2. amps-preamps
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Is a stereo amp, when bridged to mono, by definition differential?

I've been reading about amps and the seemingly endless choices that designers make, and found myself wondering this, but haven't been able to find the answer. It would seem, if I'm correctly understanding the definition of differential, also called push-pull, that bridging the two sides of a stereo amplifier would, by necessity, be creating exactly this topology. Unless I'm missing something, of course, which may well be the case.

Thanks to those who understand such things much better than I for any clarification.

Also, those who'd rush to weigh in about the likely sonic benefits -- or detriments -- of such arrangements needn't bother, as that's not what I'm wondering about.

Thanks.

-- Howard

hodu

Showing 2 responses by audiobrian

audiobrian
183 posts
 
I know this post is a bit old but I would like to ask a related question.

Looking at the Clayton M300 for example, promoted to be a pure class A balanced fixed bridged design, only with XLR inputs.  If each channel is composed of two 75 watt pure class A amplifiers in balanced design, is the output also class A as stated by the manufacturer? (rated at 300/600 wpc pure class A). Just curious, as 600 Watts class A into 4 ohms seems to be a lot. They are indeed great amps!  Thanks to any responders in advance.
audiobrian
183 posts
 
Thank you Al,

I’ve always wondered how Clayton Audio gets 300 wpc class A into 8 ohms from a relatively small chassis/amplifier, albeit robustly built. I guess part of the answer is a fixed bridged design with 2 x 75 watt class A amps per channel. If power draw in high bias is indeed 800W, perhaps it truly delivers class A performance into 8 ohms but partly class A/AB into 4 ohms?  If one can build a class A amplifier of considerable power using bridged design (with the needed robust power supply and build parts), allowing for a much smaller amplifier, is this design any less desirable sonically than a non bridged class A amplifier such as Pass, Gryphon etc with considerably larger and heavier amplifiers? Manufacturers that have gone down the fixed bridged monoblocks design, not all in class A like Clayton, include Steve McCormack’s DNA 500, all Constellation amplifiers and Naim Reference Series, amongst others.
Thanks so much!
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