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Class A amplifiers

I was watching YouTube reviews on Hifi and one guy said if you like Class A amps you have to accept that every 3 or 4 years you have to send them in to get serviced Becasue the heat inevitably causes issues? Is this true? I have a friend with an older Maek Levinson Class A amp and he was looking to sell,it to me, and am just wondering if Class A amps are like a boat, always costing you more . Anyone?
bear1971
winstonwas1's avatar
winstonwas1
8 posts
 
I have Plinius SA 102 in dual mono at 125 watt pure class A stereo and 740 watts mono.
Bought new in 2004. Still running great!
Also Plinius SA 100 mk3 runs fine.
Also a Cary 300b sei 8 watts pure class A tube amp running great. And ...
A Dared VP 845 18 watt pure class A running great.
All amplifiers need proper care and ventilation.
Follow those simple requirements and they will last forever.
What is needed is a little care and common sense. Know what speakers perform best woth a given amplifier.

stan05b2s
16 posts
 
I have a Spectral DMA 200 that sounds wonderful driving a pair of Magnepan 1.6's. I have tinnitus so I can't hear the cooling fan. And yes, it helps keep the room warm in winter. Not bad for a 34 year old amplifier!
bt70
3 posts
 
doesn’t spectral only work with spectral pre amps and cables? Isn’t spectral a closed end system or no
coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
792 posts
 
Who remembers the Threshold T200? Pure Class A. It was produced about ‘92. Jon Soderberg services all Threshold gear. And the Plinius SA MkIII was for my money the best Class A and Class AB money came buy. It was produced about 1999. 
cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 

The weakest link in any electronics is ALWAYS the electrolytic capacitors (also maybe mechanical relays too, but for this specific conversation, they do not quite matter).  One of the most important factors in their reliability is the temperature and the voltage they are exposed to.

In theory, since class A amplifiers run hotter, all else being equal, it is possible that such capacitors may degrade and eventually break down, sooner than they would compared to other class of amplifiers.

However, if the capacitors are chosen to be of a very hi quality (very long lifetimes & very high temperature & voltage capability), AND they are appropriately placed in the amplifier enclosure where they are not always exposed to high temperatures, they could in theory, last quite a long time.

So, a blanket statement cannot be made but it is something which depends on a lot of factors.

Take this capacitor for example, it is extremely well made, have a very long life and they can withstand high temperatures (37,000 hours at 105C).

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/kemet/PEG130MH3900QL1/4918903

If similar good components are used throughout, your amplifier will indeed last a long time too.




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