Passive Bi-Amp Sneaky DS & LK85

[Rich9600]

Hi folks

I’m looking for some advice with my second system, it presently is:

Linn Sneaky DS > Linn Silver > Linn LK85 > Chord Odyssey 2 (factory cable using Russ Andrews Bananna to BFA adaptors and Chord Signature Jumpers) > Mordaunt Short MS812’s

I’m presently running this system with the power amp of the Sneaky DS disabled and the LK85 doing all the amplification.

I’ve gained a suitable length of Linn K400, now suitably terminated 4:4, and have the option to either bi-wire from the LK85’s multiple outputs OR Bi-Amp with the Sneaky DS and the LK85. Likely with the Sneaky DS doing the tweeters and the LK85 doing the woofers.

Either way the K400 will significantly reduce the number of connections. I preferred K400 to the Cord Oddyssey when I swapped it out of my main system some years ago. I later passive bi-amped my main system on my route to Activ and liked the results with this also  

Access is limited to the rear of the second system, so A/B testing would be difficult. So, a few questions:

is bi-amping with a Sneaky DS and LK85 possible? Correct gains?

any likely issues with the power miss-match?

if bi-amping, how would you assign amps. I assumed the less powerful amp to the tweeters. Though the room is relatively small and it is only used at low to moderate volumes. So, clarity is more important than presence  

Thank you for your thoughts.

Richard

 

[PaulH]

Should be ok. 

Whenever I've bi-amped in the past, I always found it sounded better with the integrated amp driving the bass, and the dedicated power amp driving the tweeters.

But, just experiment to see what suits you.

 

[zee9]

I was running my Kabers passive tri-amped with a c3200 (tweeters) and a c5100(mid/bass)

Before going aktiv I read on the lejonklou forum that some people liked a single passive amp with a single speaker cable sounds more musical so I put it to the test with my c3200. It’s true it is more musical. Everything just fits together. Not as detailed as tri-amped but more fun to listen to.

Now I’m aktiv with the same amps feeding the same components as I was during passive tri-amped.

Recently I was at a demo with Andrew Johnson for his aktiv powered Elac Navis speaker and he suggested I should use the heavier amp (c3200) on the bass in stead of the tweeters. Waiting to give that a try!

So my preference is actually in this order:
1. Tri-aktiv
2. Single amp passive with a better amp
3. Tri-amped Passive
4. Bi-amped Passive


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[rad1]

Interested to see that this subject has come up again. It was discussed on and off in the old Linn forum.

I am guilty of being a passive bi-amper (ooh err, misses) with 4 Solos driving my SF Amati Futuras. This is something I was persuaded to embark on several years ago by my (then) Linn/SF dealer in Dubai. I have since tried going back to the single amping with 2 Solos, then back again to the bi-amping with all 4. Maybe (probably) it is very much speaker dependent, but in my system the bi-amping has a clear edge (to my ears at least). It's difficult to describe the difference, but it seems more relaxed and more assured, with a bit more resolution and scale, and definitely no less musical.

 

[Rich9600]

Thanks for the input folks.

I finally got round to setting this up on Friday. However, the space and time constraints have left me with Bi-Wire from the LK85 and a tweaked setup in SO2. Concrete to drywall for my 1920’s plaster covered brick as per a post in another thread.

I’ll give this a little time for my ears to get used to the changes before I experiment with amplifier configurations.

So far, I once again I’ve find bi-wire Linn K400 preferable to Chord Company Odyssey 2 and Chord Co Signature Jumpers.

The Chord Co is great wire, fantastically detailed and very HiFi. Though, somehow I just find the K400 nicer... Mellow and musical, ideal qualities especially for a bedroom system.

Though, the very hand-me-down conservatory/play room system now has speaker wire and jumpers both worth more than the speakers!


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