• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Class D amps sound inferior?

#321
PhatBottomBass1 said:
My use of other power regulation features in amp types are not related beyond electricity in amplifiers and you well know it. I accept you work currently for Mesa, that's great, and I understand the COMMERCIAL interest. I also accept that you have a following on TB and I'm not trying to upset your Apple cart. Good information is always better than academia bravado.
Click to expand...
What does this mean?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Scott and agedhorse
#323
PhatBottomBass1 said:
I was using a Stewart World 2.1 for a time @ 17 lbs bridgeable to 1300 watts @ 8 Ohms and Class K was listed on the unit (thats how I became aware of Class K)

My use of other power regulation features in amp types are not related beyond electricity in amplifiers and you well know it. I accept you work currently for Mesa, that's great, and I understand the COMMERCIAL interest. I also accept that you have a following on TB and I'm not trying to upset your Apple cart. Good information is always better than academia bravado.
Click to expand...

Are you sure that K wasn't an H?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Scott and agedhorse
#328
PhatBottomBass1 said:
Rich, Class H, my mistake...switch mode amplifier.

Much appreciate that information!
Click to expand...
Class H isn't switch mode, it has multiple power supply rail voltages that are switched across the power transistors according to the signal demands. It's essentially a class AB with selectable voltages from the power supply.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Al Kraft, Jeff Scott and agedhorse
#329
byacey said:
Class H isn't switch mode, it has multiple power supply rail voltages that are switched across the power transistors according to the signal demands. It's essentially a class AB with selectable voltages from the power supply.
Click to expand...

Interesting...this is likely where I had read about power distribution and reserve from the supply side. As I said, I'm not an amp designer. I was trying to figure out why something was doing something in relation to Class D being "inferior" per the original question.

Thanks for the information!

Also, all of my experience is hands on ears open and no bench type work. I found it very interesting when a tube savant in this area took my Reeves 225 apart and was checking everything out...the scopes, waves the load simulator...the whole thing was just crazy...I know when it sounds good! :thumbsup:

Follow up...it was just in for new tubes...the crazy thing was the books he had, all the equipment and checking every little thing...it was involved! Clean bill of health, though.
 
Last edited:
#331
PhatBottomBass1 said:
I was using a Stewart World 2.1 for a time @ 17 lbs bridgeable to 1300 watts @ 8 Ohms and Class K was listed on the unit (thats how I became aware of Class K)

My use of other power regulation features in amp types are not related beyond electricity in amplifiers and you well know it. I accept you work currently for Mesa, that's great, and I understand the COMMERCIAL interest. I also accept that you have a following on TB and I'm not trying to upset your Apple cart. Good information is always better than academia bravado.
Click to expand...
As a suggestion, respectfully, if you are going to argue about something, please at least understand what you are talking about. Otherwise you are just being disrespectful to others.

The Stewart World 2.1 is not class K and has nothing whatsoever to do with class K. It’s a conventional class G/H amp with a switch mode power supply. Why don’t I call it either class G or class H? Because the definition in the US and Japan is opposite of the definition used in Europe. The switch mode power supply is virtually identical to the power supplies used in all popular class D platforms.

How do I know this? Because I knew Wade Stewart, and his company was located very close by. I did some service work for the company about 30 years ago and am very familiar with their legacy product.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jim C, Al Kraft, el murdoque and 3 others
#333
agedhorse said:
As a suggestion, respectfully, if you are going to argue about something, please at least understand what you are talking about. Otherwise you are just being disrespectful to others.

The Stewart World 2.1 is not class K and has nothing whatsoever to do with class K. It’s a conventional class G/H amp with a switch mode power supply. Why don’t I call it either class G or class H? Because the definition in the US and Japan is opposite of the definition used in Europe. The switch mode power supply is virtually identical to the power supplies used in all popular class D platforms.

How do I know this? Because I knew Wade Stewart, and his company was located very close by. I did some service work for the company about 30 years ago and am very familiar with their legacy product.
Click to expand...

Respectfully agree.

Going from memory, and having posed a question. My recalling "K" and not "H" was confusing in the conversation. Thanks for clearing that up. I find it interesting that the actual product type, misidentified by me, is actually similar to the topic Class D. My original question was comparative and had I had the "H" in there sounds like it would have related more directly to the Class D.

Much appreciated!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Al Kraft and agedhorse
#335
OregonJim said:
Hmm...fuses come to mind, as do (some applications of) clipping diodes, MOVs... :smug:
Click to expand...

Surely the purpose of the fuse is to keep two pieces of equipment connected until the current in the connection exceeds a specified level, at which point it breaks the connection. Seems to me, by keeping the connection intact under non-fault conditions it is working all of the time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Al Kraft and agedhorse
#337
SteveCS said:
Surely the purpose of the fuse is to keep two pieces of equipment connected until the current in the connection exceeds a specified level, at which point it breaks the connection. Seems to me, by keeping the connection intact under non-fault conditions it is working all of the time.
Click to expand...

But when it performs the purpose for which it was designed, which is to destroy itself, then the entire circuit is reduced to doing nothing.

(just in case you can't see, my tongue is firmly planted in my cheek)
 
  • Like
Reactions: PhatBottomBass1

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back