowledge of acoustics and electronics which I wouldn't recommend for someone with your skill set. For now I suggest you try running each speaker with it's own amp. To keep it simple and avoid balance issues both amps should be identical. Each amp will drive one speaker with one output channel.

[UncleMeat 1,173]

If they don't have bi-amp inputs then you can't bi-amp the speaker unless you modify the crossover.  If that's the case then you'll just have to use a single MK-II amp to do your comparisons.  I would use one amp on the Sonus Fabers and one on the Snells to compare.

[David H. 382]

Thanks again Dom for straightening me out again,  I'm brave, but not that stupid yet to attempt either of the first two options.  So I'll stick to the "easier" option 3, and run an amp to each speaker, or just one amp for both speakers with testing the Sona's Faber. I'll be more careful with my vocabulary in the future. Though well deserved, I felt like I was taken out to the tool shed for a little straightening out!!  But, with all the time and Patience you spend with me on the phone explaining an helping me out learning about the audio world,  you're keeping on my toes and I truly appreciate it.  And Thank's for the great illustrated examples when showing the difference between the two, mixer and the dbx-360 venue, Great explanations..