Best Polk bi-amp bookshelf speakers?

pitdogg2 · January 9

Shadow boxing with the troll, really?
🤦🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️😂😂😂😂😂

msg · January 10

What's a troll? I don't know what a troll is.

billbillw · January 10

msg wrote: »

What's a troll? I don't know what a troll is.

There are a few types:

I was referring the the latter.

Best advice is:

F1nut · January 10

Ah come on guys, I'm dying to hear his answer to my question...LOL

BlueBirdMusic · January 11

"OMG" is the only reaction I can think of after reading this entire thread.

skrol · January 13

Hermitism wrote: »

If its 5.1 then you can sextuplet amp with some leftover... Well watch my language.

VR3 · January 13

I clicked on to this thread and I have regrets

Pppppppps tri amp speakers are better because they unlock the holy grail

DozerCSX · January 14

Hmmm...
I see many of the folks on this thread don't like simple descriptions, or facts. Here are a few for your consideration:

1. Yes, many AVRs can support bi-amp configurations. The Panasonic SA-XR57 is one of those. The Maranta SR8015 is another example.

2. AVRs that support bi-amp (like the SA-XR57) have a software controlled active crossover in the AVR - that's how it separates the highs and the lows onto separate paths. Other AVRs that support bi-amp have this also.

3. Bi-amp speakers have a fundamentally different crossover design (that's why they have two sets of connections). The top plugs accept high frequencies, with only a low pass filter element. the low plugs support low frequencies, with only a high pass filter element. When you send high frequency signals over the top plugs, it doesn't invoke the low pass filter elements (as there are no low frequencies). Similarly, the low plug set only uses a high pass filter so it is not used when only low frequencies are sent. So it's fair to say that bi-amp speakers in bi-amp configurations bypass the speaker's passive crossovers.

4. The discussion of whether to bi-amp bookshelf speakers is SEPARATE from whether it's worth it. (I have them set up and believe it is - in part because it's so simple and automated with the SA-XR57) you are welcome to your opinion ONCE YOU TRY IT). Which I understand you probably won't...

5. I stand by everything I have said - I have tested each configuration I reference, and it's terrific if you can support it.

6. Bi-wire without bi-amping is a separate, more nuanced discussion. (although Peter Comeau tackles it, in the video below).

7. If you don't believe me, believe Peter Comeau, the Chief of speaker design for Wharfedale who so eloquently describes what I've been trying to communicate here...

https://youtu.be/apr8ZJvnVEM?si=85F12UAeGhpLYuos

8. Polk Audio has many speakers which support bi-amping! Look for 4x terminals on the back. My RT800i's were one example. (I had to get rid of them as the wife said they were too much for the living room). You need all the pieces, and meticulous attention to detail to set it up ( or you can blow your speakers!) but if you can do it, it's worth it, in my opinion. My opinion is also that any speaker that can be bi-amped will sound noticeable better if bi-amped.

Oh and don't believe pundit/review comments (as @f1nut posted at the top) go online, download the SA-XR57 users manual (it's free) read it yourself, and Believe!

DozerCSX · January 14

Responding to @msg, I never said that bookshelf speakers in bi-amp were somehow "better" than my RT800i's. What I said was that any speaker that can be bi-amped will sound better than if it is not. I was forced to get rid of my RT800i's for "non-technical reasons" but still wanted to take advantage of the bi-amp capability built in to the SA-XR57. That's what started this thread...

msg · January 14

I didn't say better. I got the bit where you said your wife feels the RT800i unwelcome, so I was asking how bookshelf speakers would be any more acceptable, or "welcome".

DozerCSX · January 14

Got it - the answer is "accuracy", or clarity if you will. if you watch Peter's video, he describes the advantages of bi-amping on the high path - more clarity, more nuance, with less power, less affected by the negatives of high current. I can attest that it true with the SB-PM27s. Are they as good as a thousand dollar Wharfedale? No. Are they significantly better in bi-amp mode? Absolutely. Also, they are on my office desktop (that's where I had to move the setup after it got kicked out of the front room) - as you may have experienced, physically closer speakers allow you to hear more detail - at least that's my experience.

p.s. since I got kicked out of the front room, I built a new HT setup there - Denon AVR-S750H (6x 4k HDMIs, vs only one on the Panny) and I built the system around a perfect "new" set of Polk Monitor Series II 5jr's, terrific little speakers, with a sonic signature almost identical to my Monitor 7Bs. We talk about those 5Jr S2s on another thread here... Not bi-amp, but terrific nonetheless. Especially for the folks on this forum, who love that Polk sound!

F1nut · January 14

So it's fair to say that bi-amp speakers in bi-amp configurations bypass the speaker's passive crossovers.

WRONG!!!

Viking64 · January 14

I remember using lamp cord to power some speakers in 1979, and it was great at helping the signal bypass the drivers.

OleBoot · January 14

Please show us the part of your receiver manual that talks about active crossovers.

billbillw · January 14

@DozerCSX , You don't seem to recognize your crowd here. We are not a bunch of Reddit amateurs. Most of us have been neck deep into AV (home and mobile) for more than 30 years. We have also seen more than a few new keyboard commandos who come here and want to "educate" us.
Most new members come here to ask questions, so it's a red flag when your first posts are so opinionated.
This forum has an Ignore feature as well and if you keep posting like this, you will find yourself on many member's list. You probably already are in fact.
I'm not sure why you are so intent to convince us that this low end Panasonic receiver is the greatest thing ever. Are you trying to sell it? Trying to hype it up? Ain't gonna work here. It's a $100 used receiver that doesn't have a great reputation for reliability.
So, hopefully, you can quit talking about it. You won't change anyone's mind here. We have all had dozens, if not hundreds, of various systems through the years and we know what marketing BS is. That's all a biamp capable receiver is.

halo71 · January 15

Come on....this guy is PFB right? Sounds like his dumb@ss writings. Thinking he knows it all etc. lol

invalid · January 15

I was under the impression that biamping meant two separate amplifiers, I guess you learn something new every day. I can now just use an AVR to biamp my apogee duetta 2 speakers.

Geoff4rfc · January 16

VR3 wrote: »

I clicked on to this thread and I have regrets

Pppppppps tri amp speakers are better because they unlock the holy grail

You are correct young man. I tri amped my speakers once and almost got sucked into a black hole that suddenly appeared in my living room......I did NOT think I was going to survive!!!!

For the OP, and I believe this was covered before, I may even be quoting F1 (forgive me Jesse if I'm not).......an AVR has only so much "rated" power per channel. The more speakers you drive with it, the more power you suck from it, and reducing the "rated" power per channel (check out bench tests).

Manufactures that boast bi amp capability for their AVRs is marketing BS hype, so, when you hook up more than one terminal to your speaker, thinking that you're bi amping, you're actually reducing the power of each amp in the AVR and essentially, "robbing Peter to pay Paul". You may be adding slightly more power to one speaker, and that's if you're only doing one that way, but if you're doing that with two power hungry speakers, you could be giving them less power. And so stealing power from the rest of your speakers to do it, well, I reckon that would make you Robin Hood.

Best Polk bi-amp bookshelf speakers?

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