Pushing speakers as far as they can go.

zombiemusic · 11-07-2009, 02:00 AM

Ok, I was wondering if someone can confirm my suspicions. I currently have a new Cambridge Audio Azur 640 v2, Phase Linear 4000, a Harman Kardon Citation Sixteen amp, and a pair of Monitor 50s. The restored gear made the speakers really sing, it change their sound, and made them louder. I recently added another Citation Sixteen amp, so now I am bi-amping them. Again this really changed their sound, everything has gotten even more detailed, and it has actually really deap lows, but they didn't get any louder. I am guessing that I am pushing the speakers to their absolute limit now. I am planning on getting a pair of cherry rti a9...someday, and switching my amps into 500 watt monoblocks (a feature of the Citations).

I am assuming that when I do get those speakers that the rti a9 will sound better, but they will also blow the monitor away volume wise, since they are able to push more air with more and bigger drivers.

Am I correct in this thinking?

cnh · 11-07-2009, 02:10 AM

ABSOLUTELY,

I had a similar experience with the M70s....man did they sound better with separate power running through them..I own a set of TSI-300s, similar to your M50s and I ran them off the same equipment. The M70s were definitely louder and put out more bass, etc.

There is not doubt that the A9s will blast your M50s out the door. And blow out the low end on my M70s...

Go for it....you won't regret it!

cnh

Ern Dog · 11-07-2009, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zombiemusic

Ok, I was wondering if someone can confirm my suspicions. I currently have a new Cambridge Audio Azur 640 v2, Phase Linear 4000, a Harman Kardon Citation Sixteen amp, and a pair of Monitor 50s. The restored gear made the speakers really sing, it change their sound, and made them louder. I recently added another Citation Sixteen amp, so now I am bi-amping them. Again this really changed their sound, everything has gotten even more detailed, and it has actually really deap lows, but they didn't get any louder. I am guessing that I am pushing the speakers to their absolute limit now. I am planning on getting a pair of cherry rti a9...someday, and switching my amps into 500 watt monoblocks (a feature of the Citations).

I am assuming that when I do get those speakers that the rti a9 will sound better, but they will also blow the monitor away volume wise, since they are able to push more air with more and bigger drivers.

Am I correct in this thinking?

I started out with Monitor 70's and upgraded to Rti10's. It was a night and day difference between the two speakers. You get more of everything- cleaner and deeper bass, better mids, more detailed highs. You're gonna blow your ears out!

danz1906 · 11-07-2009, 09:46 AM

The A9s with 500w on them will sound great.

mhardy6647 · 11-07-2009, 09:49 AM

going from a single stereo amp to bridged mono amps presumably doubles the power. Doubling of power could only get you, at best, 3 dB more SPL (all other things being equal); not really a very substantial difference.

tonyb · 11-07-2009, 09:57 AM

Am I the only one that see's a red flag here ?

Glad your enjoying your speakers, but as Clint Eastwood used to say,"A man's got to know his limitations" Throwing all that juice into these speakers and trying to find out how loud they will go can result in some blown up speakers. Be careful with that volume knob. The amps are more so for SQ than loudness.

Montoya · 11-07-2009, 10:27 AM

Your driver control will be increased which should bring more sound quality to the table deeper bass, faster mid range, and more detailed tweeter. You might get more audible background noise using the bridge mode usually the noise floor and a few other factors in the amps properties are changed when bridged.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhardy6647

going from a single stereo amp to bridged mono amps presumably doubles the power. Doubling of power could only get you, at best, 3 dB more SPL (all other things being equal); not really a very substantial difference.

McLoki · 11-07-2009, 10:43 AM

You will know right away when you hit your speaker limits as the soundstage will just start to collapse.

If you turn it up and it does not really get any louder - that is more indicative of your amp running out of steam.

Michael

zombiemusic · 11-07-2009, 11:08 AM

Thanks guys. Yeah I am very aware of how much juice and what type of music I am playing through them. I know that it is more than what they can handle. The citations have a LED meter that displays their wattage output. I haven't pushed them to the limit, because I am afraid of blowing everything up. I can not wait to get the rti a9 and see what it is all made out of.

zombiemusic · 11-07-2009, 11:09 AM

But the sound quality is night and day with the additional amp on the monitor 50s.

Zoomzilla · 11-07-2009, 02:50 PM

You cannot hear distortion that can ruin your speakers. When you finally DO hear the distortion, it's too late at that point.

11-07-2009, 02:00 AM	#1
zombiemusic Polkster Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 60	Pushing speakers as far as they can go. Ok, I was wondering if someone can confirm my suspicions. I currently have a new Cambridge Audio Azur 640 v2, Phase Linear 4000, a Harman Kardon Citation Sixteen amp, and a pair of Monitor 50s. The restored gear made the speakers really sing, it change their sound, and made them louder. I recently added another Citation Sixteen amp, so now I am bi-amping them. Again this really changed their sound, everything has gotten even more detailed, and it has actually really deap lows, but they didn't get any louder. I am guessing that I am pushing the speakers to their absolute limit now. I am planning on getting a pair of cherry rti a9...someday, and switching my amps into 500 watt monoblocks (a feature of the Citations). I am assuming that when I do get those speakers that the rti a9 will sound better, but they will also blow the monitor away volume wise, since they are able to push more air with more and bigger drivers. Am I correct in this thinking?

11-07-2009, 09:46 AM	#4
danz1906 Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Richton Park,IL. Posts: 2,443	The A9s with 500w on them will sound great. __________________ Linn AV5140 fronts Linn AV5120 Center Polk RT55i Rears M&K VX-70 Sub for Music Odyssey Mono-Blocs S.E. SVS PB-13-Ultra

11-07-2009, 09:49 AM	#5
mhardy6647 Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: New England Posts: 2,606	going from a single stereo amp to bridged mono amps presumably doubles the power. Doubling of power could only get you, at best, 3 dB more SPL (all other things being equal); not really a very substantial difference. __________________ all the best, mrh

11-07-2009, 10:43 AM	#8
McLoki Polk Expert Member Sales Rating: (5) Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 4,813	You will know right away when you hit your speaker limits as the soundstage will just start to collapse. If you turn it up and it does not really get any louder - that is more indicative of your amp running out of steam. Michael __________________ Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry) Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded) Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded) Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune) Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps) Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)

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11-07-2009, 02:10 AM	#2
cnh Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Beijing China Posts: 2,534	ABSOLUTELY, I had a similar experience with the M70s....man did they sound better with separate power running through them..I own a set of TSI-300s, similar to your M50s and I ran them off the same equipment. The M70s were definitely louder and put out more bass, etc. There is not doubt that the A9s will blast your M50s out the door. And blow out the low end on my M70s... Go for it....you won't regret it! cnh

11-07-2009, 09:57 AM	#6
tonyb Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (1) Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: chicago Posts: 3,352	Am I the only one that see's a red flag here ? Glad your enjoying your speakers, but as Clint Eastwood used to say,"A man's got to know his limitations" Throwing all that juice into these speakers and trying to find out how loud they will go can result in some blown up speakers. Be careful with that volume knob. The amps are more so for SQ than loudness.

11-07-2009, 11:08 AM	#9
zombiemusic Polkster Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 60	Thanks guys. Yeah I am very aware of how much juice and what type of music I am playing through them. I know that it is more than what they can handle. The citations have a LED meter that displays their wattage output. I haven't pushed them to the limit, because I am afraid of blowing everything up. I can not wait to get the rti a9 and see what it is all made out of.

11-07-2009, 11:09 AM	#10
zombiemusic Polkster Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 60	But the sound quality is night and day with the additional amp on the monitor 50s.

11-07-2009, 02:50 PM	#11
Zoomzilla Polkster Member Sales Rating: (0) Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 53	You cannot hear distortion that can ruin your speakers. When you finally DO hear the distortion, it's too late at that point.

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