Ditching Class A Amps due to Heat - Sort of a Poll

Sorr @axo1989   New Krells are NOT pure Class A.  So called anticipator circuits don't work  So called plateau bias doesn't work.  No short cut to good sound.  No free lunch.

@clearthinker

Sorr @axo1989 New Krells are NOT pure Class A. So called anticipator circuits don’t work So called plateau bias doesn’t work. No short cut to good sound. No free lunch.

I didn’t mention new Krell, Evolution series are D’Agostino designs (even though the e-series appeared after he and Rondi were forced out). And sustained plateau bias (and active cascoding) works—obviously—in the sense that it does what it’s designed to do, prevent notch distortion (the basic reason we want Class A) while reducing power consumption.

But if you want to argue that isn’t pure Class A, fair enough. I can change my answers to no, no and yes, respectively. Unless I change to high efficiency speakers and a low powered amp (and accept the tedium of constantly switching the damn thing off and on again) I’d steer clear of old-school Class A.

But while you're there, and since you are obviously into it, do you think the really old Krells sound better than the ones I have in mind?

PS: I did look longingly at the KAS pair that a guy in Melbourne advertises from time to time. Beautiful. Logistics though. Re your amps, KRS 200 was the original Class A version and the S was their sustained plateau bias model, yes?

Really, this is a thing? I've been running Class A for years and it really hasn't had any noticeable impact on my home energy consumption over other amp classes or tubes. I'm currently run a Pioneer M22 which is 30wpc pure Class A and it would take a heck of a lot for me to move away from it. Each to their own though.

Pass Aleph 1.2 Pure Class A 150wpc monos and will never get rid of them.