Hello all,
IS the Juice worth the squeeze? I have a home desk setup with the Saja A20a 2022 monoblock setup ( inline XLR Fmod Hp Filters >100hz to each block) running a few speakers on a toggle switch set up. it was set up like from the get go and didnt even try them in stereo mode. I am happy with that set up this far.
My question is for my Work Desk set up.
Set Up
I have a pair od Q aquistics 3020, they are currently being power by a SMSL D300 to single A300 amp in stereo mode. I use the D300 for volume contol,splitting the rca out to a Kant sub 8 (inline Fmod LP filter <100hz) and to the A300 (inline Fmod HP filter >100hz).
The D300 balanced output goes to my Lake people G109 Headphone amp (balanced/full signal).
PS.
Kanto Sub8 has a Low pass filter on the back, but has a habbit of still playing lower vocals so the Fmod LP puts a stop to that.
A300 also has a Lp filter in the settings, but its 50hz which is abit low for the 3020 and with the Fmod Hp 100hz inline filter coming from the Dac would mess with sub output anyhow coming out the A300.
Question.
With the smaller Q3020 speakers is there any benifit in the real world in adding a second A300 in a bridged mono block setup. its only $199 for a second amp and about 30s to implement.
i have room to put the 2 A300 side by side with the D300 on top to keep the clean look.
now just because it can be done donsent meen it should. i have loads of head room on the single amp set up. will the mono set up impove dynamics and all the, or am i just pissing money away…
here a couple to pic to show set up.
thanks for the imput in advance.
home mono stet up
The work set set up in question
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I don’t know the answer to your question as I’m not a two channel expert and, while I have a monoblock setup, I also have a regular stereo setup that uses similar calibre gear and does just fine in my book. I mostly did the monoblock thing because I wanted to try it out and because it sounded cool lol! 
I’ll leave others yo give their opinions on that, but I saw your pics and felt compelled to drop a comment commending how clean your setup and cable management is. Nicely done!
The cable managment was just a fluke, all the cables where the right length, havent even starting to route and tie yet… but dont think it will take much… i went from zero to three set ups in a couple of weeks so all the cables where order bespoke instead of using what i had.
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Man, I wish my cables would work put like that as a fluke. I had to put some work into getting mine clean and organized. Either way, your setup with the three pairs running of the switch at your desk looks clean for sure. If you don’t mind me asking a question, are you finding that you’ve managed to get a good center image from each pair so that the sweet spot is on you at your chair no matter which pair you’re using?
They gradualy toe in more each step out you go so yes. I really happy with the set up, wife not so much… it also changes the the depth of the center stage, but thats more the flavour speaker i think.
I could see the increased toe in, I was just wondering if it was effective or if you found the speakers to the inside interfering with sharpening the center image or focusing the sweet spot. The wife may not be thrilled, but the fact that it’s still there means she isn’t too burnt. 
Very nice!
After thinking about your initial question a bit more I think the benefits from using a monoblock setup are mostly going to come down to whether or not those 3020s need dedicated driving power and whether they will reveal things like staging differences between a monoblock and standard stereo rig. I haven’t heard them, but just from looking at the specs I’m guessing you won’t hear much of a difference.
Well basically you can test it in real world (with one speaker in mono). Test the amp in BTL mode vs. normal L/R channel mode.
Baseline:
Connect only one speaker using Left or Right channel and play some test music or track in mono.
How does the sound with lets say with 75 SPL or db. The level of volume needs to be set to something to match BTL test. Real world levels and not just amp volume nub turning. Then listen some tracks while you phase/look at the speaker directly.
Then after some listening.
Change the same speaker to BTL mode from amp and play the same tracks as before and in mono.
Match the SPL or db reading to 75.
Sure you can play with the volume like 80, 85, 90 etc but just remember to match it.
Is there a real world difference in sound?
Regular channel vs. BTL more in sound playing with same volume. Tonality wise.
Sure you should get more volume or db’s but do you really need the extra power or would you use the extra power?
It’s bit pointless in my mind if you have would have 1000watts in reserve but you use only 60watts like 96% of the time and it sounds the same. 
Edit:
So it would be 2x 165W @ 4Ω
2x 85W @ 8Ω
BTL Mode : 1x 330W @ 4-8Ω
So in db world. If the speakers could handle 100db in loudness, with double the power. It would be 103db in the rule of thumb if they wont break.
So with the added second amp the overall probably would be near ~5-8db more.
Again. If you play them 96% of the time in same volume that i single amp would do “normal volumes” and the sound does not really change. What would the point be to amp up? Specially with D-class amp.
There probably aint distortion or sound muffling and such even with single amp.
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That was a very full answer, thanks for taking the time… i will play around and see how it all feals in btl ect… maybe the effort and money would be better put towards other things, like a pair of argon 60’s headphones, hmmmm… im only at about 50% gain on amp where those speakers are at there sweet spot (roughtly 90db, just cell phone measur3d avg) and thats plenty loud at near field listening or even in that small room/ wheelhouse they are in…
Very nice advice/answer! Also, great idea to test one speaker in mono. That should give someone a taste ofbwhat they’d be looking at. I’m actually a bit embarrassed that the idea never occured to me when I was considering my options and going monoblock a couple years ago. I love seeing people be helpful and give answers like that. 
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