Bi-wiring a NAP 180 with non Naim spkrs

What you want to do is bi-amping not bi-wiring.
Yes do it by pluging your amp's SNAICs in socket 2 and 3 of your hicap.
For the amps to speakers:
Amp1: ch1 goes to left speaker highs, ch2 to right speaker highs.
Amp2: ch1 goes to left speaker lows, ch2 to right speaker lows.
If your 2 180 are not the same age, the newer 180 should be Amp1 (use it for the highs).
Don't forget to remove the links between highs and lows on your speakers binding posts. (sorry if it is obvious for you).

Depending on the speaker you use, it can be a good improvement. This is not the best way to bi-amp, IMO, but the only one you can do yourself. I prefer vertical biamping (one amp per channel), but mods need to be done, ask your dealer for that.

But have you tried a single 250 instead?
If your speakers are not very demanding loads, a single 250 can give better results, and be cheaper.

Emmanuel

All opinions are my own, and reflect those of the organisation i work for, even if not stipulated.

Thank you for the input. I meant bi-amping by the way...

A 250 might be out of my budget. Is it possible to use like a 140 to push the highs instead? As I presume higher frequencies are easier loads than lower frequencies? (Corect me if I am wrong)

Thanks again.

You are right about the easier load on the highs.
BUT, based on almost everyone experience, it sounds better if you use your best amp for the highs.

Emmanuel

All opinions are my own, and reflect those of the organisation i work for, even if not stipulated.

If he sends the single from a 180 direct to the tweeters, won't he like fry them badly? Is not a cross over required at some stage?

Of course!
In my explanation, i suppose the xover stays in-place.
Terence, don't plug the NACA5 directely on the tweeter, only through the cross-over.

Emmanuel

All opinions are my own, and reflect those of the organisation i work for, even if not stipulated.

Manu,

Does that mean I still need a snaxo 2-4 and a hicap to do bi-amping? My understanding earlier is that the NAP 180 wirings connect straight to the spkr's 4 terminals with the jumper cables taken off. That means no crossover (snaxo) in between pre amp, hicap, and pwr amp.

Appreciate your contributions...

In a passive system when you biwire or biamp, you are still using the internal cross-over supplied in the speakers, in your case Sonus Fabers. Thus, the amps are both getting and sending full range signals from the pre-amp, (via the Hi-cap outputs) and the speaker still must divide the input signal for distribution to the drivers. Passive biamping is not meant to substitute an active cross-over for a passive one, it is meant to offer potential gains in powering the speakers, or alternatively, making the amp's job easier. Only those speakers that are intended for active use that Naim has engineered Snaxo cross-overs for are normally candidates for active use, and I don't believe that the Sonus Faber speakers are amoung those.

As noted above, you must remove the linking plates that are supplied with the speakers so that the two positives are no longer electrically joined, as well as the two negative inputs on the speakers. Thus, each Naim amp would be single wired with Naca 5 normally at the amp end, and wired into the speaker as if each amp were only seeing a single wired speaker. The only alteration to this approach is if you were to get a set of appropriately modified Naim Snaics which would allow you to vertically biamp, but that is a more complicated topic.

If you haven't made this change to your system already, you may need to experiment with moving the speakers as a biamped system may alter the tonal balance of your system in very easily audible ways. As noted above, you may do better with qualitative upgrades that are not as obviously additive, such as a better source, or pre-amp, or potentially a NAP 250 could better serve you over the NAP 180. If you have a chance to experiment in your system give biamping a try. In my experience, it often will change things, but may not lead to a more coherent presentation. The hard thing to predict here is that Sonus Faber may be assuming a high power amp, so it possible that biamping will be the most cost effective way for you to achaive that result.

Good luck.

Sorry I didn't realise his speakers allowed this, I thought we were talking about sticking leads direct to speakers.

Mind you I am so stuck in the naim way I think all speakers are made this way!

Definitely use the better amp on the tweeters. I recently expermented with biamping my 3 way Spendors and it is obvious from this why the better amp goes on the tweeter. If you just listen to the bass unit (which on the Spendor crosses over at 600 hz), all you hear is muddled. Most of the detail, even in bass guitar and kickdrum, is in the overtones. Plus, by removing the heavy power requirments from the bass, you let the tweeter amp really sing.

--Eric

Hi bimmer,

Me from Gombak. Where u from? Got equipment from Absolute Hifi's Steven Ho. Great place to hang out too. Cheers!

All opinions are solely my own and not forceful in any nature.