"Dave xxxx" wrote in message
k...
On another forum a chap says, he has been told, its ok to use a Quad power
amp (140 watts) with a Quad 405 (100 watts) with the same pre amplifier.


The idea being the 606 powers the bass and the 405 the tweeters.

Speakers being used Spendor s5e

Will this work ?

Said Quad told him they have the same "gain"


ta in advance

Dave


As they have the same gain, then they will put out the same power into the
same load. The 405, being a lower powered amplifier, will clip first, so if
you use passive biamping, that is, using the passive crossover in the
Spendors, the total output level will be limited by the clipping of the 405,
so you would have the same result as if you had two 405s. If you use an
active crossover between the pre-amp and the 'speaker, then you can take
advantage of the higher power of the 606 in the bass, and the lower power of
the 405 should be unimportant for the treble.

This shows the pointlessness of passive biamping, and the total power
available is the same as if you had used a single power amplifier, and you
only get the benefit of separate bass and treble amplification if you go
fully active with an electronic crossover.


Nevertheless, the advice you received from QUAD is correct.

S.

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