Class A Watts ?
- Thread starter luxmaster
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As an amplifier, or as a space heater?
the skipper
Professional Curmudgeon
A watt is a watt.
the skipper
Professional Curmudgeon
They think it sounds better. Does it? We can't answer that for you.
Because they can.
So is a Class AB amp. Or a Class D amp.
The power going to a particular pair of speakers at a particular volume is the same regardless of class.
The efficiency (sensitivity) of a speaker is irrespective of the power source.
Class A amps provide higher linearity and less crossover distortion. It is hard to know if you can hear the difference between and A and AB amp, since when comparing one to the other, since there are other variables which can also play a role in the sound of one amp vs another. That said, there are certainly users who feel strongly that Class A amps sound better than Class AB amps, all other things be equal.
For them, the expense and heat are worth it.
So, while the quality of the signal may be better from one amp vs another, the power going to the speakers is the same regardless of amp (assuming no clipping).
The power going to a particular pair of speakers at a particular volume is the same regardless of class.
The efficiency (sensitivity) of a speaker is irrespective of the power source.
Class A amps provide higher linearity and less crossover distortion. It is hard to know if you can hear the difference between and A and AB amp, since when comparing one to the other, since there are other variables which can also play a role in the sound of one amp vs another. That said, there are certainly users who feel strongly that Class A amps sound better than Class AB amps, all other things be equal.
For them, the expense and heat are worth it.
So, while the quality of the signal may be better from one amp vs another, the power going to the speakers is the same regardless of amp (assuming no clipping).
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luxmaster
Super Member
I still don't understand why someone would choose a Class A over AB then. For an example if someone was giving away a free amp and you had to choose between a Luxman M02 or a Luxman M05, which one would you choose? The M02 has 140watts a side and the M05 has a 100 in class A
The one with the highest resale value.
luxmaster
Super Member
Haha. I should have knownThe one with the highest resale value.
luxmaster
Super Member
That answer I was looking for. The quality of the signal might be better to some listeners even though they are getting the same power.
Yes. Simply, people buy a Class A amp over an AB amp for the same reason that others would choose a better AB amp vs a lesser AB amp...to get better sound.
And to be clear...it is certainly not the case that all Class A amps are better than all AB amps. For example, I have an old British Fidelity (Musical Fidelity) A100, heavily biased into Class A. While it can be fun to listen to, it is pretty far from accurate, and not nearly in the same "class" as some of my better AB amps.
There is nothing magical about them (although the simpler circuit does have some real advantages...and disadvantages). All it takes is a stout (ie expensive) power supply, stout outputs and a lot of heat sinking (again, expensive). And if it is a high-power amp, fans.
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luxmaster
Super Member
After reading all this I am actually very content with my ab amp after all. I have just always wondered what a class A amp would sound like if there really is a difference. But it just comes down to the design of the amp rather if its class A or AB that will determine the amps sound signature
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I would expect the best Class A amp to produce a "better" signal than the best Class AB amp. But I would also expect the difference between them to be much, much less than, say, the difference between one pair of speakers and another.
Yamaha makes (made?) some amps with the switchable ability to keep the first 5-20 watts in Class A. For example, I have an A-1000 integrated amp with this capability. Sometimes I think I can tell a sonic difference, sometimes not. But the additional heat is unmistakable!
On that note, the little A100 amp I mentioned is designed so that the entire top panel of the case is an extension of the heat sink upon which the outputs are mounted. In addition, it has two fans which run all the time! It is rated at only 50 watts.
Yamaha makes (made?) some amps with the switchable ability to keep the first 5-20 watts in Class A. For example, I have an A-1000 integrated amp with this capability. Sometimes I think I can tell a sonic difference, sometimes not. But the additional heat is unmistakable!
On that note, the little A100 amp I mentioned is designed so that the entire top panel of the case is an extension of the heat sink upon which the outputs are mounted. In addition, it has two fans which run all the time! It is rated at only 50 watts.
