Class A is the least efficent, generate the most heat, and cost the most to repair all those fried transistors. Check the price to repair a pair of Krell MDA300's...about 1500-2500.00 Not cheap, I find it easier to just change tubes. However, can't drive MBL's with tubes very loud so SS it is. Stick with the companies who know how to make Class A, AB, and D sound great. ARC, Pass Labs, Rowland, Krell, Copland, Ayre, and the others. The most important thing is not whether it is Class A or not, it is how the damping factor of the amp is matched to the needs of the speaker. If this is off, all A-D will sound like bad hifi.
Buzz about pure class A solid state amplifiers ?
Fellow Audiogoners:
I would greatly appreciate all your input/insight.
Lately both in and out of Audiogon, I have been aware of a "buzz" and numerous praises about the benefits of pure class A solid state amplifiers, as an alternative to the more common high bias AB designs, and an alternative to the transparency and coherence of tube designs.
I have recently auditioned a current production 60 watt Accuphase class A solid state design, a fine amplifier indeed. However, up against my similarly priced VAC Phi 300 class AB stereo tube amplifier (used in ultralinear), it sounded mildly anemic, less transparent, and less coherent/detailed. This is with due respect to Accuphase products, which I have owned and enjoyed greatly.
So....please help me to understand all the purported benefits of the lack of crossover notch distortion, etc with class A push pull soid state designs, when excellent AB tube amps, with crossover notches, are IMHO more cohesive, transparent and resolving in comparison. Have designers, both tube and solid state, basically succeeded in rejoining positive and negative waveforms seemlessly, without perceptable crossover notch distortion?
Yes I did, admittedly, have an interest in simplifying my system, and going back to solid state after 14 years (with tube preamp); However my tubes are gonna stay :)
To all my solid state friends, please know that I have owned many solid state amps which I have truly enjoyed and have the utmost respect, dating back to the Reference Levinson 32's...and I know there are great SS amps out there, and primarily class AB designs.
Just wanted to share my experience, and learn alittle more about class A solid state, specifically.
With thanks in advance for your thoughts
Brian
I would greatly appreciate all your input/insight.
Lately both in and out of Audiogon, I have been aware of a "buzz" and numerous praises about the benefits of pure class A solid state amplifiers, as an alternative to the more common high bias AB designs, and an alternative to the transparency and coherence of tube designs.
I have recently auditioned a current production 60 watt Accuphase class A solid state design, a fine amplifier indeed. However, up against my similarly priced VAC Phi 300 class AB stereo tube amplifier (used in ultralinear), it sounded mildly anemic, less transparent, and less coherent/detailed. This is with due respect to Accuphase products, which I have owned and enjoyed greatly.
So....please help me to understand all the purported benefits of the lack of crossover notch distortion, etc with class A push pull soid state designs, when excellent AB tube amps, with crossover notches, are IMHO more cohesive, transparent and resolving in comparison. Have designers, both tube and solid state, basically succeeded in rejoining positive and negative waveforms seemlessly, without perceptable crossover notch distortion?
Yes I did, admittedly, have an interest in simplifying my system, and going back to solid state after 14 years (with tube preamp); However my tubes are gonna stay :)
To all my solid state friends, please know that I have owned many solid state amps which I have truly enjoyed and have the utmost respect, dating back to the Reference Levinson 32's...and I know there are great SS amps out there, and primarily class AB designs.
Just wanted to share my experience, and learn alittle more about class A solid state, specifically.
With thanks in advance for your thoughts
Brian