PA amps

[Nirky]

Are there any shortcomings using a public address amplifier as a hi-fidelity amplifier?

I have an eye on such an amp, but wonder if it will reproduce hi-fi sound well, as they weren't designed and made to do as such. Say, for instance, Bogen, a well-known amp in both high fidelity & PA circles...would a Bogen PA amp reproduce faithfully, or might it have limited dynamic range, say, because it's output transformer wasn't designed to go too low or high?

 

[GordonW]

Many PA amps do indeed have limited-bandwidth output transformers... but for the most part, Bogen amps used pretty high-quality, high-bandwidth transformers, so their performance in the bottom and top octaves is better than most PA amps of similar ilk.

Of course, it's probably not going to out-perform a HK Citation 2 or Eico HF22 in bandwidth, but it's probably as good or better than most of the Magnavox amps that many of us restore... that's probably a good ballpark expectation.

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[Steve-H]

Well, we will see. I just picked up a pair of RCA 807 PPP PA amps. They haven't arrived yet; but you can read more here:

http://www.montagar.com/~PATJ/mi12188a.htm