What do you hear with a better/bigger power supply and output capacitors in same amp?


Start by assuming a good stereo power amp with a proper-sized toroidal transformer and a good supply of output storage (good capacitors).  One option might be to merely enlarge both toroidal transformer and cap supply. What do you hear?

Another option is taking that amp and bridging to mono (I’m not knowledgeable; but I have ears) and using two as mono power amps. For all practical purposes each channel has twice the toroidal watt capacity and output cap capacity as before. (Another question, unrelated; what improvements can be claimed from using both L&R sides of the signal path board together?)

Typically more watts claim more headroom on transients and long loud passages. But what else do you get from this? I changed amps and my ‘new to me’ amp (avoiding names) sounds audibly better in at least five distinct ways from my prior (and decent) power amplifier (admittedly on rather good speakers).  I hear more bloom/air, tonal texture, detail, micro-dynamics, and low bass ‘growl’ than before. If I move to mono-blocks will I get something more, or not? How audible?

musicaddict

Showing 1 response by boomerbillone

Bridging the amps will give you 4X the power from each bridged amp. That sounds like a big deal but it is only 6db louder than the single channel rating of the stereo amp. That assumes that the power supply will handle it. If upgrading an existing amp with bigger capacitors, be sure the wiring to the output devices is 18 or 16 (or more) gauge wire, not ordinary hookup wire which may have been adequate before the mod. Also, at "turn on" the larger capacitors (don't go more than triple the stock values) will pull a lot more current from the rectifiers. Are they up to it?  If using tube rectifiers, may get away with it as they warm up slowly. If your amp has solid state rectifiers, be sure their rating is at least 10 amps. Don't change power transformers unless you really know what you're doing. (Many of my power supplies have 120,000 mfd caps on both the + and - sides of the power supply, so I use 20 amp diodes as rectifiers. Be sure your fusing is adequate. You MUST HAVE fusing. The fuse will not degrade the sound unless you are pushing the amps really hard (like in stadiums).

You can purchase surpus regulated power supplies for under $100 easily, in voltage ratings up to 70 volts or so at 10 amps (700 watts!). Buy two. Use one for + and the other for - sides of the amps power supply. Modest size capacitors (or the original ones) will be more than adequate. Just be absolutely sure the supplies give exactly the same voltage to both + and - sides. I used a pair of such supplies to feed a six channel power amp running 65wpc with terriffic results. Use at least 14 guage wire to feed the amps. By the way, don't allow any magnetic (ferrous) output terminals or wire between the amp and the speakers. I just upgraded the speaker terminals to non-ferrous terminals - big difference! Bare wire or spade connectors give you more contact area than banana plugs. Happy Listening.