I have recently switched to bi-amp mode of the RA180. I find the cross-over feature confusing, but it might just be my speakers crossover between the bass and mid-high being at 350hz. I think the RA180 crossover starts at 600Hz.
Am I correct to assume that enabling the crossover would essentially filter out everything between 350-600hz, making it unusable for my speakers (B&W 804S)? I cannot seem to find any speakers that this would work with.
@GingerBeard
You’re correct in observing that the RA180’s built-in crossover feature activates a high-pass and low-pass filter around 600Hz. When the crossover is enabled in bi-amp mode, it sends low-frequency signals (below 600Hz) to the low-frequency amplifier section and high-frequency signals (above 600Hz) to the high-frequency amplifier section.
In your case, since your B&W 804S speakers have a crossover point around 350Hz between the bass and mid-high drivers, enabling the RA180 crossover at 600Hz could indeed result in a gap or misalignment in frequency reproduction between 350Hz and 600Hz. This may affect the tonal balance and overall performance of your speakers.
For best results, we generally recommend using the crossover function with speaker systems that are designed to accept external bi-amping with crossover points closer to 600Hz, or using full-range bi-amping without the crossover feature enabled, allowing the speakers’ internal crossover networks to function as intended.
Thank you for the response and explanation.
Can you give me some examples of speakers that Hifi Rose recommends with a crossover around 600hz?
While HiFi ROSE does not officially endorse specific speaker models, here are a few types and examples that are generally compatible with this configuration:
Studio monitors or professional-grade speakers with clearly defined crossover specs, such as ATC SCM100ASL (in active setups with matching external filters).
We recommend checking with the speaker manufacturer or consulting the technical specifications to confirm whether the internal crossover point is close to 600Hz and whether external bi-amping is supported.