2. cables
  3. 1305902952

Power Cables for Class D Amplifiers

Do Class D amplifiers that are very efficient, high power, (ie 600 watts at 8 ohms 1110 watts at 4 ohms) require the heavier lower gauge power cords (10, 9, 8 guage) that we see used on the heavy inefficient high power and high current amps? I ask because the stock power cable that came with my Class D amp was even thinner than the usual stock cord. It's something like a 14 gauge power cable! Is a 10 gauge or lower power cable needed in this ampliifier class as it would be in Class A or AB?
foster_9
hifial's avatar
hifial
332 posts
 
I can highly recommend the new power cables from High Fidelity Cables. They perform like now other cables I have ever tried in my system. Of course I have not tried all of the other brands but I have tried a cross section of power cables over the years and the HFC are in a different league IMHO.

I am using them with my Merrill Audio Veritas Mono Amps.
todd129's avatar
todd129
10 posts
 
@lacee interesting point re: clean power.  This rig is set up adjoining a home recording studio and practice space, all on two banks of Furman P-1800 PF R. The power is reasonably cleaned up. I've never done an A/B of the power stuff. That said, the results are quite nice. 
davehrab's avatar
davehrab
380 posts
 

Correct me if I am wrong but I believe that class D amps do not have power supply caps used for storage ... so it may behoove users of this class of amp to go to a larger gauge power cord to act as a temporary  reservoir on high current demand passages 

The larger cable  wouldn't be an actual  reservoir as in storage but a bigger cable would allow for more instantaneous deliver on strong peaks

With the high efficiency of the class D amps you will probably get a 16 or 14 gauge power cable from the factory  ... increase it to 9 gauge and reduce the restriction if and when a peak in the music calls for more instant current

I wonder if those who have had success with after market power cords on class D amps  did so from the after market power cord being a larger gauge ??

todd129's avatar
todd129
10 posts
 
This is an interesting point RE: class D power reservoir success. One aspect of my rig is that the power filtering components that I use are intended for live performance in venues with poor house power. They store up juice -- apparently 40 amps. I'm not an electronics guy, but this potentially supports your hypothesis. Dunno about the power delivery specs or gauge  on the Wireworld Electra 7 cables. They are odd and flat. 
jedinite24's avatar
jedinite24
1,503 posts
 
Here is an update for my amp situation. I was able to acquire Red Dragon M1000 monoblocks and they sound wonderful when paired with Shunyata Venom 3 power cords which are only 14AWG. For me I found no need to get a 10AWG or thicker power cord on my Class D type amps.
More to discover