Arcam Alpha 8P - Manual (Page 8)

BI-AMPING
ENGLISH
The performance of your system can be further enhanced
over that achieved with bi-wiring, by extending the same
principal one stage further to include separate amplification
for the low and high frequency speaker drive units as well
as
separate loudspeaker cables. This is known as
biamplifying, or bi-amping for short.
To implement bi-amping therefore requires four
amplification channels. In practice this is done by using two
stereo amplifiers; when one of these is an integrated
amplifier it is best to use this drive the high frequency (HF)
units whilst the outboard power amplifier is used to drive the
low frequency (LF) units.
We recommend you use one of the following combinations
for the optimum price/performance ratios:
Alpha 7 (HF) plus Alpha 8P (LF)
Alpha 8 (HF) plus Alpha 8P (LF)
Alpha 8 (HF) plus Alpha 9P (LF)
It is also possible to substitute an Arcam Delta 290P
amplifier for the Alpha 9P as their sensitivities are identical.
HOW TO SET UP A BI-AMPED SYSTEM
1. Remove the shorting links from each of the red and
black terminal pairs on the rear of your loudspeakers.
THIS IS ESSENTIAL OR DAMAGE TO YOUR
AMPLIFIERS MAY RESULT WHICH IS NOT COVERED
UNDER WARRANTY.
2. You will need two lengths of loudspeaker cable or a
suitably terminated cable capable of being used for bi­
wiring in one length and one stereo amplifier per
frequency band.
3. Connect your system as per the diagram opposite
ensuring correct polarity at all times. The positive (+)
connections on the loudspeaker must go to the
positive (+) connections on the amplifier and the
negative (-) connections on the right loudspeaker must
go to the negative (-) connections on the right channel
of the amplifier etc. You also need to make a
connection from the preamp out sockets of your
integrated amplifier, or preamplifier, to the power amp
in sockets of the power amp.
ADDING AN ALPHA 8P TO AN EXISTING ALPHA 7
OR 8 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER
If you are using an Alpha 7 or 8 amplifier, an Alpha 8P
can be added to bi-amplify a pair of biwireable
loudspeakers. This will reap substantial
improvements in sound quality if the following advice
is observed.
■ Always switch on the integrated amplifier and allow it
to stabilise (indicator light turns green) before
switching on the Alpha 8P.
■ The integrated amplifier and Alpha 8P power amplifier
are placed on separate shelves.
BI-AMPING YOUR LOUDSPEAKERS
INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER
r
■l=OHF(0)
+ O l f O
(o)
POWER AMPLIFIER