Markbass Digital Power Amp

[Frantic Slayer]

ok well, I am fully prepared to be laughed at by asking this, so here goes:

I have a Little Mark Tube 800 with a "digital power amp" section. I am wondering what the sample rate is, or if thats the wrong question to be asking, what makes it "digital" ?

thanks.

[domdec314]

I know someone will post an accurate description, but it's my understanding that "digital" only refers to how it handles the power and that the audio remains analog.

[Frantic Slayer]

bump?

[bongomania]

domdec was on the right track. The amp is not digital in the usual understanding of the word--the audio signal is not converted to/from data. There is no bit size, sample rate, etc. The "digital" here refers to the power section using a system that switches the power across voltage rails in a binary-like fashion. So the "on/off" or "high/low" switching of the power device is what makes it "digital".

[darkblack99]

The LMT800 is a Class D analog circuit amp with a digital power supply - no sampling rate involved in the chain.

This link may help to explain some of the differences in amp design:

http://www.rocketroberts.com/techart/amp.htm

[newbold]

They should really say 'Studio Quality Analog components with Digital Switching Power' or something along those lines.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by newbold

They should really say 'Studio Quality Analog components with Digital Switching Power' or something along those lines.

doesn't have the same impact. marketers should never write technical journals and engineers should never write ad copy.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by Frantic Slayer

ok well, I am fully prepared to be laughed at by asking this, so here goes:

I have a Little Mark Tube 800 with a "digital power amp" section. I am wondering what the sample rate is, or if thats the wrong question to be asking, what makes it "digital" ?

thanks.

Class D amps with SMPS have been called 'digital' for many, many years. It is just a shorthand for that combination of power amp and power supply. Not very accurate, but used throughout the industry.

The key is if the amp sounds good to you. There is every combination of power amp type (A/B, D, G, etc.) and powers supply (SMPS, toriodal, etc.) known to man out there, and they all sound different!

[seamonkey]

Pre-amps can sound different.
Power amps - if measurements are similar - they sound the same.

There are some novelty power DAC digital amps - but nothing practical.

Class-d, with switching power supply is the most efficient amp you can get. This would be digital by many maketeers