I'm not sure if Hi-power amp produce more clearer sound.Maybe, Hi power amps poduce more watt/dB, but not always produce high fidelity. Usually Hi power amp use class B, so the signal not purify.So, i think low power amp using single ended in Class A, produce more detail and clearer. Please describe ur question about"HI"power amp.Is it HI-FI?or Hi-Watt?
What is low level to you?nina said:...particularly at low volume/level of listening ??
I'd say the same as Janneman. I find it more likely to make a more performing amp if I don't have to choose high current and high voltage devices.
Is this your own observation? Maybe the low power amps you have been listening to haven't been too good.
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Joined 2003
nina said:...particularly at low volume/level of listening ?
Says who? And what does this have to do with chip amps?
There are many different amp topologies that a general statement like this just cannot be made. There are 1 watt amps that sound just fantastic, and I'm sure there are 1000W amps that sounds pretty slick as well. Power output has little to do with it. In fact, I might even go as far to say that a high powered amp could not outperform the sound quality of a smaller amp built to be the best sounding possible. A smaller amp would have a shorter signal path, and could be less efficient without running into heat problems.
Since the Voltage rails of the high power amp are at much higher potential therefore it directly effects the SlewRate of high power amp...because SR increase with an increase in supply rail voltage...hence the sound "MAYBE" more clearer than with amp having low supply voltage rails....
K a n w a r
K a n w a r
Yes, i also think that hi power amplifiers sound better in low volumes because they
Are operating in class A when operating low volumes.
And class A, clearly reproduces a better sound than AB amplifiers...with exceptions, of course.
Because there are some bad class A designs and wonderfull class AB designs.
But normally, class A quality is much better.
Other effect is result of speaker overdrive.... take one speaker.... everyone that you have near you.... now install a variable voltage small power supply.... go increasing voltage slowly....you will perceive that many speakers reach their movement limits when you connect 5 volts DC into it's terminals.
So...when you have a very powerfull amplifier, say, 100 watts, you may have 30 volts AC entering the voice coil... the speaker already found their movement limit when AC voltage are increasing from zero to plus 30 volts (if sinusoidal).... the result reproduction of this sinusoidal input audio will be a square wave.... acoustic square wave... distortion.
If not fast realise that.... think about some pencil glued into speaker diafragm and a moving papper sketching the diafragm motion.... this way you will see clearly how speakers can be problematic.
regards,
Carlos
Are operating in class A when operating low volumes.
And class A, clearly reproduces a better sound than AB amplifiers...with exceptions, of course.
Because there are some bad class A designs and wonderfull class AB designs.
But normally, class A quality is much better.
Other effect is result of speaker overdrive.... take one speaker.... everyone that you have near you.... now install a variable voltage small power supply.... go increasing voltage slowly....you will perceive that many speakers reach their movement limits when you connect 5 volts DC into it's terminals.
So...when you have a very powerfull amplifier, say, 100 watts, you may have 30 volts AC entering the voice coil... the speaker already found their movement limit when AC voltage are increasing from zero to plus 30 volts (if sinusoidal).... the result reproduction of this sinusoidal input audio will be a square wave.... acoustic square wave... distortion.
If not fast realise that.... think about some pencil glued into speaker diafragm and a moving papper sketching the diafragm motion.... this way you will see clearly how speakers can be problematic.
regards,
Carlos
I was sketching some to explain the idea
Enormous care and know how are needed to produce speakers.... i think Acoustic is a very hard science, that need deep know how.
Speakers choices must be carefull, and even having expertise, you will face their limitations.
See the image that will try to explain what i mean.
The best of the speakers are the minimum you may desire.
regards,
Carlos
Enormous care and know how are needed to produce speakers.... i think Acoustic is a very hard science, that need deep know how.
Speakers choices must be carefull, and even having expertise, you will face their limitations.
See the image that will try to explain what i mean.
The best of the speakers are the minimum you may desire.
regards,
Carlos
Attachments
crest factor: even at lower volume you will have high peaks and fast transients that may push a small amp into clipping while a larger one can handle with ease.
That'd be my guess. I always "overdesign" the PS. These three watt PC speaker box amps I designed have a PS that could easily do 12W. Even when running at max output, these sound great. Since transistors clip viciously and without warning, I like lots of "headroom".
That'd be my guess. I always "overdesign" the PS. These three watt PC speaker box amps I designed have a PS that could easily do 12W. Even when running at max output, these sound great. Since transistors clip viciously and without warning, I like lots of "headroom".
Very good Miles...perfect explanation
Good to have you in this forum.... a relief to me, to see that we have deep experienced guys.
Please, send me your PC Speaker amplifier schematic.
Dinamic Headroom is a must!
nanabrother@yahoo.com
regards,
Carlos
Good to have you in this forum.... a relief to me, to see that we have deep experienced guys.
Please, send me your PC Speaker amplifier schematic.
Dinamic Headroom is a must!
nanabrother@yahoo.com
regards,
Carlos
Please, send me your PC Speaker amplifier schematic.
I have it Here.
The PS is just a simple +/- supply built from a 24V/2.7A xfmr, with 20000uF filter capacitors and a 100 ohm bleeder resistor per section. That xfmr also is over designed for current, so the DC remains stable with very little residual hum. Even though the actual speakers are nothing special (car stereo replacement "wide range") I can use the sound card graphic equalizer to turn up both the low and high ends. These sound better than expected, and sometimes seem too good, in that I can clearly hear imperfections in carelessly made mp3's and even some early CDs.
I matched the gain to the sound card output, so that you won't blow the speakers and/or finals. The P(c) rating of the finals is 5.0W, and dissipate 4.9W with constant sine wave input for 3.0W into 8.0 ohms.
Still, haven't blown a final yet despite running them "wide open" for hours at a time.
I have it Here.
The PS is just a simple +/- supply built from a 24V/2.7A xfmr, with 20000uF filter capacitors and a 100 ohm bleeder resistor per section. That xfmr also is over designed for current, so the DC remains stable with very little residual hum. Even though the actual speakers are nothing special (car stereo replacement "wide range") I can use the sound card graphic equalizer to turn up both the low and high ends. These sound better than expected, and sometimes seem too good, in that I can clearly hear imperfections in carelessly made mp3's and even some early CDs.
I matched the gain to the sound card output, so that you won't blow the speakers and/or finals. The P(c) rating of the finals is 5.0W, and dissipate 4.9W with constant sine wave input for 3.0W into 8.0 ohms.
Still, haven't blown a final yet despite running them "wide open" for hours at a time.
It seems (to me) difficult to answer the original question. The problem I have is that I don't believe that amplifiers can be lumped easily into categories like high and low power. For example, if I say to you that your Krell KSA-50 is a low powered amp compared with my 100W Digitor car amplifier you would probably take exception to such an unqualified statement, and you would be correct to do so. Of course, the KSA-50 is quite capable of delivering 200 Watts continous duty and both channels driven into a 2 ohm load, albeit in Class AB. My car amp would self destruct if presented with the same load at full output voltage.
Perhaps we should be exploring the merits or demerits of high current and / or high voltage capable amplifiers.
Perhaps we should be exploring the merits or demerits of high current and / or high voltage capable amplifiers.
perhaps it's the parts that each are made of and the way they are used. bias levels often cannot be set as high in a high powered amp or parts quality in any particular line may start deteriorating at a certain point where some cannot be used in a high power amp, but gotten away with in a lower one. these could be just a couple of many reasons i guess.
Part of the answer may be that you can get away with murder designing a small amp, that quickly fails at higher voltages / powers. There are some small amps that have very clear crossover distortion that are supposed to be high end. Exposure comes to mind easily for those who need prove of that statement.
So a higher power amplifier forces out many poor practices (but can still leave many).
I agree that the crest factor in music may have a lot to do with it. There is no beating a good design with a good power supply behind it. It is possible that the output impedance around 0V is lower. That may help with out of phase current flow.
-Chris
Edit: spelling probably more
So a higher power amplifier forces out many poor practices (but can still leave many).
I agree that the crest factor in music may have a lot to do with it. There is no beating a good design with a good power supply behind it. It is possible that the output impedance around 0V is lower. That may help with out of phase current flow.
-Chris
Edit: spelling probably more
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