400watt amp @ 400watts VS 800watt amp @ 400watts

SkinnyBoy · 25th April 2004, 02:32 PM

which one will have less distortion, or generally sound better.... also, I am talking about car amplifiers here, so neither is going to be particularly audiophile quality

li_gangyi · 25th April 2004, 02:36 PM

well I think you have to rephrase ur question a bit 400W out with 400W in (power Supply) or 400W amp doing 400W?? lol if it's was the 2nd question (400 or 800W amp doing 400W) I would try the 800W...more headroom...less chance of clipping doesn't matter if ur speakers are only rated 300W or something...

Flemming J P · 25th April 2004, 02:39 PM

The 800 watts because the 400 watt amp will only do 300-350 in the real world.

Driving a amp close to it's max rating is dangerous for your speakers as it will be close to clipping or clipping.

The power supply in the 800 watts should be bigger than the one in the 400 watt, so doing "only" 400 watt the supply in the 800 wouldn't be very stressed, where as the 400 watt would be doing max.

However if they are both build very well, there won't be much difference but they would be very expensive.

I would go for the 800 watts.

SkinnyBoy · 25th April 2004, 02:51 PM

fairly obviously I was talking about output power..... and this isn't me looking for an amp, its me just getting into arguements again

and lets say I was playing sinewaves..... swinging the same output voltage on both amps........ would the 800watt amp have less distortion still?? so neither amp would be clipping as it would just be a constant voltage...

Flemming J P · 25th April 2004, 04:23 PM

Using the LM3886 datasheet as template, then THD is lowest at max output, but in real life this isn't very important compared to the first few watt which is gonna be used more than the last few watts.

So in you sinewave test I would guess that the 400 watt amp would have less THD than the 800 watt one would.

This is only based on the LM3886 Datasheet, so don't count on it.

SkinnyBoy · 25th April 2004, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flemming J P
Using the LM3886 datasheet as template, then THD is lowest at max output, but in real life this isn't very important compared to the first few watt which is gonna be used more than the last few watts.

So in you sinewave test I would guess that the 400 watt amp would have less THD than the 800 watt one would.

This is only based on the LM3886 Datasheet, so don't count on it.

yeah, that'd be right... there goes my arguement.... lol

25th April 2004, 02:32 PM	#1
SkinnyBoy Banned Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Adelaide, Australia	400watt amp @ 400watts VS 800watt amp @ 400watts which one will have less distortion, or generally sound better.... also, I am talking about car amplifiers here, so neither is going to be particularly audiophile quality

25th April 2004, 02:36 PM	#2
li_gangyi diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Woodlands Circle	well I think you have to rephrase ur question a bit 400W out with 400W in (power Supply) or 400W amp doing 400W?? lol if it's was the 2nd question (400 or 800W amp doing 400W) I would try the 800W...more headroom...less chance of clipping doesn't matter if ur speakers are only rated 300W or something... __________________ Kids in the back seat cause accidents...Accidents in the back seat cause kids...

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25th April 2004, 02:39 PM	#3
Flemming J P diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Sweden	The 800 watts because the 400 watt amp will only do 300-350 in the real world. Driving a amp close to it's max rating is dangerous for your speakers as it will be close to clipping or clipping. The power supply in the 800 watts should be bigger than the one in the 400 watt, so doing "only" 400 watt the supply in the 800 wouldn't be very stressed, where as the 400 watt would be doing max. However if they are both build very well, there won't be much difference but they would be very expensive. I would go for the 800 watts.

25th April 2004, 02:51 PM	#4
SkinnyBoy Banned Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Adelaide, Australia	fairly obviously I was talking about output power..... and this isn't me looking for an amp, its me just getting into arguements again and lets say I was playing sinewaves..... swinging the same output voltage on both amps........ would the 800watt amp have less distortion still?? so neither amp would be clipping as it would just be a constant voltage...

25th April 2004, 04:23 PM	#5
Flemming J P diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Sweden	Using the LM3886 datasheet as template, then THD is lowest at max output, but in real life this isn't very important compared to the first few watt which is gonna be used more than the last few watts. So in you sinewave test I would guess that the 400 watt amp would have less THD than the 800 watt one would. This is only based on the LM3886 Datasheet, so don't count on it.

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