Tip of the iceberg

We got in big trouble with having enough amplifier power in yesterday's post. In a very undemocratic and unfair fashion, we learned it takes crazy amounts of power to double loudness. But now let's look at a few other reasons it's best to use a big and powerful amplifier for our new loudspeakers despite the fact they are handling the bulk of the low-frequency work through their internal servo amplifier system. Sound quality. Consider the benefits of bi-amplification. If we relegate the duties of bass amplification to one amplifier and assign everything else to another, the stresses and strains of low-frequency power demands are removed from the main amplifier. This, in turn, removes the long term power surges both on the incoming power as well as the power supply itself. The results are a more effortless presentation of frequencies above several hundred Hertz—the very area where we perceive space, room, and the cues that create realism. Removing the bass load from an amplifier frees it to focus on everything else. If you've ever experienced dynamic compression in your system—where the transparency gets congested and the soundstage stops its linear expansion with increased level—you'll understand the benefits of separating the duties of power amplifiers. When a big and powerful amplifier is assigned only to the midrange and tweeter, magic happens on a continual basis. Congestion is reduced to nearly unnoticeable levels, and the entire musical landscape breathes easy without a hint of effort. Think of our new speakers as coming with bi-amplification built in. That the stresses and strains demanded by woofers, once removed, no longer plague the system opening up a new era of uncongested and unfettered performance you've yet to hear with your current speakers. Even a separate subwoofer doesn't offer such increased openness because your main amp is still required to fund the bass. Big, powerful amplifiers make more effortless music when not too much is asked of them.