Passive Or Bi Amping

[danger mouse 0]

click do they mean passive is going from one amp to subs then subs to top speakers and bi amping is a dedicated amp just running the subs where you would use an external cross over, If you bi amp do you have to swap the speakers leads around in the speakon connections, bit confussed.

[BK Sound 0]

click do they mean passive is going from one amp to subs then subs to top speakers and bi amping is a dedicated amp just running the subs where you would use an external cross over, If you bi amp do you have to swap the speakers leads around in the speakon connections, bit confussed.

 

Download the manual from your link, page 5 and 6 explains it all.

 

 

[danger mouse 0]

anyone else have a better answer?

[nigelwright7557 0]

A passive speaker system requires an external amplifier.

 

An active system has an amp in the speaker box.

 

The problem with passive systems is the speakers require crossovers for bass/middle/treble.

 

An active system can filter before the power amp which requires much cheaper and smaller components and also avoids the loss of power in the crossover.

 

 

[Danno13 0]

What you've just described is the difference between a powered and unpowered system...

 

An active system is any system that splits frequencies at signal level, i.e. before the amps.

 

The confusion arises because powered systems are usually active as well...

 

This has been covered many times on here though.

[danger mouse 0]

so back to the original question , what ways can i run this sub along with my original 2 full range speakers.

[BK Sound 0]

so back to the original question , what ways can i run this sub along with my original 2 full range speakers.

 

Passive like this http://homepages.tesco.net/gerry.hayden/articles/fig81.jpg

 

Biamp like this http://homepages.tesco.net/gerry.hayden/articles/fig82.jpg

 

Personally i wouldnt bother running it passive, but thats my opinion & i'm sure there are folks on here that do and are quite happy with it, i prefer to have seperate control over low & mid/high levels to balance the sound, running passively you only have your mixer eq control to make adjustments.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2008 by BK Sound

[danger mouse 0]

ok, i only have one sub and i want to bridge it with a seperate amp (so i can adjust the volume of bass) so would i be correct in leaving the sub in passive mode until i buy an external xover , then would i have to change any wiring in the speakon connections once i select the bi amp switch once its going through the xover?

Edited February 27, 2008 by danger mouse

[danger mouse 0]

so any body know if i run the behringer sub in bi amp mode will i have to change any wiring in the spaekon connections?

[norty303 0]

I have to concur with BK Sound, RTFM.

 

It shows exactly how it is wired so you can determine whether you need to rewire anything. The diagram puts it into simple pictoral term which might be easier to understand than the editorial on pages 5 and 6.

 

If you wish to utilize the internal crossover then you HAVE to run it in passive mode, although you don't HAVE to use the outputs from the cab.

 

If you wish to run it in active mode then you need to ensure that your amps outputs connect to the 2+2- of the input speakon, otherwise it'll pass straight through.

 

So if you're using the bridge mode of your amp you'll need to have cable that connects 1+2+ to 2+2-. In bridge mode the channel one 1+ terminal becomes +ve and the channel one 2+ becomes -ve, so these should connect to the 2+ and 2- respectively.

 

BTW, you will need to be using 4 pole speakon connectors.

[danger mouse 0]

for now then is it ok to connect the amp up in bridge mode and connnect it to the one sub i have and select the passive option, the speakon connections inside are plus 1+ and - 1

[danger mouse 0]

any body?

[norty303 0]

Whats the point in asking for advice and then not reading it?

 

The answers are above and in the manual.

 

 

 

You need to be careful connecting the bridged amp in passive mode as you stand a good chance of blowing the internal crossover. Passive crossovers become expensive to produce once their power handling goes much about 500w, not something you would expect of a cheap sub. Thats when you should use an active crossover and bypass the passive crossover in the sub.

[danger mouse 0]

i did read it and i looked at the maual. The sub is 800rms ,xover should be ok for that? thought it would be better to have 1200rms to play with ( bridged ) rather than 450 8 ohm since i only have one sub. only asking keep your hair on :fright: . didnt think id have to swap the wires over in the speakon if i bought a xover and ran it in bi amp but looks like i do, dont be nasty pastie. i understand the diagram but it didnt show the wiring inside the speaker cable.

[norty303 0]

Ok, taken from top of page 4 of the manual. Full diagram of how the signal passes thru the cab when in the different modes.

 

In passive the 1+1- goes to the driver, via the crossover, and also to the outputs of 1+1-.

 

2+2- goes straight through.

 

In bi-amp 2+2- goes to driver, not via crossover (and also straight through) and 1+1- goes straight thru not via the crossover.

 

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/substance/berry_sub_wiring.jpg

[danger mouse 0]

does it put a strain on the amp if you run 8 ohm one side and 4 ohm the other?

[norty303 0]

No, it shouldn't do, but if you're planning on running bridged with the amp then it's not an option anyway.

[danger mouse 0]

So if you're using the bridge mode of your amp you'll need to have cable that connects 1+2+ to 2+2-. In bridge mode the channel one 1+ terminal becomes +ve and the channel one 2+ becomes -ve, so these should connect to the 2+ and 2- respectively. ( lost me on this bit) ive run an 8 ohm sub before in bridge mode this way

from left out put of mixer to left input signal of amp then output bridged speakon to sub (flick switch to bridge mode on amp) . is that ok ? only 2 wires in the speaker cable, they were 1+ and 1 -

[norty303 0]

Ok, before we go further, what amp do you have, i'm assuming Behringer EP series?

[danger mouse 0]

choice of two , c-marks 2450, and THE T.AMP TA2400

 

 

 

[norty303 0]

They're the same amps aren't they? Same as the Audiohead AH2400

 

Do they put both outputs out of the channel 1 speakon? So channel 1 goes on 1+1- and channel 2 goes on 2+2- if need be?

 

 

edit:my mistake, the 2450 is the same as the TA1400

 

As far as i'm aware ( i had a TA1400) the channels don't route to the channel 1 output (unlike the EP2500 and QSC RMX/PLX ranges) So you'll either need to go from bare wires on the binding posts to a speakon, or use a banana plug, or make up a Y lead that connects the 1+ from each output into a single NL4

 

If it was me I'd just take one end off a 4 pole speakon cable and wire the relevant cores to the binding posts as needed, either 1+1- or 2+2- dependijng on if i was using the in built crossover or an active crossover

Edited March 6, 2008 by norty303

[danger mouse 0]

i think they are the same, the c-marks one has a middle speakon connectionfor bridging as well as left and right for normal use , only one audio input is nedded (the left)then you only use channel one for volume , i know you cant bridge two speakers with this amp

Edited March 6, 2008 by danger mouse

[norty303 0]

The photo on the C-mark website shows them having 2 speakons, for left and right and a set of binding posts.

If you have a central speakon then you may have a different version of it, the manual should detail how its wired

[danger mouse 0]

ive got the maual heres the amp just to show youclick mr 2450

Edited March 6, 2008 by danger mouse

[norty303 0]

Then you should have details of which pins you need to use