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AR9 and Marantz 4400


Guest dogmeninreno

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Guest dogmeninreno

Has anyone used a Marantz 4400 (2 channel mode 125 watts per and similar to the Marantz 2325) on a set of AR9's? The Marantz specs say 125 watts RMS into 8 ohms but does not rate the amp into a 4 ohm load. Thanks, Dale

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Guest dogmeninreno

>Dale;

>

>Sounds a bit under powered, but should do okay a low levels in

>a smaller room.

Thanks Nigel, The amp seems to want to clip at 1/2 volume. Dale

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Guest Nigel

Hi Dale;

Based on the information at:

http://www.classicaudio.com/value/mz/4400.html

I would guess that it is not at all happy with 4 Ohms nominal in the two channel mode. It probably bridges two of the four amplifiers for each of the two channels. Each of the four channels can probably handle 4 Ohm loads okay, but bridged 8 Ohm loads are equivalent to 4 Ohms bridged.

If you want to use it with AR9 speakers, I would try using the four amplifiers seperately, in a vertical bi-amp mode. For example, if the four channels are Left-A, Left-B, Right-A and Right-B; use the A channel (amp) to drive the woofers, and the B to drive the mid-range/tweeter.

Have fun.

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Perhaps, I've misread what you've suggested, but wouldn't the vertical biamping method you suggested result in the left channel of one amp being matched with the right of another? I can see a vertical biamp if he were using two separate amplifiers, but not with the 4 channel he has.

Also, I'll use this as an opprotunity to ask why you prefer to vertically biamp rather than horizontal. At first blush, I would think a horizntal approach would result in the sondstage being better defined in addition to having one amp dedicated to the heavy current demands of the bass drivers.

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Guest Nigel

>Perhaps, I've misread what you've suggested, but wouldn't the

>vertical biamping method you suggested result in the left

>channel of one amp being matched with the right of another? I

>can see a vertical biamp if he were using two separate

>amplifiers, but not with the 4 channel he has.

Basically, I am suggesting that it might work better with the four amplifiers operating seperately, one driving the woofers in one speaker, another driving the upper range of the same speaker, and so forth. The reason is to increase the impedance that each amplifier sees.

>Also, I'll use this as an opprotunity to ask why you prefer to

>vertically biamp rather than horizontal. At first blush, I

>would think a horizntal approach would result in the sondstage

>being better defined in addition to having one amp dedicated

>to the heavy current demands of the bass drivers.

If you have two matched amplifiers you have a choice, if not..... A reason to vertically bi-amp is to reduce the low frequency amperage required of the amplifier's power supply. Many low frequency notes have little or no phase seperation, and thus when horizontally bi-amped, the power supply must provide twice as much current as is needed for vertical bi-amping. With most music, there is not a great deal of power in the upper frequency rnages.

I can only suggest that you experiment, and decide which works better for you. It is likely that there will not be a detectable difference.

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Second the motion on vertical, as opposed to horizontal bi-amping. We tried a pair of Adcom 555II's in both configurations, and the vertical set-up was much more pleasing driving the AR-9. I'm not sure why, but the amplifiers seemed to run cooler, too.

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