Altec Lansing 19

[electra]

Just purchase a pair of Altec Model 19. I have two Mcintosh Mc2125 SS amp 120w/c and thinking of mono bridge them. Please advice on sound quality between single and biamp.

[CONVERGENCE]

Bi amping is the way to go. You will have more dynamics in the highs with improved harmonics.

These old XO just don't cut it anny more. Theres a second alternative.
Iconic has a new improved XO for model 19. You can check it out.

http://www.iconicspkrs.com/downloads/dn19_8u.pdf


My 2 cents worth.

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[electra]

Do you know the price and will the replacement Xover allow me to do verticle biamping?

[CONVERGENCE]

That's passive biamping. I never tried it that way but did use amps with builtin XO.I would let someone else comment. Active biamping is better and more efficient to my taste.

The price of the new XO I believe to be in the hundreds of $ . Best thing is to contact Iconic Speaker Manufacturing.


http://www.iconicspkrs.com/


Here is a site with an interresting article on passive horizontal;vertical biamping and active biamping.


http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/gen...ges/57210.html



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[Mr. Widget]

Horizontal vs. vertical bi-amping is a secondary issue.

With most speakers you can get a better sound from the speakers with an active crossover and multi-amping. However it isn't a simple matter to do it right. You need to carefully set the crossover frequency, slope and balance the amps. Many people do not have the requisite knowledge or patience to do this properly. Some test equipment is really helpful. At least a basic test CD with and a simple SPL meter. An RTA or computer based MLS, sinusoidal or FFT measurement system with a calibrated mic are even better.

On top of that many speakers including the Altec Model 19 there is frequency response tailoring going on in the built in passive network. If you bypass this network, which is necessary to get the full benefit of going multi-amped, you will need to be able to tweak the response curve yourself to get the correct amplitude response.


Widget

[Zilch]

The article says bridging is a bad idea.

The Iconic XO seems to be an updated replica of the original.

Easily accomplished, and probably not big bucks.

I'd probably try that, split and passive biwired (vertical), though 125W/channel seems more than enough to run them full passive....

[Ian Mackenzie]

Horizontal vs. vertical bi-amping is a secondary issue.

With most speakers you can get a better sound from the speakers with an active crossover and multi-amping. However it isn't a simple matter to do it right. You need to carefully set the crossover frequency, slope and balance the amps. Many people do not have the requisite knowledge or patience to do this properly. Some test equipment is really helpful. At least a basic test CD with and a simple SPL meter. An RTA or computer based MLS, sinusoidal or FFT measurement system with a calibrated mic are even better.

On top of that many speakers including the Altec Model 19 there is frequency response tailoring going on in the built in passive network. If you bypass this network, which is necessary to get the full benefit of going multi-amped, you will need to be able to tweak the response curve yourself to get the correct amplitude response.


Widget

Bigger and louder is not necessarily better.

Perhaps you should re phrase that to read with most loudspeakers you cannot get better sound................based on all those little issues you mention which are quite correct (JBL specificied crossover cards ofr JBL systems being the exception)