Class A is back on the menu ?

Is it too much oversimplification to say that main benefit of class A topology is that there is no crossover distortion? How close is class D in this regard? I mean when distortion is low enough a class A amp sound could be emulated by adding distortion? 🙂
 
@ KaffiMann
There is a BIG difference between Amplifiers, and please do not get upset. But sound quality of A Class A can not be reached with any other amp.. Especially not with a TDA..Chip Amp.!

I have several Class A, and just made a new one a few days back almost similar Circuit with the HOT ones, those which get hot FAST and stay hot. Burning between 200 and 400 Watts Idle current, the same as any class AB on full load..
Changing transistor will change Quality, changing Idle Current will change Quality.
It can be measured and also be heard.
Listen to these AMPS below 1 WATT output POWER and then you will know the truth.
What I try to achieve is a CLASS A AMP which runs on +- 20 Volts Rail voltage and uses not more than 40 Watts Idle per side. Output will be MAX 10 Watts @ 8Ohm.
And it get only 45 degrees Celsius with continues use..
Now there is no need to burn 40 Watts IDLE, when not in use and there is the point where all can help to save energy with some Energy saver which will kick in automatically..
This is what I'm working on for quite some time.
The latest CLASS A Circuit using MJE 15034 Rail +- 20 volts will burn 1.64 Amps Idle.
The same Circuit using 2SC5200 with same Rail Voltage will burn 4.3 Amps Idle. and Sound is completely different.
Config is almost the same,
And this amp is no Comparison whatsoever with the ones running on VRAIL +-40 Volts .
It's another Quality.. and then ask those who are running CLASS A on TUBES, there is nothing to compare when it comes from low mid to super high. Sub Woofer and Woofer frequencies then should be run on Transistors and or MOSFETS..
I rather listen to NO MUSIC at all than to MUSIC which is colored and multiplexed instead of PURE.
That's just my Point of view,
Thanks

You can have Class A with, almost, efficiency of Class D, look here:200W Class A amp with high efficency
 
Never mind what Class there will be distortion.

Class A It's likely to have Distortion..
At least the one I own these do have distortion measured with HP Distortion analyzer up to 0.1 % @ full load, but you will not even be able to hear it. It's THD so Second and Third harmonic is included.
Measured with REW it's below .002
I take the Result of the HP Analyzer to be the true one.

Also I do not think that adding distortion will improve sound.
One will only know the difference if blindfolded, on the same speaker the same room, the same Record and Turntable, same Preamp.. otherwise we just would compare Apples, and Apricots..

BTW, I'm happy for everyone who loves Class D, so he or she found what he was looking for, as soon it goes to 1 WATT - this meaning the first watt, has to do with the first watt of amplification and the sound which someone would hear, and the power it takes to create that Watt, then Class A will be very Close to Class D, *Regarding Power Consumption* because also CLASS D needs a certain Voltage to work, and I'm sure that out here are enough guys with the knowledge of creating a CLASS a to deliver PURE 1WATT CLASS A, neat and clean without any DISTORTION
As I said, I'm happy for everyone who has found his SOUND.
Just BTW. My PSU are as simple these can be.. Transformer, Bridge, R / C R / C Filter and out.. Nothing more nothing left, make sure you have enough current on the Transformer to feed the the "BEAST" and there we go.. Make sure the select proper parts, and a good circuit layout..

And there we go..
For my last creation I took two HP LAPTOP Power supplies, with 19 Volts and 6.5 Amps output Power, * because I have no Transformers with the requested Power* without cutting the Plugs off the cable, made some clutch to transfer the power to the AMP and there we go. So when I get the Transformers I can recuse that HP LAPTOP Supplies for the Laptops again, where there is no need of, have several of them and the laptops, are dead for a long time.

Quiet, like DEAD @ the output. no measurable HUM or noise. Output DC is 0.00000VDC when Idle and 0.0001 VDC @full load
 
I rather listen to NO MUSIC at all than to MUSIC which is colored and multiplexed instead of PURE.
That's just my Point of view
I think you are using the wrong words here!?
To me a class-D-amp or composite-chipamp with 0.0002% THD is less coloured (=more linear) than a Class-A-amp with 0.2% THD at high frequencies (which is nothing unusual looking at the typical amps build around here).
Of course I might appreciate the sound of the latter, like most people maybe would?

I think "coloured audio amplification" nowadays (with a "nice" non-zero-distortion-profile) is similar to what guitar amps used to be.
The latter just had to be tube-amps or have at least preamp- or power-stage with tubes in order to sound warm, gritty and dirty.
That also changed years and years ago.
Now you get digital amps with all sorts of amp-simulation in-built and I can tell you they sound darn good.

I believe you could do the same with a 0.0002% THD class-D-amp.
Put Nelson Pass H2-generator in front and eventually you´ll have your favourite colouration!? (which leads me to think I should build one of these!)
 
It's not about distortion, it's about the full spectrum of sound on the level of under ONE 1 WATT output power by the amp.. Which It does deliver, in just the way It should be.
Some sounds you need to feel, and some you need to hear without listening, but you hear them and these sounds are there. And may you have heard a Record a thousand times, and then listening to it using a CLASS A and there is more as you have heard till that day, this has happen many times, to me. And it's mostly then when the Power amp is Class A.

Everyone can make an Amp which is loud, this is no Acrobatic Stunt, but creating a AMP which reproduces the sound exactly as it was recorded, that is the ACT of an good amplifier, which brings the last detail to the ears of the listeners.

This is what a Good Class A gives me.

But my thoughts are rather how we can make Class A more Efficient compared to other Classes, so all these "environmental prophets" are happy and going to use CLASS A also, or at least not bashing them. Well, see it in the way so it would not make much difference to these CLASS D amps, concerning Power Consumption. Times as Energy becomes more and more important for us all, it's necessary to find ways still to have the High Quality sound, but with less expenditure. I see many people writing that they would not hear any difference between Class A to any other AMP, and there I will answer following, Just because someone does not hear the difference, doesn't mean that there is NO difference. Because there IS a difference. Positive or negative, this is another question.

This is the point of my concerns.
 
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Is it too much oversimplification to say that main benefit ...

Execution of an amlifier is a major contibutor regardless of Class.

And since an amp, speaker, and the cable that connect them are a system, one has to consider tham as a whole.

My best sounding amplifiers are Class A. The big one is 18w. The littlest one makes just over 3W.

The biggish AB amp is used for bass. The little near Class B chip amp sounds very good, i think the best Class D amps are getting pretty good. And teh cheap ones are often fantastic for the price.

AB typically suffers from GM droop.

One has to make the set of compromises that best suits their needs. A little Class D amp that runs on batteries ins nice to have when the power goes out.

dave
 
What about amps that have few class A watts then switch to clas AB on power demand ?


Are they good enough of far from a 100% biased output circuit in A class ? I remember Hiraga saying 25 class A watts were not enough for Onkens bass, 50 W class A and plus were needed on transcients !
 
good to know, I think I have such amplifier in my main system, while not being sure. It is more a power central without really sounding signature while some pure class AB I have can be more on the fruit side... perhaps distorsion, I don't know.


Some people also prefer transistors we had before the siliciums'...
 
That does not make it Class A.

AB just eases the crossover distortion and moves its affects (in most cases, there are a few Class AB without GM droop), up in power where it hopefully will not be as painful

Chip amps, being monolythic and having VERY well matched transistors can often operate at very close to Class B, and they often have fewer issues.

dave
 
Is it too much oversimplification to say that main benefit of class A topology is that there is no crossover distortion? How close is class D in this regard? I mean when distortion is low enough a class A amp sound could be emulated by adding distortion? 🙂

Just.... Yes.

At any rate.
I'm still holding on to my opinion that I'd rather heat up a hot tub or jacuzzi if there's an abundance of power. I could set up a nice active multi way next to it using some TAS5825, like the Zoudio aio 4ch. Waiting for two more of those btw.
 
So, this article says we’ll have cheap renewable energy, so freed from environmental guilt we can start ordering those massive heatsinks

‘Insanely cheap energy’: how solar power continues to shock the world | Energy | The Guardian

The Guardian article headlines quote:

"Australian smarts and Chinese industrial might made solar power the cheapest power humanity has seen – and no one saw it coming"

Actually - plenty of people saw it coming - not politicians asleep at the wheel
and uninformed bogan idiots.

Energy disruption has been steadily gathering momentum for quite some
time now.


TCD