How long does Class A have?


Hi Guys/Gals
 I have a Sugden A21SE which is a Pure Class A single ended design, I absolutely love this musical amplifier with its strangely plentiful 30wpc, it runs hots as they do, I always enjoy watching the faces of my uninitiated friends when they touch it after I mention they get hot, lol.
But in this modern green era I wonder just how long do Class A amplifiers have before Greta Thunberg gets wind of this inefficient method of creating sound and pisses on the parade?

Thoughts?
mrmeaner
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my amps run on 230v I guess they draw 1/2 the current and 1/2 the power?
No, your amp draws the same amount of current at either voltage, all other things being equal.


Wrong,  your amp draws half the current and twice the voltage as 115 volts and produces the same wattage.
@clearthinker  
Yeh, Greta and her type want you and your type to be around in 100 years. Can't imagine what her motives are.
Sorry old farts, Greta will have nothing to do with the obsolescence of your class A amps. Guys like Roberto Guerra, Bruno Putzeys and Merrill Wettasinghe are the ones you should be watching. They are designing amps that sound as good, operate much cooler and cost sometimes cheaper. It’s only a matter of time before class A joins the group of nostalgic products that are relegated to museums as I am sure your sons and daughters will not want anything to do with your class A amps in their modern homes.  So to answer your question, give or take 10 years.  Yes, vinyl will outlast them. 
Philosophically, I couldn't be further from rocray...I admire GT and worry about the future.  At 70 y/o, I won't see it go completely to sh*t, but in the meanwhile I think motorsports are an affront to the atmospere and we should just stop.  We as a species should be expending much more of our energy on combating the planetary degradation we have caused.  We each can decide if we want to continue burning energy as profigately as a class A amp requires, but like the COVID vaccine, when "personal choice" butts up against societal well-being, at some point your choice costs me, despite my choice to decline...when I have to breath smoke-filled air or endure crazy extreme weather events.

I was unaware of Thorium fuel...that is exciting.  Thanks perkri for that link.
Im no climate change advocate, but electricity is getting more expensive, not less. I ve owned class A heaters, and 250w tube heaters, so there’s the added cost to cool the room.


I have been in possession of a LSA Voyager GaN amp 350/600 wpc. My previous class D is dual mono based on IcePower AS 1200 modules. The Voyager is as potent but much more dynamic; zero to 60mph is Tesla Plaid like, and yet natural sounding with a ginormous sound stage and barely warm to the touch, and a mere $3000!

Any financially frugal person looking at class A prices, but who hears the Voyager, will likely choose the latter, unless they have money to burn. GaN technology is in its infancy, and I suspect it will dominate the market, usurping class A & AB sooner than later
As long as the speaker I want needs/wants a lot of juice (Magnepan at present), I’ll likely use a Class D power amp, likely preceded by a tube or Class A front end. But I am one of those who also finds Class A has a certain appeal with high-efficiency speakers, and so I will have my First Watt/Pass (diy) amps in secondary setups. I’m on all-wind power, so I don’t feel guilty leaving it on. But I’d still feel pretty silly running a 100-watt or similar size Class A amp.
We need more Greta Thunbergs
We get too much useless hot air from politicians and political commentators as it is.



Spenav  - Alberto not Roberto-- just sayin-- I have his amps and love them--
    As we die off, our heirs will throw our prized systems in the rental dumpsters.  I retrieved a lot of things my sisters threw away.  They will trash my stuff, unless I donate it to, maybe, a theater, which will quickly destroy it from ignorance.
Cheers!
  Boy was I sleeping ! I have a Duramax Diesel, VW TDI  Diesel , Ranger bass boat with a large displacement 2 stroke, 2 Harleys . Indoors I’m running tubes and a plasma TV . Not even going to list my guns!  I believe that we are such a small society we will continue to fly under the radar ! But to support my Transistor Brethren , I promise to buy a First Watt next spring when funding becomes available. In closing I’ll say this “ I love you guys and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it “. Happy Listening , Mike . 
Post removed 
We are already there. Your phone is all that is needed.  Ear or headphones if you are Really into audio.

A 30wpc class A amplifier consumes considerable more watts from the outlet.  Further strengthens your subject.

My power Amplifier and emissions from my gas car.  Worst my Harley. Eat meat.  Eat, period.  Wear leather.  Use manufactured products.  Breath and dispose my body waste.   I'm surely damned to hell.  Since my faith is already set for the ills of my existence, I mind as well live it up now.


The period when Class A amplifiers were widely accepted was the early stage when audio CDs entered the market. The CD sound at that time had a heavy digital component. Many people use the slow characteristics of Class A amplifiers to deal with this situation. Now, the sound of audio CD has solved the early problems. The Class A amplifier has completed its historical mission.
I still prefer Edison bulbs to any other design to date. The Failure Rate is quite simply lower.
I prefer bolt action to semi-automatic.
I prefer standard transmissions in my vehicles to anything else.

There is a list of products made that I prefer, yes including some class A amp designs, and some of them are no longer made or hard to get.

When something comes along and really is superior, I have no problem with it. Synthetic oil was a hard sell back in the day, but it made sense to me and so I have used it from day one.

I will be just as happy when class D is affordable to the common man, and when I feel that it sounds as good to me as what I presently use, then it will become a consideration. Until then I will keep listening to and enjoying my class A power amp.
electricity is getting more expensive, not less. I ve owned class A heaters, and 250w tube heaters, so there’s the added cost to cool the room.


I have to laugh when someone that spends 20,000 plus on class A amps, then they complain about the electric bill. 
Why don’t manufacturers list the amount of amps (current) their amplifiers and receivers put out. It is nothing to do with watts. It all has to do about current.

I think they hide this number because they know their amplifiers do not produce much current.

Why? if they can’t do it they will miss out on a sale.

Listing the amount of current and watts and close to double into 8 then 4 and 2ohms, will give an indication if the amp can drive nasty loads, that so many of todays hiend speakers have. Not good for so many amps, Tube, Class-D and many Mosfet, have trouble into those speakers like Wilson Alexia 0.9ohm in the bass, your big BJT (Bi-Polar) output amps do well there Krell, Gryphon, Agostino, Mark Levinson etc etc


Cheers George


@clearthinker 

Threatened by a teenage girl? 
We should just sit back and do nothing I suppose…

You’re an idiot.




holmz
As my amps run on 230v I guess they draw 1/2 the current and 1/2 the power?
If your amp can run on 230V or 115V, it will consume the same amount of power on 230V or 115V. 
P = V x I
That's why switch to 230V mains will draw 1/2 the current of 115V mains,  and you need to install correct rating fuse accordingly for proper protection!

http://pumred.fullrange.kr/2019/04/0416_parasound_hint_6_halo/0416_parasound_hint_6_halo_07.jpg




 


How long does Class A have? Until the price of delivering electricity sky-rockets, where is Tesla's free energy when you need it?
Oh, and I guess I shouldn't bother building the DIY Audio VFet class A amp I have sitting here waiting to be assembled...
My Duson A10 runs hot too.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/455567318526910810/
At first I left it switched on 24/7 to spare it the heat cycles and hopefully prolonge its life span. It’s 30 years old now and still going strong but I do switch it off now for energy sake. Also I use headphones on a Bluesound node while leaving the amps off more often, but that’s just being lazy.
As long as they keep making them and we keep buying them their will be a market. Never forget that rules and regulations are for “theee and not for me”. Every member of congress and the global elites have a carbon foot print that is larger than small cities. They own three or four large homes, fly private jets, are transported in large motorcades, travel with staff and security everywhere. Just go through the sequence. In the 70’s and 80’s we were going into a new ice age. Then the 90’s and 2000’s it became global warming, now it is climate change so they don’t have to keep changing their tune as the weather changes. I run class A mono blocks and NEVER TURN THEM OFF and if they don’t like it they can kiss my class A. I use my electricity on what I want to. Pay the bill every month and nothing they can do about it. EVERY scam or regulation invented by politicians is to serve only one purpose money laundering tax payers money back into their pockets. 
@sgreg1

yup... truth about power, political power, is that too often it is "do as i say, not as i do"

sad reality about frailty of the human condition
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I love my luxman... They do ab amps as well... My 550ax2 is amazing for my tannoys... I was debating getting the sugden IA4 as well but got a great deal with luxman so went for that... Either would make me. Happy 
@sgreg I’m a hypocrite and use class A amps, but… are you denying climate change? LOL
are you denying climate change


Nobody can deny climate change, just what's causing it is another story.
No not denying climate change. Weather today is hot and humid. Tomorrow is forecast to be cooler and and less humid. Fall is coming and winter is right around the corner. Then next summer will be different than this summer. So there is your climate change. Weather patterns are cycles aways have been always will be. One more point mother nature is still competing with gravity as the only two undefeated champs to date. Sorry to all for going political but the bear got poked.
Who is gratat thurmburg. ??.  ??

  Enjoy your amps.oh wow…..just looked her up. Ur gonna let some liberal 14 year old who is as dumd as a sack of hammers tell you what to listento..???

hahahahahhahahahahah

  play your class A amp all the time, heat ur room, home, apt…..
she is a whiny lil eejit who had her 5 min of tv time. 
  This reply is old as this spoiled insignificant, expendable idiot had her 5 min long time ago. 
I get my amps hott from constant hours of jamming, keep it up and enjoy the sweet music with your awesome lil class A heater !!!
Oh, and the climate is just fine...

Massive fires on the west coast. Increasingly stronger and stronger storms hitting the southern states. Northern Europe is being hit with sweltering temperatures.

And again, love how these "men" take every opportunity to dump on a young girl.

Must feel empowering. 

I guess that's just part of being profoundly ignorant.
I wonder if they couldn't add refrigerant to the heat sinks of a Class A amp to cool them. Don't laugh because I had a Marantz that used coolant in tubes that wound themselves around and through the heatsinks, no it did have a compressor.
Ur gonna let some liberal 14 year old who is as dumd as a sack of hammers
I had my tubes amps running all day. Warmed the place up. I bet she is smarter than you.
perkri, you are correct about the climate/weather changes but the causes are not what you think. There are two agendas that are the cause. 1. weaponized weather, controlled by Harp. 2. Chemtrails sprayed by aircraft that contain fine particles of aluminum among other ingredients and this has been going on for decades on a massive scale. By the time the population discovers the truth we will be well on the brink of a complete biosphere collapse.  President Johnson made a speech in the 60's and stated: "Those that can control the weather will control the world". Now they are stating we are having a water shortage, bull, the earth is covered by three quarters water not to mention massive amounts of water underground. Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink.
Hahahaha,
I will take that bet. She is a whiny spoiled speck, who preaches about stuff she knows nothing about. Let some 14 year old non American tell you what to think?

   This is the American problem !

 Think for yourself, not the media telling you what to think and do,,,,


wow. 
Hahaha
empowering. A young girl?

she is an idiot. Have you read about what she is preaching?

 Some 14 year old who has zero clue of life, is telling you what to think, and you will succumb to her every word, and don’t forget, the media does not lie to us. 

If it was a guy, would say same thing. Go color your hair purple and complain about men.

 Wow. 
🍺🍺
I don't expect everyone to agree with my opinions.  I think that when there are people that not only expect people to agree with their opinions,but demand it,we have a HUGE problem.  
@arcticdeth She’s 18. She is addressing what a majority of the world's scientists have agreed on. Even the polluting corporations acknowledge there is an issue that will cost us money and quality of life. Of course the media lies. The rightwing spin machine has been fooling Americans for decades into believing what their wealthy puppet masters want the lower ranks to think by waving flags and allowing them to have guns instead of healthcare and college.
@arcticdeath.
Congratulations, you have confirmed both your ignorance and frail ego.

I wonder, have you ever left your own zip code?

it’s a big world out there sparky, and being an effective contrarian requires intelligence, experience and an education - one that extends beyond what TV and Google can provide.

Purple was never my thing. My 14 year old daughter however, loves that color. And both she, and my 8 year old son, are far better contrarians than you are capable of being. Intelligence, experience and education…
Can we stop it with these extreme political statements on this site. Come on guys. This is not the place to keep acting out your hostile political fears and insecurities. This site is for audio. I try to come here to escape this sort of behavior. You are ruining this site with this predictable and angry behavior. This is not the place! Time to just leave this stuff inside of your own head. Stop polluting this site. Will you please?!

Moderators, it’s well past time to start removing any and all political references. Period. The consequence of not doing so is continuing to see the site’s most experienced and helpful posters walk away from here slowly, but definitely. You know, the kind of posters who are kind, helpful and courteous. 

The blame also rests on AudioGon as it is your responsibility to keep this site an enjoyable place to come. AudioGon, you must realize past and current, best in class posters, are visiting here less and moving onto better managed forums. They just plain are. They post less and use your listing venue less.

I am dismayed that I even have to post this. It used to be common sense and part of being a well socialized adult to behave kindly and courteously.