Bi-amping Polk Rti4's?

shermanator

Hello guys/gals,

I'm very new to A/V equipment, but have just received a bunch of stuff for Christmas.

I have this receiver: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Pioneer+Receivers/VSX-821-K


I have these speakers: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-d368q2vvYCb/p_107RTI4B/Polk-Audio-RTi4-Black-oak-finish.html#details-tab


I realize the Polks allow for bi-amping. I am just trying to figure out if bi-amping the two Polks is going to work with a 5.1 receiver.

I am just looking to run a 2.1 setup ( two speakers and a sub) for my home gym. Right now, I am only using channel "A"(speakers) and channel "B"(subwoofer).

With this setup, my "surround" is not being used. I figure that could be hooked up to my speakers, doubling the power.

Am I correct? Will this be too much power going to the speakers?

Anything else I should know?

Thank you very much in advance,

Connor

izafar

Welcome to clubpolk.

Usually 7.1 receiver allows the front to be bi-amped using 5.1 configuration. I believe your pioneer will not support that.

I would suggest that you try to good bi-wire cable or at least replace the jumpers with regular cable jumpers.

shermanator

izafar wrote: »

Usually 7.1 receiver allows the front to be bi-amped using 5.1 configuration. I believe your pioneer will not support that.

Thanks the response. I may need to contact Pioneer about my concern.

On a 7.1 receiver, what channel do people typically use for bi-amping the front speakers?

My R and L "surround" channel would not achieve the same result?

jbooker82

They use the rear left and right channels to bi amp. You don't really gain any power by bi amping. The purpose of bi amping is to place a crossover between your reciever and amplifiers. That way you only amplify the lows and send them to the woofers. And you only amplify the highs and send them to the tweeter.

shermanator

I thought what you just described was bi-wiring? Clearly I need to do some more reading.

shermanator

Talked to someone that knew a lot about biamping/biwiring.

He gave me the green light.

I put channel "A" to the top terminal on speakers, and channel "B" went to the bottom terminal.

They now sound much better.

jbooker82

Bi wiring is this. Two runs of speaker wire from one set of posts on the amp or reciever to two sets of posts on the speaker. You use 1 channel to power 1 speaker. You just double up and run 2 sets of wire. It pretty much eliminates the metal jumper straps. You can get speaker wire that is called single bi wire. It has one set of terminals on the amp or reciever end, and it has two sets of terminals on the speaker end. It makes for a clean install and eliminates the metal jumpers.

Bi amping uses 2 sets of speaker wire from two sets of terminals on the amp or avr to two sets of terminals on the speaker. You use 2 channles from your avr to run one speaker. The idea is to only send lows to the woofers, and highs to the tweeter. Most recievers send out full range through both channels so it really isn't a benefit.

62caddy

Bi-Wiring will not increase the amount of power available from a given amp assuming the impedance as seen by the amp is constant. If the impedance at both sets of speaker taps is 16 ohm nominal, the amp will see 8 when both speaker switches are activated.