Why does my 35 watt tube amp draw 300 watts of power


Hi,

I have a Prima Luna Prologue 1 (tube amp). Love it.

Always been curious though. It draws 300 watts of power, yet is rated at 35 watts / channel. Is it really so inefficient that it is losing 230 watts to heat?

~Jim
jimspov

Showing 1 response by vicweast

Power efficiency (and excess heat) was a concern of mine when I ran just solid state gear, but since I became hooked on tube gear  ...well, if inefficiency is the price for this kind of a wonderful listening experience I'M ALL IN!

But, this comes at a price —not just heat but time to warm up and "disposable" tubes if you listen for hours on end and do so day-after-day. For serious listening: Tube gear. For convenience: something solid state.