Class A into Class AB
I’m still a little confused about power amplifiers and integrated amplifiers that are class A & class A/B. Like when they say the first 8 watts are class A then it goes into 400watts class A/B. But the same amplifier can be biased to put out 12watts class A then go into 250watts class A/B. It can be biased again for 18watts class A and 150watts class A/B. etc. Ive read that these amplifiers, ones that can be biased like that...and in general all the "first X amount of watts are class A before going into class A/B"...that those first X amount of class A watts is NOT true class A. If that’s true...what is it then? What’s "kind of" class A mean? What’s the point of a "first X amount of watts are class A" then?
jjss49"https://www.firstwatt.com/pdf/art_leaving_class_a_2019_redux.pdf" That Nelson Pass article prompted me to experiment with bias current on my Bryston Integrated. Every aspect of sound quality was improved by bias increases, especially at low listening levels. I ended up at 3.3x the factory setting with heat buildup being the limiting factor. Hard to believe that a no-cost adjustment could offer such an improvement. |
