2. amps-preamps
  3. 148670-2497

Bridging an amplifier

I recently watched a YouTube video, a few years old, that featured Flemming Rasmussen, the highly regarded founder and engineer for Gryphon (now retired I believe). Flemming was speaking of his class A monoblock amplifiers in the Antileon Evo, Colloseum and Mephisto. Flemming was expressing his disdain for Monoblocks that are actually 2 internally bridged amplifiers, (such as DNA 500,Clayton M300s and also class A Luxman that can be used as Monoblocks in the BTL mode (bridged tied load), calling these types of Monoblocks inferior and not true Monoblocks. He claims dedicated Monoblocks where all push pull transistors are paralleled, are vastly superior to summing the two channels via bridging (antiphase summing). I’d love to know if most audiophiles and engineers agree with Flemming. I have owned and found both the DNA Monoblocks and Clayton M300 Monoblocks to sound excellent, and a friend uses two M-800A Luxman class A amplifiers in bridged tied load mode (BTL switch) with great clarity and power. Thank you for your thoughts!
audiobrian

Showing 3 responses by mijostyn

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Sh-t I am agreeing with George. I am going to have to increase my Haldol dose..
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Audiobrian, anybody who thinks those are the best sounding SS amps out there needs to have their Haldol doses increased. Not that they are bad but certainly not the best. Find me a bridged amp that sounds as good as a Pass 600.8 or Parasound JC-1 not to mention the Gryphon and Soulution Mono amps. Or even the Manley Neo amps or any of the Atma-sphere mono amps. Can’t do it. Not even the giant killer AHB2 can do it. 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
First of all Rasmussen is not an engineer. I believe his degree is in graphic arts. He is a very rich old audiophile who had nothing else do do with his money. Wonderful, any way great audio equipment comes to life is fine by me.
Although I am ace with a soldering iron my knowledge of electronic engineering is basic at best. I only know what I hear. With the exception of the Benchmark AHB2 I have not heard a bridged amp sound as powerful as a dedicated mono amp of similar power. The Benchmark is an enigma. This is on ESLs , planars and subwoofers. 
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