Looking for a fanless, small, cheap class D mono power amp

[Paul Szegedin]

I have a preamp I like. I want to stuff it into a box with a small power amp -- not more than 500 watts and probably 300 is fine -- but I don't want a fan, so something small enough to have just a heatsink.

I don't even know where to begin because it seems like there loads of things like this. Would be interested if anyone can point to something cheap and clean that fulfills that mission, on ebay or wherever.

 

[agedhorse]

Easier said than done, especially if you believe the eBay/Amazon.Alibaba marketing.

Do you care about safety and EMC compliance? What kind of power supply do you propose to use?

 

[Mushroo]

I don't know if it counts as "cheap" but I have used Acoustic Image heads for this exact purpose in the past, and they are the bee's knees. Clarus SL is 650w and only 2.5lbs. You can use it as a power amp by plugging your preamp into the Effects Return.

If you are okay with a lower wattage, Quilter makes some very nice 200w fanless amps. A little more affordable than the Acoustic Image.

 

[Giraffe]

I looked into this sort of thing when Parts Express had the ICE modules on sale recently. Crazy cheap, tiny, and proven performers.

Shielding, ventilating, getting a suitable housing, and fabricating the connectivity were a lot more clumsy than I decided it was worth getting into. It was hard to justify going to the grief and aggravation when the Acoustic Image Clarus SL offered everything I needed, plus many extra features, for such a reasonable price ($599, shipped to the U.S., no sales tax). The Genzler Magellan 350 was another good argument against DIY'ing anything.

Buy one of the tiny Class D heads and bypass the preamp. Reliable, safe, tiny, reasonably priced, easily flipped if you wish, plus it will have a pre and tone controls if you ever want that.

Those ICE modules look really attractive, but AI and Genzler have already engineered them into roadworthy and affordable gear.

 

[seamonkey]

Buy a powered PA cabinet
Most don't have fans

Or look for Plate Amplifiers but you won't find one cheap.

 

[frankie5string]

As a bass player, you're probably the last person in the band who should be looking at "cheap" and "fanless" for a power amplifier.

Instead, save up a little longer and aim a little higher. Treat yourself.

 

[brianrost]

+1 for Acoustic Image. You can get the older models used for cheap.

There's one for sale here at TB right now.

 

[Paul Szegedin]

I looked into this sort of thing when Parts Express had the ICE modules on sale recently. Crazy cheap, tiny, and proven performers.

Thanks, I'm definitely a DIY'er, and this is for home use and small scale stuff, so those ICE units are a good lead for me. But I don't know if I'd agree they're crazy cheap.

Buy a powered PA cabinet
Most don't have fans

This is exactly what I did up to now with this amp, but the power amp is a little bit too underpowered and big (class A, huge transformer) - it's an older one.

I saw one of the Trace Elliot amps at a guitar shop and said, yeah, I need to put together one that small, for less money.

 

[agedhorse]

Class A???

 

[agedhorse]

My experience is that you can't build even DIY for as cheap as you can buy a used factory built amp. Older, heavier amps are going for pennies on the dollar. I sent a load of misc. power amps and such to the shredder last year because they weren't even worth the cost of shipping.

Where are you located? PM me and I will look to see what I have available in the used pro audio area of the warehouse.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I have a preamp I like. I want to stuff it into a box with a small power amp -- not more than 500 watts and probably 300 is fine -- but I don't want a fan, so something small enough to have just a heatsink.

I don't even know where to begin because it seems like there loads of things like this. Would be interested if anyone can point to something cheap and clean that fulfills that mission, on ebay or wherever.

https://m.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_block_800b.htm

 

[el murdoque]

Boutique

 

[DJ Bebop]

https://m.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_block_800b.htm

Oops, that has a fan, sorry.

 

[A Bass And Its Boy]

@juledude makes a 500W fanless power amp… (it is fanless, right Jule?). It might not be cheap, but you’ll never replace it.

 

[wmhill]

Who cares if your amp stays cool... (until it fails)

 

[Bisounourse]

The Baby Sumo?
Boutique

Looks like it doesn't have a fan, 300 watts @ 8ohm.

 

[braud357]

Crown XLS1000 - not mono, but weighs about 9 lbs. I recently started using one with a BBE BMAX-T preamp - loving it so far !

 

[dbase]

I have a preamp I like. I want to stuff it into a box with a small power amp -- not more than 500 watts and probably 300 is fine -- but I don't want a fan, so something small enough to have just a heatsink.

I don't even know where to begin because it seems like there loads of things like this. Would be interested if anyone can point to something cheap and clean that fulfills that mission, on ebay or wherever.

Sometimes the heatsink could be bigger than a fan. Why don't you want a fan?

 

[iiipopes]

Have you checked out the TC Electronics offerings? I keep one of their 200w amps as a backup: very small, light, inexpensive.

 

[mexicanyella]

The Ganz SA500 “Straight Ahead” power amp is small, stand-alone and mono, and has been discussed favorably here on TB and also on the Steel Guitar Forum...I’ve never used one but exchanged e-mails with the builder once and it sounded like It would come in under $300, I could select 1/4” or Speakon outputs and there was a few weeks’ wait time while he built it and filled the order.