A much better way to hook up the Hypex Amps with a Tube Amp (BD-Design)

by Kevin @, Minneapolis, Thursday, March 13, 2014, 22:05 (3668 days ago)

My friend Mark and I started using the Hypex Amps for Bi-amping a few months ago. We started out using the Speaker Output from our SET amps into the Input of the Hypex Amps.

This worked, but we noticed that we were getting some humm in the Bass bins from the Hypex Amps. Turning off the SET amplifiers would eliminate all of the Humm. Mark began experimenting with using his preamp output into the Hypex Amp instead. This eliminated all of the hum from the Bass Bins. Mark also claims he gets a much cleaner sound overall from the preamp input vs. the Amp input into the Hypex.

SET amps are known for having a bit more noise than Solid State Amps and using the speaker outputs of a SET amp to amplify with a Hypex Amp just makes matters worse. So, I am completely sold on using a preamp's output for the input to a Hypex Amplifer. This is usually the method I have seen for Bi-amping.

It depends highly on the given situation...

by Bert @, Friday, March 14, 2014, 08:57 (3668 days ago) @ Kevin

Hi Kevin,

This is nothing new...

If your main amp is without issues (noise, lousy performance in the bass) then using the output of the main amp is much more favourable!

Then integration between bass and mid-high range is most optimal without creating separated bass and mid-high differences, the speakers sounds as one and not split into channels...

Another major advantage is that you can exchange the main amp without the need to adjust or re-tune the crossover which takes much time if done properly.

In cases where your amp makes (too much) noise or the bass performance is poor (lack of control?) then using a pre-amp output (if present) should be used unless the output impedance of the pre-amp is high in relation to the total input impedance of both separate amps connected. A factor 1:100 should be minimal! This will otherwise not just give poor bass but also lack of dynamics... sometimes even the noise wins from silence!

Bert

--
BD-Design - Only the Best!

It depends highly on the given situation...

by Kevin @, Minneapolis, Friday, April 04, 2014, 01:13 (3647 days ago) @ Bert

Do you know what the input impedance is of the Hypex Plate Amp PSC2.400 ?

100kohm (buffered)...

by Bert @, Friday, April 04, 2014, 08:44 (3647 days ago) @ Kevin

Do you know what the input impedance is of the Hypex Plate Amp PSC2.400 ?

...which means that each leg of the XLR to ground is 100k.

Bert

--
BD-Design - Only the Best!

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