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Bi-wiring and bi-amping loudspeakers

BEFORE YOU START

WARNING

: Do not make any connections to your amplifier while 

it is switched on or connected to the mains supply. 

Before switching on please check all connections thoroughly, making 
sure bare wires or cables are not touching the amplifier in the wrong 
places (which could cause short circuits) and you have connected 
positive (

+

) to positive and negative (

) to negative.

Always ensure that the volume control on your amplifier is set to 
minimum before starting these procedures.

BI-WIRING YOUR LOUDSPEAKERS

Bi-wiring improves the sound of your system because it divides the 
high and low frequency signal currents into separate speaker cables. 
This avoids signal distortions arising from the high and low frequency 
currents  interacting  with  one  another  within  a  single  cable,  as  in 
conventionally wired systems.

You will need:

Speakers – with four input terminals each: these will be marked 

HF

 

(High Frequency) and 

LF

 (Low Frequency).

Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker (which may 
be joined at the amplifier end if your amplifier has only one pair of 
output terminals per channel). Or, a suitably terminated cable set (a 
loom, probably prepared by your dealer and capable of being used for 
bi-wiring in one length).

How to bi-wire loudspeakers

1.  Remove the terminal links on the rear of your loudspeakers.

 

WARNING

:  This  step  is  essential  or  damage  to  your 

amplifier may result which is not covered under warranty.

2.  Connect  the  cables  as  shown  in  the  diagram  below,  ensuring 

correct polarity at all times.

BI-AMPING YOUR SYSTEM

The performance of your system can be further enhanced over that 
achieved with bi-wiring, by extending the principle one stage further 
to include separate amplification for the low and high frequency drive 
units in each loudspeaker enclosure.

Connect the integrated amplifier to the high frequency (

HF

) terminals 

and connect the power amplifier to the low frequency (

LF

) terminals.

You will need:

Speakers – with four input terminals each (as with bi-wiring): these will 
be marked 

HF

 (High Frequency) and 

LF

 (Low Frequency).

Two amplifiers – one of these would be the A32 and the other an 
Arcam power amplifier (e.g. P35).

Loudspeaker cables – two pairs of cables per loudspeaker or a suitably 
terminated cable set (a loom, probably prepared by your dealer and 
capable of being used for bi-amping in one length). 

Interconnect cables – one pair of high quality interconnect cables.

How to set up a bi-amped system

1.  Remove the terminal links on the rear of your loudspeakers.

 

WARNING

:  This  step  is  essential  or  damage  to  your 

amplifier may result which is not covered under warranty.

2.  Connect  the  cables  as  shown  in  the  diagram  below,  ensuring 

correct polarity at all times.

3.  Use the interconnect cables to connect the 

PRE OUT

 sockets of 

the A32 to the corresponding 

AUDIO IN

 sockets of the power 

amplifier.

Bi-wiring using one set of connections on amplifier

Recommended bi-amping configuration

Arcam A32 amplifier

R

L

Right
speaker

HF

LF

+

+

+

HF

LF

+

+

+

Left
speaker

R

L

Arcam P35 power amplifier

+

+

R

L

+

+

Right

speaker

HF

LF

+

+

HF

LF

+

+

Left
speaker

Arcam A32 amplifier

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