Class of amplifiers

Midnite Mick
Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
edited January 2006 in Electronics
Can somebody explain to me the different classes of amplifiers and what they mean. Still learning. Thank you!
Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
Consonance cd120T
Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
Usher CP 6311

Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
Post edited by Midnite Mick on

Comments

  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    think my Mosfet 5300 is class A, whereas the bi-polar 7300 is class B or class A/B. Heiney's the expert, he'd prob. know.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    aaharvel wrote:
    think my Mosfet 5300 is class A, whereas the bi-polar 7300 is class B or class A/B. Heiney's the expert, he'd prob. know.

    I was thinking of buying the 5300. how is it
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    oh it's great. Smooth, relaxed mosfet sound. I popped the top of mine last weekend and was jawjacked. There's one on e-bay for a stupid $150, so there might be a catch.
    If not well- like I said... just stupid.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    not sure if smooth and relaxed is what i would like. Could it be interpreted as "dead" sounding
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    not really. Dead is dead. I attribute it to warm, laid back, smooth.

    Sounds like you're a fan of the bright, aggressive type sound. What gear do you have?
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    i have just purchased a set of lsi15's and I did like the sound in the audition of them. However, i felt that they weren't being pushed to their potential as in the audition he was just using a higher end hk with no external. They sounded great to me "very real". However, to be honest i felt that the bottoms were lacking a bit, but I felt that I could fill them in later with peripherals and possibly adjust the frequency slightly. But the mids and highs to were perfect.
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    Also he did mention at the time that the audition room didnt seem to be condusive to bass. He added a sub to the sound and it didnt make much difference. So I do believe him
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    well one 5300 would drive 2lsi15s well. 125 high current watts X2. into 4ohms.

    BUT- get two of those f--kers, prob. around $400 total on the bay- and then you're pushing 250x2 on those lsi15's.

    that'd be sweeeeeet!!!!!!
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    Sorry I made a mistake. I was planning on getting the 5303 (3 channel for the front end)
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    whats your thoughts on that?
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    I must be getting tired! 5503
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited January 2006
    Sorry I have to leave. I don't want it to look like I am snubbing a question u might have asked. But I would really like to read what you think later. Thanks AA
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
  • aaharvel
    aaharvel Posts: 4,489
    edited January 2006
    5503 would drive lsi15s well.
    H/K Signature 2.1+235
    Jungson MagicBoat II
    Revel Performa M-20
    Velodyne cht-10 sub
    Rega P1 Turntable

    "People working at Polk Audio must sit around the office and just laugh their balls off reading many of these comments." -Lush
  • scottyf
    scottyf Posts: 129
    edited January 2006
    I don't find the LSi15's to be lacking in bass. They pretty much do it all in my system, though I do have a small room. If you don't mind sticking with two channels, I love my Alta Vista modified Counterpoint SA-12. The unmodified one sounds pretty good to start with. Also, Here's one on EBay

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Counterpoint-SA-12-Tube-Hybrid-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ5859871705QQcategoryZ39783QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    I have put $2500 in mods into mine and feel they elevate the amp to a level I've never owned before. Still, for $400, the stock form is a pretty amazing amp.

    HOME: VPI Classic/Grado Reference Master, EVS-modified Oppo BP83, Bryston DAC, Counterpoint 3000/SA-100 modified by Alta Vista, Polk LSi15


    TRUCK: Pioneer 8600MP, Soundstream 300SX, pr of Xtant 1001i, Autotek SS490.2, Polk SR6500, Polk MMC6500, pr of Polk MM2084DVC
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited January 2006
    aaharvel wrote:
    think my Mosfet 5300 is class A, whereas the bi-polar 7300 is class B or class A/B. Heiney's the expert, he'd prob. know.

    Well thanks for the title aaharvel, but I'm hardly an expert. I just do alot of reading. Both are what would be considered class A/B. Although I suspect because of the properties of Mosfet's (5300) it's probably biased to run in class A a bit longer (perhaps as much as 10-15watts) before switching to A/B. Whereas the bi-polar counter part is more likely in the 5-10 watt range.

    See article for a more indepth explanation

    http://www.1388.com/columnists/jon_faq_amp.htm#21

    Adcom's are very solid pieces and benefit from the simpler is better design perspective. All Adcom's have only 3 gain stages, while most other amps have 5 or more. They don't employ any current limiting circuits, just internal PS DC rail fuses. They have very robust output sections and ample PS to really drive low impedence loads and give lots of headroom.

    As far as Mosfets vs. Bi-polar. I perfer the Bi-polar designs as they seem to be more articulate have a more solid bottom end (lots of control over the drivers). But really the difference is very slight. Bi-polars may show other weakness in you up stream components more so than Mosfets. Really for the cost Adcom's are a very solid choice.

    If you are really interested and have time (or are bored) here is a great link explaining the basic principles of all popular types of amplifiers.

    http://sound.westhost.com/amp-basics.htm

    EDIT: Ignore all the technical/mathematic stuff in the above article. If you are worried about understanding EVERY little thing in the article you might miss the big picture. Just getting a general idea of how current, voltage, ohm and watt relate in the most general sense is all that matters.

    FWIW

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!