Anyone remember... ?

[MatthewS]

Back in the 90's the latest design rage for several companies was to build a discrete amplifier stage, couple it with an output transformer, and NO form of step-up power supply in sight. I actually owned a Rockwood that did it and I made a bridging module and the damn thing actually put out some power using that 12 volts supply

Anyone have any information on this topology? I remember seeing it in several amplifiers around the same time so I'm guessing some company produced the design and rebadged it for manu's. The sound quality was decent, and so was the power output. IIRC it used '2S' series parts for the outputs and with no load you could hear the music in the coupling transformers. At the time I didn't know much about the whole deal and assumed they actually stepped up the output in the transformers much like a SMPS/PWN steps up supply voltage.

Really neat though, would love to see some designs. Anyone?

- Matt