Class A or A/B amps

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by motorcitydave, Jun 23, 2012.

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  1. weirdo12

    weirdo12 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    True enough. I wasn't thread crapping! Or was I? Seriously considering a 700i or 600i though. :D
     
  2. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    Nah, don't worry about it. :cool:
     
  3. Threshold

    Threshold Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Manchester NH
    I've been running a pair of modified Threshold T-50's for about 6 years. Originally owned by a former VP at Theshold he had them converted into 100 wpc class A mono blocks. Michael Bladelius did the mods. His name is on both amps. They run very hot and my electric bill is about $40 a month higher but a very sweet sound. I also have a forte 4a and 6 which runs my system. Got a real bargain paid $650 ea for the amps.:edthumbs:
     
  4. hvbias

    hvbias Midrange magic

    Location:
    Northeast
    Love Class A, but honestly couldn't tell the difference between Pass XA160.5 and Pass X600.5 (the XA being pure class A, the X leaving Class A at 60 watts or something) even on inefficient speakers. Both amps sounded great. Even Nelson Pass has recommended going with the higher power wattage X.5 for really inefficient speakers that dip down to 1 ohm or less in the treble.
     
  5. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    I see, thanks guys for your comments...
     
  6. kzhtoo

    kzhtoo Member

    Location:
    California
    Maybe a little off topic, but still related. What do you guys think of Parasound Halo series amp? I believe they are class A/AB.

    I'm considering either Halo 21 or 23. Any comments?
     
  7. robertawillisjr

    robertawillisjr Music Lover

    Location:
    Hampton, VA
    Great Class A amps are so lucid and sweet. I have listened to both A and AB amps by Pass and Coda and i prefer the class A models. Someday...
     
  8. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    :cool::thumbsup:
     
  9. Amfibius

    Amfibius Member

    The designer is said to be very talented but I found them rather bland. They go about their business with no sense of dynamics or excitement.
     
  10. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    IIRC, NAD 2200, the power envelope amp from the early days of NAD, an A/B design, also doubled down - 100 watts/ch into 8 ohms, 200 watts into 4 ohms and 400 watts into 2 ohms. I still have my NAD 2200, which was designed in the UK and made in Japan.

    I have been listening to my Tandberg 3300 power amp quite often these days, it still sounds great after 30 years. The bottomline, many vintage amps still sound quite good ...
     
  11. JA Fant

    JA Fant Well-Known Member

    Class A = less distortion.
     
  12. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    Not necessarily. There can be less crossover distortion but on whole, the amp might have higher levels and so it could be of little benefit in that respect.
    -Bill
     
  13. KT88

    KT88 Senior Member

    It had a huge transformer and plenty of outputs, plus heat sink. Cheaply executed compared to high end amps but still a very nice design and many held up quite well.
    -Bill
     
  14. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    The last piece of NAD gear I bought was the SilverLine S500i CD Player. I stopped buying NAD after it started to make all its products in you know where ...
     
  15. tomd

    tomd Senior Member

    Location:
    Brighton,Colorado
  16. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Looks like you have to email Linar to find out who the US dealers are since the website does not provide such info.
     
  17. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    That's cool. Now imagine if the NAD was Class A, lol. :cool::thumbsup:
     
  18. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    Looks good. And it looks like they're just starting out. I will be keeping an eye on them. Who knows, they could become one of the big players in the field.
     
  19. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    NAD 2200 was made under an entirely different management with a very different business model. The current NAD management philosophy is why I quit buying their products ... :righton:
     
  20. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    I concur. :cool:
     
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  21. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    I have been listening to Class A amps for the last twenty plus years, so I guess I prefer them. My two stereo amps in use right now, a Decware Torii Mk III and a Decware Torii Mk II are class A amps.
     
  22. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
  23. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    No, HOT. :) But I don't care. The AC is going to run and run anyway. And the sound is worth it.
     
  24. motorcitydave

    motorcitydave Enlightened Rogue In Memoriam Thread Starter

    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV, USA
    haha exactly. And you can always turn the amp off between listening sessions. But, it probably sounds better turned on all the time...
     
  25. Lonson

    Lonson I'm in the kitchen with the Tombstone Blues

    Well, I leave it on almost all day every day, as I'm "retired" and at home most of the time, listening or watching. I don't leave it on unattended though. The longer one of these amps is on, the better it sounds.

    I leave the Decware CSP2 class A preamplifier nearly 24/7.
     
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