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View Full Version : Biamp Setup Help in Atlanta



arawak1969
04-03-2007, 02:25 PM
Afternoon all. Switching from 771b's to a combo of Crown VFX-2A xover to Altec 9441HF and 9442 LF. I need one jumper for the port on the back of the 9441 (it is missing) and some help to set the xover.
I love the way the 9846's sound with the altec 771's and am just tired of little issues like a hum and want to go with a more reliable setup.

Anyone got a simple preamp like a Hafler etc that doesn't look so hot but works fine? Drop me a line.
:cheers:

moldyoldy
04-04-2007, 07:18 AM
Look like the 9441's gonna be OK?

arawak1969
04-04-2007, 10:50 AM
It was setup for mono and i turned it on Mon night and it plays on one channel. Ineed to get the jumper installed first I think.
I am gonna try to hook things up on Sunday and compare the sound of the Altec biamp to get a reference for the xover points/overlap, etc on the seperates.
I went back over to the tech here in Tucker and she played the biamp I had bee having trouble with on her shop speaker but she di not get any 60cycle noise. Took it home and it is back. It is frustrating and it is a 2hr round trip everytime. I am gonna just sit on it and try to get the new setup working.
:banghead:

hjames
04-04-2007, 11:32 AM
Not to sound dumb, but i just set my system up in Biamp mode and I don't want to make assumptions. Are you at all technically oriented?
Again, no offense meant, but not everybody is ...

Are all of your powered devices (Amps, powered crossover, preamp, etc0 plugged into a common power strip or wall outlet?

If you are using older gear it may not have polarized plugs - you know, with newer electrical gear - on the AC plug, one side is wider than the other so it can only be plugged into a newer cord one way. Older gear didn't have that capability and if you have ground flipped between two pieces of gear it can cause a 60 cycle hum.
IF you have non-polarized plugs ... you have to troubleshoot by only changing one thing at a time. If it doesn't cure the problem, change it back again.
It may be handy to reverse the plug and see if the hum goes away, if it does not, reverse that plug back to the way it was when you started and try another.




It was setup for mono and i turned it on Mon night and it plays on one channel. Ineed to get the jumper installed first I think.
I am gonna try to hook things up on Sunday and compare the sound of the Altec biamp to get a reference for the xover points/overlap, etc on the seperates.
I went back over to the tech here in Tucker and she played the biamp I had bee having trouble with on her shop speaker but she di not get any 60cycle noise. Took it home and it is back. It is frustrating and it is a 2hr round trip everytime. I am gonna just sit on it and try to get the new setup working.
:banghead:

arawak1969
04-10-2007, 09:18 AM
Alright. It works great. I swapped out the biamps Sunday and it rocks. What a relief. The Altec amps and the VFX-2A have no hum whatsoever. The additional power seems to offer more detail at lower volume levels. I am very happy with the new setup. I am gonna tweak it a bit at the xover point. I have the HF cutoff just a bit above 500hz and the LF just at 500hz to prevent overlap.
I need to get the next pair built so you might not hear from me for a while as I get covered in sawdust.
Hope you all had a great Easter.
Peter:dj-party:

arawak1969
04-10-2007, 09:20 AM
Not to sound dumb, but i just set my system up in Biamp mode and I don't want to make assumptions. Are you at all technically oriented?
Again, no offense meant, but not everybody is ...

Are all of your powered devices (Amps, powered crossover, preamp, etc0 plugged into a common power strip or wall outlet?

If you are using older gear it may not have polarized plugs - you know, with newer electrical gear - on the AC plug, one side is wider than the other so it can only be plugged into a newer cord one way. Older gear didn't have that capability and if you have ground flipped between two pieces of gear it can cause a 60 cycle hum.
IF you have non-polarized plugs ... you have to troubleshoot by only changing one thing at a time. If it doesn't cure the problem, change it back again.
It may be handy to reverse the plug and see if the hum goes away, if it does not, reverse that plug back to the way it was when you started and try another.
The biamp hums with no input at all. I already tried the plug flip but no success. Thanks.