2. amps-preamps
  3. 1380737140

Tube amp heat questions...

Hi all, I recently joined the ranks of tube amp owners by adding an ARC VSi55 to my setup. Love it, and it doesn't seem to put out a ton of heat, but it's getting cooler here in Phoenix so I may feel differently next July.

I did search thoroughly through past threads to see if these questions were asked, and found some good threads about summer amps vs. winter amps, but not my specific questions:

- Is there a direct correlation between tube amp wattage per channel and heat generated, such that for example any 100wpc tube amp will always put out more heat than a 25wpc tube amp?

- If that is the case, it is because higher WPC = either more tubes and/or larger tubes?

- If that is not the case, is heat a function of tube type, such that certain 25wpc tube amps can generate more ambient heat than a 75wpc amp just because of the type of tubes it uses?

I didn't take these questions into account when purchasing the VSi55, but we may put together a 2nd system for another room and I may take this into account for that purchase. And as others have done, having a nice Class-D amp for the June-Sept period is also a possibility. Thanks in advance!
bcgator

Showing 1 response by jjrenman

jjrenman
279 posts
 
FWIU, the following points all have an impact on either the WPC and/or the heat generated.

~The class of operation (single ended, push pull).

~The type and configuration of the output tubes (triode, tetrode, ultra linear or pentode).

~The number of (mainly) output tubes.

~The amount of bias and plate voltage on the output tubes.

~The type of bias on the output tubes (fixed or cathode).

The bottom line is that tube amps of comparable or lesser wattage have far more excess heat than all solid state amps with the possible exception of a pure class A solid state.

Even less heat is generated by SS class D amps.
More to discover