# just to clarify



## markyboy156 (May 18, 2012)

hi

just to clarify

if i was to use my denon 4400 with 2 emotiva t2 fronts and c2 centre 
what can 2 amps can i use to vastly increase the 2 front speakers quality of sound
i want to connect 2 amps to the main denon 4400
to the low frequencies of the main left of each left and right speaker
and then the other amp for the high frequencies of the left and right terminals

what would be the best opions to use
i already have a emotiva xpa2 gen3
what do people advise thanks

then i will use emotiva upa 200 blocks to improve each speaker 
i will be using a 11.4 system


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## selden (Nov 15, 2009)

What you are describing is usually called "passive bi-amping". In most cases it doesn't help the audio quality at all.
This is because the same audio signal is provided to both of the receiver's (or pre/pro's) outputs, and the same frequency crossover networks are used for the drivers in the speakers whether or not the speakers' jumpers are in place.

Using external amps does add a little "headroom", increasing the maximum possible audio output, but bear in mind that the woofer in a speaker requires most of the power. The tweeter (and midrange driver) need very little power. Using a high-powered amp for the high frequencies doesn't really do anything useful (since the signal level has to be kept to a small freaction of the amp's potential output), while offloading the high frequencies from the amp driving the woofer doesn't add much headroom. Also, doubling the power only increases the maximum sound level by 3dB, which is only barely noticeable. To double the apparent sound level you'd need to increase the sound level by 10db, which requires 10x as much power. Our hearing is very non-linear.

However, using external amps does reduce the load on a receiver, so it can run cooler. That's a worthwhile goal.


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