Bi-Wiring And Bi-Amping Loudspeakers; Before You Start; Bi-Wiring Your Loudspeakers; Bi-Amping Your System - Arcam A80 Handbook

Bi-wiring and bi-amping loudspeakers

Before you start

WARNING: Do not make any connections to your
amplifier while it is switched on or connected to the
mains supply.
Before switching on please check all connections
thoroughly, making sure bare wires or cables are not
touching the amplifier in the wrong places (which could
cause short circuits) and you have connected positive
(+) to positive and negative (–) to negative.
Always ensure that the volume control on your amplifier
is set to minimum before starting these procedures.

Bi-wiring your loudspeakers

Bi-wiring improves the sound of your system because it divides
the high and low frequency signal currents into separate
speaker cables. This avoids signal distortions arising from the
high and low frequency currents interacting with one another
within a single cable, as in conventionally wired systems.
You will need:
Speakers – with four input terminals each: these will be
marked
Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker
(which may be joined at the amplifier end if your amplifier has
only one pair of output terminals per channel), or a suitably
terminated cable set (a loom, probably prepared by your dealer
and capable of being used for bi-amping in one length).
How to bi-wire loudspeakers
1.
2.
A80/P80
12
(High Frequency) and
HF LF
Remove the terminal links on the rear of your
loudspeakers
WARNING: This step is essential or damage to
your amplifier may result which is not covered
under warranty.
Connect the cables as shown in the diagram below,
ensuring correct polarity at all times.
Arcam A80 amplifier
+ –
R
+ HF –
Right
speaker
+ LF –
Bi-wiring using one set of connections on amplifier
(Low Frequency).
+ –
L
–
+
HF
Left
speaker
+ –
LF

Bi-amping your system

The performance of your system can be further enhanced over
that achieved with bi-wiring, by extending the principle one
stage further to include separate amplification for the low and
high frequency drive units in each loudspeaker enclosure.
Connect the integrated amplifier to the high frequency (
terminals and connect the power amplifier to the low frequency
( ) terminals.
LF
You will need:
Speakers – with four input terminals each (as with bi-wiring):
these will be marked (High Frequency) and
HF
Frequency).
Two amplifiers – one of these would be the A80 and the other
an Arcam power amplifier (e.g. P80).
Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker
or a suitably terminated cable set (a loom, probably prepared
by your dealer and capable of being used for bi-amping in one
length).
Interconnect cables – one pair of high quality interconnect
cables.
How to set up a bi-amped system
1. Remove the terminal links on the rear of your
loudspeakers.
WARNING: This step is essential or damage to
your amplifier may result which is not covered
under warranty.
2. Connect the cables as shown in the diagram below,
ensuring correct polarity at all times.
3. Use the interconnect cables to connect the
sockets of the A80 to the corresponding
sockets of the power amplifier.
Arcam A80 amplifier
+ –
R
+ –
HF
Right
speaker
–
LF
+ –
+ –
R
Arcam P80 power amplifier
Recommended bi-amping configuration
)
HF
(Low
LF
PRE OUT
AUDIO IN
+ –
L
+
–
HF
Left
speaker
LF
+ –
+ –
L