Hi!
What is the real difference between dual mono and a stereo amplifier?
It's only the dynamics?
It's only the channel separation?
It's only the different power suplly?
Speaking of ears, is the difference really detectable?
BTW, as this is a monoblock, why 2 inputs and 2 outputs?
Is that 1 input and 1 bypass rca?
2 outputs for bi-cabling?
Yes, Musical Fidelity M250
Regards
Pedro Martins
What is the real difference between dual mono and a stereo amplifier?
It's only the dynamics?
It's only the channel separation?
It's only the different power suplly?
Speaking of ears, is the difference really detectable?
BTW, as this is a monoblock, why 2 inputs and 2 outputs?
Is that 1 input and 1 bypass rca?
2 outputs for bi-cabling?
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Yes, Musical Fidelity M250
Regards
Pedro Martins
The biggest difference between dual-mono and stereo is the power supply and grounding. A dual-mono has completely independant power supplies, power grounds, and input grounds. It's basically twon completely seperate mono power amplifiers. A stereo power amp usually shares a chassie, power supply, and signal ground. The biggest advantage to going dual-mono is the availability of each power supply to power each channel with maximum power. A stereo supply can be taxed when large, low frequency transiants are present on both channels.
Cheers,
Zach
Cheers,
Zach
Thanks.
But if I make a stereo amp with 2 psu's and one same ground point, still a stereo or turns dual mono?
But if I make a stereo amp with 2 psu's and one same ground point, still a stereo or turns dual mono?
That would be somewhere in between. A true dual-mono would be mounted in two seperate enclosures. But what you are describing would pretty much be a dual mono.
Cheers,
Zach
Cheers,
Zach
This is slightly off the main subject but still on mono v stereo supplies.
But look at it this way for the sake of slightly reduced channel separation the mono supply, of the same added capacitance as the dual-mono supply, has double the available capacitance for each channel for transients, left or right, and the same if both are producing the same mono transient, and one big transformer is better than 2 smaller ones for transients, also one big transformer is cheaper than 2 smaller one, and also you only need one bridge rectifier as well,cheaper again.
The reason i`m saying all this is that i`ve always built amps with 2 separate left and right power supplies, then i heard one of those amps that had the transformers replaced with one larger one same caps but all parralleled up and one bridge rectifier and the improvment in the bass was astonishing i can`nt coment on the mids and tops as it was the bass amp in a byamped system.
Maybe now i will change my opinion on mono supplies.
Cheers George
But look at it this way for the sake of slightly reduced channel separation the mono supply, of the same added capacitance as the dual-mono supply, has double the available capacitance for each channel for transients, left or right, and the same if both are producing the same mono transient, and one big transformer is better than 2 smaller ones for transients, also one big transformer is cheaper than 2 smaller one, and also you only need one bridge rectifier as well,cheaper again.
The reason i`m saying all this is that i`ve always built amps with 2 separate left and right power supplies, then i heard one of those amps that had the transformers replaced with one larger one same caps but all parralleled up and one bridge rectifier and the improvment in the bass was astonishing i can`nt coment on the mids and tops as it was the bass amp in a byamped system.
Maybe now i will change my opinion on mono supplies.
Cheers George
audioPT said:
The only reason I used bass frequencies as an example is, they require higher current draws from your power supply than higher frequencies. The same will also aply to higher frequencies.
georgehifi also has a good point in the use of one big power supply vs. two smaller power supplies. If each mono supply has a small power supply, it won't be able to deliver as much current as a very large power supply. One rule of thumb I stand by (except on Gainclones.......they're just wierd) is to use the largest, most heavy duty power supply I can practically use. Big caps, big transformer, high current rectifiers, etc. The more current you can get through a power supply with minimal resistance, the better. Keep in mind, the amplifier will only draw as much current as it needs to accurately produce the rated output. It will not draw any more. If you build your power supply bigger than required, by say 25-50%, the power supply will be able to deliver all the current your amp requires without any power supply compression. Most power supplies in current consumer/pro-sumer equipment on the market are under-rated for the amplifiers they are powering. It's a typical cost saving trick used by sales teams to meet a price point. If you are building your own, go ahead and use an over-rated power supply for each amplifier channell. This will give you a very open path between your wall socket and your amplifiers for current to flow through. One thing some people also do is, use a large x-former with dual secondaries. This will help keep costs down and can also be a big space saver.
Cheers,
Zach
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