How to tell the current from the amp


The suggestion of getting an amplifier with higher “current” vs just the high output power has been brought up many times. However, this is not an easy measurement one can tell from the product specifications alone. Can someone advise a good way to spot if an amplifier offers “high current”? Also, between tube amp, class a, a/b, and d, if there is a consistent approach to evaluate the current number? And if “current” is so important, why this is not a more easily marketable measure on the box of the product? Another one is the damping factor. Similarly, it’s very frequently brought up when recommending speaker match. Just trying to be more scientific and objective here.

dragoncave

Showing 1 response by ghdprentice

High current amplifiers will usually put the specifications of the maximum current output. The others will not. @erik_squires is correct the doubling is a good proxy.

 

My real interaction with this issue was in 1980, I bought a 200 watt/channel (?) 75 pound, highly regarded Yamaha amp… it was a complete whimp… I bought a 250 watt / challenge 125Pound Threshold s500 that completely and utterly blew away the Yamaha… the Yamaha sounded like a cheap transistor radio… in comparison to the Threshold. The Threshold had at least 10 times the current. Took hold of the speakers and told them it was in charge.