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MOSFET
is also very tolerant of reactive loads, so complex
multiple-element passive crossover systems should pose no
problems if well-designed.
WHY BIAMPLIFY?
performance.
For the
higher output levels than stereo systems of the same total
power.
convenience.
For the
for woofer-to-midrange crossover frequencies requires large,
expensive inductors and capacitors, as well as design time and
mounting problems. With a biamplified system it's all done for
you in the active crossover.
Biamplified
systems
system and two stereo amplifiers. The crossover separates the
input signal into low and high-frequency groups and sends each
group of frequencies to a separate amplifier pair. In most
installations,
the
woofers and the high-frequency amplifiers drive a midrange-
tweeter
pair.
In ordinary stereo systems, as the output level increases, the
low-frequency, high-power notes of the music start to drive the
amplifier into clipping. When the bass (drums, rhythm, etc.)
start to overload the amplifier, all higher frequencies are
naturally clipped as well, so midrange distortion is immediately
audible. The harshness and "gargling" effects of clipping are
obnoxious to listen to and may destroy tweeters.
In a well-designed biamplified system, when the low frequencies
start to clip only the low-frequency amplifiers overload. The
high-frequency
amplifiers
cleanly. Harshness and other overload effects are not heard in
the middle and high frequencies until the high-frequency
amplifiers clip, at a much higher level. The worst effects of the
bass amplifiers' clipping will usually not be audible, since the
woofers won't reproduce the high-frequency harmonics of the
clipped drive, and the clean middle and high frequencies cover
the
low-frequency
We have found that, for crossover frequencies up to about 600
Hertz, it is best to use approximately equal power for the low and
Biamplified systems can play cleanly at
Building a satisfactory crossover system
consist
of
an
low-frequency
amplifiers
are
still
blurring
and
muddiness
-6-
active
(electronic)
drive
a
reproducing
the
of
the
bass.
crossover
pair
of
music
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