Heat in class A equipment


Heat is one of the biggest enemies of electronic equipment. Does anyone know if this Heat is only at the output transistors and their heatsinks o8is it also present in other components within the unit. 

 

I was planning to remove the top cover and with a IR thermometer going to check temps..

 

Has anyone done this? 

vanson1

Showing 1 response by petaluman

As noted above, the primary source of heat in class A SS amps are the output transistors.  That's why they're mounted on the heat sinks.  However, if they are used properly and have adequate temperature control, they're probably not going to be the first things requiring maintenance.

Capacitors, in particular the ones in the power supply, will age the most rapidly.  While their eventual failure could prove catastrophic, long before then they will suffer from lost capacitance and increased ESR, which means less power available and more noise.  This is why Nelson Pass, whose primary interest is sound quality, gives different advice than a person that is just looking to get the most use for their initial outlay.