What's Watt?

[kfr01]

Originally Posted by chessman

So again, for us English majors, does this mean that two amps each rated at 200 watts could have different gains and thus different power outputs?

Different output levels for the same input signal, yes.

[jrsystems]

So that would mean that passive bi-amping with differnet brand/model/output amps would be a real bad way to go (I had always suspected this.) I would gather that even biamping with an electrictronic crossover and different amps would be a very tricky set up.

I saw a post where someone suggested bi-amping a speaker with tubes on the top end and a big solid state amp on the bottom. This actually inspired be to post this thread. While the idea of capitalizing on the top end advantages of tubes and the power of solid state for the woofers makes sense, it just seemed to me that matching these would be a complete nightmare.

I had once tried doing passive bi-amping on my old McIntosh XRT1K speakers using two MC501's, which match each other and these speakers pretty much spot on. Yet I did not like the sound. It was cold and clinical. I switched to running a single MC501 on each speaker, which I preferred by a good margin.

Anyone else have any experience with bi-amping, particularly with different amps?

[prepress]

Originally Posted by jrsystems

So that would mean that passive bi-amping with differnet brand/model/output amps would be a real bad way to go (I had always suspected this.) I would gather that even biamping with an electrictronic crossover and different amps would be a very tricky set up.

I saw a post where someone suggested bi-amping a speaker with tubes on the top end and a big solid state amp on the bottom. This actually inspired be to post this thread. While the idea of capitalizing on the top end advantages of tubes and the power of solid state for the woofers makes sense, it just seemed to me that matching these would be a complete nightmare.

I had once tried doing passive bi-amping on my old McIntosh XRT1K speakers using two MC501's, which match each other and these speakers pretty much spot on. Yet I did not like the sound. It was cold and clinical. I switched to running a single MC501 on each speaker, which I preferred by a good margin.

Anyone else have any experience with bi-amping, particularly with different amps?

I had two pair of B&K M200 monos passively bi-amping my Mirage M3-si speakers. Removing one pair thinned out the sound, bass in particular.

[tdelahanty]

The answer is yes, for a given setting on your preamp, say half volume, the output of each amp will be different. The amp having higher gain will output more power. However that is not to say the higher gain amp will surpass 200w, it will just get there before its little brother (amp with lower gain).

[10Beers]

Originally Posted by chessman

So again, for us English majors, does this mean that two amps each rated at 200 watts could have different gains and thus different power outputs?

200 W is 200 W no matter how many stages of amplification the signal passes thru to get to the back of your amp.
The formula is P = IxE
P is for power , which is measured in watts
I represents Current, measured in Amperes
E is for Electromotive Force, measured in Volts

I guess you can analogize it by saying 200 MPH is 200 MPH whether you do it in a Ferrari or in a free fall while screaming in abject terror with a cord in your hand as you catch that first whiff of freshly cut grass.

[chessman]

Originally Posted by 10Beers

200 W is 200 W no matter how many stages of amplification the signal passes thru to get to the back of your amp.
The formula is P = IxE
P is for power , which is measured in watts
I represents Current, measured in Amperes
E is for Electromotive Force, measured in Volts

I guess you can analogize it by saying 200 MPH is 200 MPH whether you do it in a Ferrari or in a free fall while screaming in abject terror with a cord in your hand as you catch that first whiff of freshly cut grass.

[ojdeteos]

Originally Posted by 10Beers

200 W is 200 W no matter how many stages of amplification the signal passes thru to get to the back of your amp.
The formula is P = IxE
P is for power , which is measured in watts
I represents Current, measured in Amperes
E is for Electromotive Force, measured in Volts

I guess you can analogize it by saying 200 MPH is 200 MPH whether you do it in a Ferrari or in a free fall while screaming in abject terror with a cord in your hand as you catch that first whiff of freshly cut grass.

Good example

[Underhill]

So can you also say that the lower Ohm makes it a steeper hill to climb, ergo often the bass with lesser Ohm numbers need more watts to be able to "catch up" with the mid/treble with higher Ohm numbers? Or am I totally lost?