2. amps-preamps
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Single vs Dual Power Transformers

Fellow members

I have a question I hope you clarify. I've noticed some excellent stereo amplifiers and integrated amplifiers have a single transformer with dual windings for each channel (Hegel and others) and some have 2 separate transformers, one for each channel. (Gamut and others). Is there true benefit to having two separate power transformers given excellent design elsewhere? Can an amplifier be defined as truly dual mono without separate power transformers? I do realize that the totality of the design is the most important issue, but I would like to know the real benefits if any.
Thank you for your responses in advance.
audiobrian

Showing 2 responses by cleeds

cleeds
6,072 posts
 
 

watchdog005

... in the rare case where the recording is much louder in one channel or the other a single much more powerful transformer can handle the spike much easier than one smaller of two transformers can.

Sorry, but that doesn’t make sense. Amplifiers are specified using a specific frequency range (typically, at least 20 Hz to 20kHz), at a specific maximum distortion level, with both channels driven. If in your example the amp cannot deliver rated power to the one channel, then it is not meeting spec. One channel doesn’t magically acquire more headroom simply because the other channel is loafing along - maximum output is determined not only by the amplifier’s power supply, but also by its output devices.

cleeds
6,072 posts
 

watchdog005

... one negative to dual mono transformers is if there happens to be a time when the recording requires an unbalanced surge of power to the left or right channel in which one of the two smaller transformers might not be able to provide all the power to that channel that a single larger transformer can provide.

That doesn't really make sense. Any amplifier should be able to provide its rated power output to both channels driven simultaneously.

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