Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Stereo Integrated Amp B Terminals for Bi amping?

Is it possible to use a stereo integrated amplifiers 'B' terminals for bi-amping a bi-wire-able speaker?

I assume most most stereo amplifiers are two channel so would a you need a four channel amplifier to bi-amp?

I'm not sure why they include the 'B' terminals. I doubt many have powered a second pair of stereo speakers, regardless of a second room.

Hi Clovis,

These are good questions. Luckily, this article explains things pretty well.

http://www.axiomaudio.com/tips_biwiring_and_biamping.html

I did read the article, but it doesn't clear my doubt. The doubt is over these 'B' terminals... Also if you check out the NAD website, they seem to have a 4 channel power amplifier in their hi-fi section and the denon (uk) website features the PMA1510 and PMA2010 whose extra speaker terminals supposedly cater for bi-amping as printed on the back panel.

NAD: http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-amplifiers/C-245BEE-Four-Channel-Amplifier#heading-downloads

Denon: http://www.denon.co.uk/Assets/images/products/PMA-1510AE
/EL_PMA1510AESP_E2_fr_000_back.jpg

In my previous house, I used my B terminals to power speakers in my kitchen, which was adjacent to my living room.

You will get no benefit from bi-amping or bi-wiring in this fashion. Your B terminals draw power from the same source as the main terminals, so the total power available to your speakers is no different whether you bi-wire/bi-amp or just use a single set of cables.

Peter's point on the "no benefit" is actually what I was trying to direct you to with the article. However, maybe I just didn't understand your question.

You can truly Bi-Amp if the extra work and components are put in to make it actually relevant. B-Wiring only increases your wiring costs.

Clovis, The "B" terminal is simply a parallel connection internally splitting the same 2-channel output to allow for speakers in another room or outside(which feature is actually used on occasion). There's nothing whatever which would allow for any greater power or anything else by connecting those same two channels through separate speaker terminals to the low and high frequency sections of the speaker.

Furthermore, even a receiver/amplifier which has four or more output channels can't be used for true bi-amping, despite the claims of some sellers. Bi-amping, as the term implies, requires two separate amplifiers(not just separate output channels of the same amplifier), and also an external electronic crossover in front of the amplifiers to supply each amplifier with only the desired frequencies(the internal crossover in the speaker has to be removed or bypassed). Simply connecting previously unused output channels to the speaker accomplishes nothing significant; the power still comes from the one power supply section of the amplifier. Distributing the same available power through two sets of output transistors rather than one doesn't double the available power and can't increase it in any amount.

Thanks Murph, pmbuko and JohnK for your feedback.

I found this website to be a good read on the subject:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/bi-wire_bi-amp.htm

From my very little experience with speackers:

I had a problem with my previous speackers from another brand.
I used single wire but the binding post had bad straps from the start.
The best thing i could do to avoid any sound issue was to cut few inch of speacker cable to rally the bass and midrange-trebbles binding post.
I tryed later to see if there was an improvement with biwiring.
With A+B And A alone.
Only change between mono wiring without straps and biwiring for me was a little increase in amp heat with biwiring. (Maybe a bad electric connection at some points.)
If you look for a speacker capable of bi amping (bewiring had no effect for me .)be sure to find one speacker with good binding post.
Currently I use my axiom m80 speackers that has good stock binding post and use mono wire.It does work perfect.
Some speacker brands prefer to use mono wiring binding post to avoid anny issue with straps ...