Your thoughts please...

Shizelbs
Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
edited February 2007 in Electronics
Here is the idea I am toying with at the moment.

Changing out my Sunfire 250w/ch to two Classe CA-100s switched to mono running at 350w/ch to power my Carver Amazings?

Your thoughts please.
Post edited by Shizelbs on
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Comments

  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited February 2007
    You'd have to hear it first before pulling the trigger. You may lose fidelity by bridging the amps.
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,020
    edited February 2007
    Running the Classe's in mono will get you more noise most likely.Those Carvers can and will soak up as much juice as you can throw at em.You looking for a different sound or do you feel they are underpowered by the Sunfire? Used to have an old classe with some monitor 5's and really liked the sound.Lets hear about it when it happens,good luck.
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited February 2007
    I just want to throw more power at them. The prospect of two Classe CA-100s bridged is an affordable one for me at the moment. The one time I heard Classe electronics I was very impressed.
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited February 2007
    tonyb wrote:
    Running the Classe's in mono will get you more noise most likely.

    When you say noise do you mean louder volume or noise in the sense of signal to noise ratio type of noise?
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited February 2007
    Bridging typically doesn't change the noise spec- the THD specs tend to LOOK higher, but that's just because they tend to run the amps harder to get the highest number possible. For a given wattage of output, bridged mode will actually give you better specs, plus you'll have tons of overhead.

    As long as you've got the space and plenty of airflow, I don't see any problems.
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited February 2007
    Is there any change in the general sound qualities and character to the amp when you bridge it? In general.
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited February 2007
    One issue when bridging amplifiers is they don't like low impedance loads.You are probably ok with an 8 ohm speaker but 4ohms and below may be problematic.
    Testing
    Testing
    Testing
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited February 2007
    I believe the Classe is rated to deliver mono into 4 ohms and the Amazings are 6 ohm nominal IIRC.

    As for sound quality in bridged mode, with Classe you're gonna be fine. Some manufactures will pay a lot more attention matching transistors within a channel and just accept that there will be variance between channels. When you go to bridge, this does cause issues. However, with your high-end brands, they pay attention to that sort of detail.

    A lot high-power monoblocks are just bridged versions of stereo amps from the same line, usually with beefed up power supplies and some more heatsinks.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited February 2007
    Early B. wrote:
    You'd have to hear it first before pulling the trigger. You may lose fidelity by bridging the amps.


    Pffft, where is the fun in that?
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,020
    edited February 2007
    Shizelbs wrote:
    When you say noise do you mean louder volume or noise in the sense of signal to noise ratio type of noise?

    Signal noise,not alot,but might be noticable.The CA100 is towards the bottom end of classe's lineup.My only concern is you will be asking alot from that amp given the speakers you will be driving.The Sunfire is no slouch when it comes to current delivery either.I imagine yuor getting a deal on the Classe's or you have a very generous friend,but for the same price,can you think of another amp that could handle the load ? Or throw out a ballpark figure and we can suggest either another classe or a different brand.From my own personal experience,the smaller Classe's don't fair well bridged,for extended periods of time.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited February 2007
    Well, hoping I could snag around $900 for my Sunfire, I would like to keep the budget for the new amp under $1400 or so.
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  • bradm6406
    bradm6406 Posts: 39
    edited February 2007
    What model is the Sunfire you've got? I'm looking to buy a Sunfire amp for my system. I'm not sure which model is 250w/ch though.

    Brad
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  • Shizelbs
    Shizelbs Posts: 7,433
    edited February 2007
    Symphonic Reference. Let me know what else you want to know about it. Its awesome, I just need a little more power for my hungry speakers.

    Link to more info:

    http://www.sunfire.com/Symphonic_Reference.htm
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  • bradm6406
    bradm6406 Posts: 39
    edited February 2007
    Shoot. I am looking for a 5 channel amp. That does look like a nice amp though.
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  • disneyjoe7
    disneyjoe7 Posts: 11,435
    edited February 2007
    unc2701 wrote:
    A lot high-power monoblocks are just bridged versions of stereo amps from the same line, usually with beefed up power supplies and some more heatsinks.


    That's been my feeling on mono amps, so what's wrong bridging an amp. Nothing IMO.

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