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Analogue Vs. Digital
- Thread starter 2string1
- Start date
Yes +1. I don't like the ad copy and people equate class D to mean "digital". It is not, they are analog.
bongomania
Commercial User
Well be fair, the ad copy for many of the ultralight heads call them digital, so consumers can't be blamed too much for taking that stuff at face value. Even if the advertisers are talking nonsense.
Well be fair, the ad copy for many of the ultralight heads call them digital, so consumers can't be blamed too much for taking that stuff at face value. Even if the advertisers are talking nonsense.
Yep.
Ok confused... what is the GK MB500? Does it have a transformer. How do they make it so light? Can someone still give me a comparison between the two? I now own a WT800 with the 210 XST and used a GK 400RB for many years way back. I really liked the 400RB. I'm looking to go light weight and thinking of maybe the GK MB500 or Aguilar Tone Hammer 500 also thinking of getting a 212 cab. What about these light weight cabs with the neodymium magnets? I am 62 years old and don't mind carrying my gear,it keeps me in shape. lol I've been using the Eden gear since 1998 and I need a change... will I be sorry?
It has a small transformer, this is made possible by use of a SMPS (Switch Mode Power Supply) instead of a line frequency power supply. The poweramp is class D which is very efficient and wastes very little power as waste heat.
SMPS, meaning Switch Mode Power Supply. As opposed to the conventional linear power supply it is much lighter and more efficient, generating less heat as well. It doesn't use a transformer to convert voltage, it kind of rasterizes the voltage from one level to another.
Most of the ultralight amps are using ICE amp modules made by B&O. These are super small, light and efficient as well. Result is that a lot of the weight with these amps is in the chassis.
I'm sure Agedhorse will chime in and correct me.
Most of the ultralight amps are using ICE amp modules made by B&O. These are super small, light and efficient as well. Result is that a lot of the weight with these amps is in the chassis.
I'm sure Agedhorse will chime in and correct me.
So will you like going light with the heads and cabs? Who knows? Some do, some don't. Some neo cabs are great, some are not. Always best to try before you buy, but if you can't, make sure that whatever you get has a decent return policy.
Let me see if I can help this way. Digital means it is converted to number code (like the internet "radio signal"). You can't make digital code louder in an audio sense because it is number code not amplitude, you can repeat the code to overcome losses from long transmission lines but once "bits" are lost they are lost. You can't amplify something that is no longer present. Numbers don't get "louder".
It's still analog in and analog out. Digital in the middle.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Pwm_amp.svg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Pwm_amp.svg
I'm betting that wasn't posted using an analog computer ;-)
Tube amps usually have two big transformers - one in the power supply, and the output transformer.
IIRC 'Class D' amps don't have output transformers. Could be all solid-state amp sections don't have output transformers - I'm fuzzy on that. Once upon a time I knew the difference between Class A, A/B, B, and D (and whatever happened to c?).
Switching power supplies have very, very small transformers because they're operating in the kHz range rather than 60-Hz wall-circuit range (50Hz outside North America, typically...) They are very efficient which further decreases their size and weight.
So it depends on what kinds of hairs you want to split.
The reality is, there's no such thing as an amplifier.
(If you create a box that produces more total power than it consumes, you have created a perpetual motion machine and will become very, very wealthy unless the big power-producing industries hunt you down first...)
Musical instrument amplifiers are just high-power modulators...
+1 to the above comments that it is better to not think of 'digital' vs. analog since that is not accurate.
Hundreds and hundreds of posts on this. I guess I would just recommend 'not listening with your eyes and your back'. And also, to compare similarly rated units regarding power output. So, compare a WT800 to a GK MB800 to a Glockenklang Blue Soul to a TecAmp Puma900.
The first thing that is clear is NO ONE could identify which units have SMPS (lightweight power supplies) versus more traditional transformers on a blind basis. The second thing is that all those amps sound fantastic, put out similar wump, and also sound quite different.
If you are lucky enough to prefer the tone of one of the lighter weight models, it is a 100% win. If you prefer a head with a more traditional, heavy power supply, and/or an inefficient class A/B power amp (or other topology that is not as efficient as a class D), then you will have to pay for that with a bit more weight. For many, not a big deal.
