Bi-Wiring And Bi-Amping Loudspeakers; Before You Start; Bi-Wiring Your Loudspeakers; Bi-Amping Your System - Arcam A65 Handbook

Bi-wiring and bi-amping loudspeakers

Before you start

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
HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low Frequency).
Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker
(which may be joined at the amplifi er end if your amplifi er 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-wiring in one length).
How to bi-wire loudspeakers
1.
2.
WARNING: Do not make any connections to your
amplifi er 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 amplifi er 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
amplifi er is set to minimum before starting these
procedures.
Remove the terminal links on the rear of your
loudspeakers
WARNING: This step is essential or damage
to your amplifi er may result which is not
covered under warranty.
Connect the cables as shown in the diagram below,
ensuring correct polarity at all times.
Arcam A65 or A75 amplifier
+ –
R
+ HF –
Right
speaker
+ LF –
Bi-wiring using one set of connections on amplifi er

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 amplifi cation for the low and
high frequency drive units in each loudspeaker enclosure.
Connect the amplifi er to the high frequency (HF) terminals and
connect the power amplifi er to the low frequency (LF) terminals.
You will need:
Speakers – with four input terminals each (as with bi-wiring):
these will be marked HF (High Frequency) and LF (Low
Frequency).
Two amplifi ers – one of these would be the A65 or A75 and the
other an Arcam power amplifi er (e.g. P75).
Loudspeaker cables – one pair 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
+ –
L
+ –
HF
Left
speaker
+ –
LF
1. Remove the terminal links on the rear of your
loudspeakers.
WARNING: This step is essential or damage
to your amplifi er 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 AUDIO PRE-
OUT sockets of the A65 or A75 to the corresponding
PWR AMP IN sockets of the power amplifi er.
Arcam A65 or A75 amplifier
+ –
R
–
+
HF
Right
speaker
–
LF
+ –
+ –
R
Arcam P75 power amplifier
Recommended bi-amping confi guration
+ –
L
+ –
HF
Left
speaker
LF
+ –
+ –
L
A65/A75/P75
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