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05/19/13 at 13:56:35

Forums › OLDER DECWARE GEAR SUPPORT › SE84C+

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Mono operation (Read 3943 times)

Lord Grumble

Verified Member

Always grumbling
about something but
so gently

Posts: 6

Re: Mono operation
Reply #15 - 09/01/12 at 05:25:23

You are quite right and I intend to do that. It was a rhetorical question.

But I am also wondering how exactly I should use my second SE84C+ : each as a mono-block, which implies some manipulations, or bi-amping which implies more runs of speaker cables. For some reason, I already have too much cable behind my system. Adding more does not seem a good idea but changing a stereo amp into a mono block is not easy (at least for me, who have already difficulties with a screwdriver

).

But I will try and find the solution that suits me best.

Thank you for the advice.

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Steve Deckert

Administrator

If the 1st watt
sucks why continue?

Posts: 2217

Re: Mono operation
Reply #16 - 09/01/12 at 06:17:16

If you have 8 ohm speakers, bridging the zen will make the amp see 4 ohms which it REALLY likes, hence you will have more weight and control.

The neat thing about bi-amping the speakers is that you can then use the volume control on each amp to effectively control the highs and lows. If a song comes on that is too thin sounding, you turn down the amp on the highs or turn up the amp on the lows. It's a nice way to respond to the different frequency balance in various recordings.

Triangle are a bit bright as I remember, but at 92dB or less they would probably sound the BEST if you simply mono'd the amp.

Using a simple radioshack Y-cable is fine for now. It's so short it can't kill the deal completely and you'll still have good enough sound for a few months minimum until everything dials in at which point you can then explore better options... One is to solder the two inputs together or have us do it. The other is to have me make you a pair of silver/teflon Y-cables. The output is easy to bridge with a simple piece of 16 gauge stranded copper wire hooked between the positive post of one channel to the negative post on the other channel. The remaining two posts will power the loudspeaker.

Steve

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Lord Grumble

Verified Member

Always grumbling
about something but
so gently

Posts: 6

Re: Mono operation
Reply #17 - 09/01/12 at 20:42:28

Thank you for the advice, Steve.

That is the next step in my discovery of your amps. I have already bought the Y-cables (though not at Radio-Shack...).

You suggest 16 gauge wire for the bridge. Is it important to use the same gauge as the one I use to "power" my loudspeakers? I went a little overboard with those cables and use 10 gauge wire.

Sorry if that sounds silly to you, but it's actually more of a hobby to me than a full time job. I am kind of new to this (and I still find it fun)

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Steve Deckert Administrator If the 1st watt sucks why continue? Posts: 2217	Re: Mono operation Reply #18 - 09/03/12 at 02:28:18 16 gauge is the minimum thickness.
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Lord Grumble

Verified Member

Always grumbling
about something but
so gently

Posts: 6

Re: Mono operation
Reply #19 - 09/06/12 at 02:24:47

OK I've obtained Y-connectors and I have actually bridged both my SE84C+ in mono and, guess what, it works... up to a point. The Y-connectors are so cheap that one of them is actually half-functionning. I get half the sound... in one speaker. I alternated Y-connectors, and it is really the connector that is at fault. I'll get another one during the week-end.

Steve, you offered to build me a pair of silver/teflon Y-cables. Would it be possible to have a pair of such cables about 2 and a half feet to 3 feet long, with two male RCA connectors at one end (the amplifier end) and one male RCA connector at the other end (the end of the pre-amp)? And how much would that cost? I cannot seem to find the info on the website.

Thank you for the suggestion.

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