[Oliver]

If it is class A it will pull the max power without a signal being present

Always on, horribly inefficient, great for warming the surrounding air via convection

Class-A Amplifiers explained

Yesteryear thread that mentions a couple of class A amplifiers.

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/diy-mobile-audio/3274-any-class-car-amps.html

 

[thehatedguy]

Correct on all accounts.

See, I see the influx of full range class D amps creating homeostasis in the world. Those power hungry space heater class A amps that I love are being balanced out with small efficient class D amps.

 

[bobduch]

Nothing like coming home on a cold winter day and firing up a Levinson 20.6
(or 2)

 

[annoyingrob]

I seem to remember my Bryston 4B at home was rated at 800w of power output, and over 1100w of heat output

 

[Mooble]

If I ever find a Genesis DMA for an affordable price, I'm getting it. 20w full class A, then it switches to class G.

 

[Oliver]

^^^^^^^^

Rated Power Class A mode: 4ohm 2 x 20 WRMS
2ohm 2 x 10 W RMS
Typical Power Class A Mode: 4ohm 2 x 26 WRMS
2ohm 2 x 13 W RMS

Typical Power Class G Mode: 4ohm 2 x 150 WRMS
2ohm 2 x 250 W RMS
1.5ohm 2 x 300 W RMS
4ohm 1 x 500W RMS
3ohm 1 x 600WRMS

S/N : > 115dB A Wtd Ref full output
Input : 0.3 - 4.0 Volts RMS
Crossovers: High pass <20 Hz - 200Hz Fully variable
Lowpass, 50 Hz - 200Hz Fully variable
Filter slope: 12dB / octave ( 2nd order butterworth )
Fuse: 4 x 20 Amps
Size: 450 x 210 x 62

 

[thehatedguy]

Yeah, Genesis really had a great idea there. Trick is finding speakers to allow the amp to never switch over.

 

[n_olympios]

I've got one of these (#240 of 250). It's not full class A, more of a highly biased class AB. Still it does run hot.

 

[Mooble]

It's not a full class A, but it's a hotter bias than any other amp that I know of that isn't full class A--and there are only a handful of those.

 

[Oliver]

Are class a amplifiers linear ?

quote>
A linear amplifier responds to different frequency components independently, and does not generate harmonic distortion or intermodulation distortion. A nonlinear amplifier does generate distortion.
quote>

 

[Andy Wehmeyer]

How to tell?

It's huge, gets hot, is expensive and the marketing material includes words like "passion", "pristine", "clarity", "transparency" but doesn't include the most relevant words like "irrelevant", "wasteful", "unnecessary" and "outdated".

 

[benny]

How to tell?

It's huge, gets hot, is expensive and the marketing material includes words like "passion", "pristine", "clarity", "transparency" but doesn't include the most relevant words like "irrelevant", "wasteful", "unnecessary" and "outdated".

WIN!!1!

 

[subwoofery]

What about the Sinfoni Prestigio? Pretty sure it is not "full" class A but I couldn't pass up on the deal...

Kelvin

 

[thehatedguy]

Look at the idle current. If it is max current, then it's pure class A.

 

[subwoofery]

Then it's not, the manual says 6A @ idle and 76A max current

Ohh well...
Kelvin

 

[subwoofery]

double bubble

 

[n_olympios]

Who cares if it's pure class A or not? Does it sound good? Are you happy with it and the money you paid for it? That's all there is to know. All the rest is purely marketing and consumerism.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to polish my DMA.

 

[n_olympios]

And my DMX while I'm at it.

(double post really).

 

[subwoofery]

Well I'm happy for the money I paid for it... Too good of a deal to pass on
Haven't heard it yet though

Kelvin

 

[tspence73]

Typically a class-A amp will be easy to spot because it will look like a tank. The heatsink will have to be large to dissapate the heat.