Antileon bias question

[Davidz]

I am considering the purchase of an Antileon, and I have perused the operations manual. The 3 buttons on the front appear to provide the useful function of changing bias from L, M and H. However, I'm a little puzzled by this comment in the owner's manual:

Bias may be adjusted with the Antileon turned on. However, we recommende that bias adjustment be made once and for all during initial installation.

What does "initial installation" mean? When you first turn it on after purchase? When you first turn on the master power? When you turn it on from standby? Why is any of the foregoing preferable to adjusting bias while it is on? Just curious what current owners do. Thanks. -- David

 

[LL21]

Hi David,

Having now owned the original Antileon, Colosseum and now Mephisto, I dont think it is as rigid as you are concerned about. What I can say is that dthis appears to be a comment recommending two things:

1. Set it and forget it. Mainly because I think they are suggesting that you get the amp right for your requirements (ie, if you have 100db efficient speakers you may very well be utilizing a teeny amount of the Antileon...so Lo Bias could well be fine. On the other hand, if you are in a big room with 85 db speakers, then crank the High Bias...but then just leave it in High so you are getting the best performance out of something you have already invested a lot of money and time into
2. Plus, while you can switch from time to time if you wish, you are effectively doing the equivalent of cooling down, heating up, cooling down...each time you press one of the bias buttons. I have never personally been particularly comfortable 'stressing the system' that way.

As for WHEN you can swtich, I think you can do it in the middle of listening to music, and that is fine. In fact, with the system OFF, I actually dont think you can change it because all of the lights are off...the unit simply turns on to the last bias setting you had.

 

[Davidz]

Thanks....interesting take. Some reviewers have described using the bias buttons sort of like tone controls -- i.e., choosing the one most compatible with the music. Others refer to the ability to use the lower bias settings as a way to keep the amp warm while not doing critical listening, to incur less heat and power draw. My own "bias" is closer to yours -- a "set it and forget it" approach to me is the most appealing.

 

[LL21]

Yes, in fact, I have specifically heard some people prefer heavy metal with lower bias because it is more raw sounding. To me, that feels intuitively incorrect. I prefer to hear it with Class A...I actually do prefer heavy metal thru High Bias. But in addition to the personal preference, I also feel if every other kind of music sounds better with High Bias, then it stands to reason that what we are hearing from Metallica or someone else thru High Bias is also more truthful, better, whatever...in comparison with Medium or Low Bias.