Congratulations Atmasphere!


I noticed today that Ralph Karsten (whom regular and even occasional participants in this forum will of course recognize as the designer and proprietor of Atma-Sphere Music Systems, as well as a uniquely valuable contributor to the forum) was granted United States patent number 10,469,042 on November 5, 2019. It covers an audio amplification technique he had indicated here that he has been developing, which in simple terms appears to me to basically be a clever combination of an analog-to-pulse train converter (as used in traditional class D amplifiers for example, among other audio-related applications), with an output stage employing circlotron topology (analogous to the topology used in his OTL power amplifiers, but utilizing solid state devices).

Link to the Patent.

Congratulations Ralph!!

Best regards,
--Al


128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xalmarg

Just reading this revived thread.  Makes me miss AL.... @atmasphere   

Ralph, you guys were a good team of sorts.  Al always had your back and really had my back too.  Miss my friend.  

I met Ralph briefly at Axpona this spring as he was debuting the new Class D ganfet monoblocks. Anthony had already sung the praises of them to me. I am waiting for the Integrated version. To see two dyed in the wool tubers convert to class D was a nearly religious moment. Well done sir!

Having had the Class D amps in my system for a couple months now it's my opinion a hybrid version isn't necessary. As I hear it, the design exhibits the best of what tubes, OTLs, and Class D has to offer. I've mentioned this to others including Ralph, it makes my M-60 monoblocks obsolete.