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Thread: McIntosh & Marantz bi-amp JBL 1400 Arrays...

  1. #1
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    McIntosh & Marantz bi-amp JBL 1400 Arrays...

    Would it be fairly simple to use a active crossover with Marantz MA9S2 mono blocks on the LF & McIntosh on the HF of the Arrays without having to mess with the speaker crossovers? If so, to the people who know of such things, what would I need.

    Since I have this gear (Mac is idle at the moment), I would like to investigate the possibilities. The system sounds great as is but I am always curious.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
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    Yes and no. You need the active crossover to have the voltage drives Greg gave us and you would need to short one of the caps on the HF network board. You would also need to defeat the woofer crossover from inside the box. So it certainly can be done with a bit of work.

    http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...del-1400-Array

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robh3606 View Post
    Yes and no. You need the active crossover to have the voltage drives Greg gave us and you would need to short one of the caps on the HF network board. You would also need to defeat the woofer crossover from inside the box. So it certainly can be done with a bit of work.

    http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...del-1400-Array

    Rob
    That is all true and is the "best" way to go about it, but you can passively bi-amp the system by disconnecting the loudspeakers' input terminal jumpers and using one amp on the woofer inputs and another amp on the HF inputs... to do this you will need two amps with identical gain or at least one with volume controls.


    Widget

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    That is all true and is the "best" way to go about it, but you can passively bi-amp the system by disconnecting the loudspeakers' input terminal jumpers and using one amp on the woofer inputs and another amp on the HF inputs... to do this you will need two amps with identical gain or at least one with volume controls.


    Widget
    By chance, have you tried this? I cannot since I would be using different amps but, like I mentioned, I have them both-the McIntosh is just sitting around with nothing to do. I really don't want to have someone('cause I would be clueless) to mess around with the speakers just for a test.

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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tom1040 View Post
    By chance, have you tried this?
    Nope... if I had the right pair of amps I might, but at present I am on a simplification quest.


    Widget

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    Super Moderator jblnut's Avatar
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    You can do this right now without "messing' with the speakers". Just remove the jumpers between the HF and LF inputs on each speaker. Connect the LF input on each speaker to the same Marantz monoblock you are using now. Connect the HF on each speaker to the L and R outputs of the Mac amp. Then just make sure you have outputs from your preamp feeding both the Marantz and Mac amps.

    Adjust levels to taste....

    jblnut

    PM me if you need any help...

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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jblnut View Post
    You can do this right now...
    See post# 3


    Widget

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    Super Moderator jblnut's Avatar
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    Reinforcement - works for line arrays and forum posts too


    jblnut

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    Quote Originally Posted by jblnut View Post
    You can do this right now without "messing' with the speakers". Just remove the jumpers between the HF and LF inputs on each speaker. Connect the LF input on each speaker to the same Marantz monoblock you are using now. Connect the HF on each speaker to the L and R outputs of the Mac amp. Then just make sure you have outputs from your preamp feeding both the Marantz and Mac amps.

    Adjust levels to taste....

    jblnut

    PM me if you need any help...

    I think the problem lies in adjusting the levels. I can't.

  10. #10
    Super Moderator jblnut's Avatar
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    You may not need to - I'd try it just for fun and see how it sounds.

    Wait a minute, I did and I'm 3 amps down that road now


    jblnut

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    What's your pre?
    Out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Titanium Dome View Post
    What's your pre?
    If your asking me, it is a Marantz SC7S2.

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    Super Moderator jblnut's Avatar
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    McIntosh C220 on my end...

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    Quote Originally Posted by tom1040 View Post
    If your asking me, it is a Marantz SC7S2.
    That's an attractive unit. As I recall, without looking it up, that has a bi-amp capability built in. Doesn't it also have gain control on each channel?
    Out.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Titanium Dome View Post
    That's an attractive unit. As I recall, without looking it up, that has a bi-amp capability built in. Doesn't it also have gain control on each channel?
    Perhaps it does on the remote. I will have to play around with that. Since the unit has few 'options' on first take, I didn't even look. I will give it a shot (although this a.m. I had an inquiry on the MC402 amp that IS for sale ) Taken from the owners manual;

    Floating control bus system
    We make it possible to synchronously drive two or more controlamps by using a floating control bus system connected to asmany as 6 sets of control amplifiers. We also enable you totrim levels using the remote control, making it easy to set upthe optimal sound field on a multi-channel configuration. Thehighest achievable stereo performance can be accomplishedwhen a system configured with two sets of SC-7S2 and foursets of MA-9S2 are connected in a bi-amped mode.You will experience superb sound with unbelievable channel
    separation.

    I must say that the system as is sounds great to me. The Arrays are NOT asking for any more power. I was curious if this could be accomplised without too much hassle. I thank everyone who has contrributed to help me!

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