Small Class D Power Amps

[burgerdj]

A thread posted earlier this month really got me thinking about using various pedal-based preamps with a dedicated class D power amp. So...who is making such hardware? I’ve been keeping an eye out for an SWR Amplite to no avail.

 

[DWBass]

Folks have been building those ICEPower module amps into boxes.

 

[Downunderwonder]

I think Peavey / Trace might be about to release something along those lines. It may just be a power unit for the Transit-B.

 

[MarkA]

• GSS (Guitar Sound System) Baby Sumo variants.
• Jay Ganz Straight Ahead power amp.
• TBer @radbass has built some of the higher wattage modules into enclosures.
  
• Jule Potter (@juledude) has a small, 500 Watt amp coming out.
• Quilter Power Block (200 Watts, and not sure how suitable for dynamic bass it is -- might be fine, but I don't know).
  
• Seymour Duncan makes a couple of "PowerStage" amps targeted at guitar (again, don't know how suitable they would be for more dynamic bass playing).

Those are the compact (some more than others), non-rack format, class D poweramps I can think of off the top of my head. There are more, I'm sure (including the aforementioned Amplite).

There are also some DIY kits targeted at the hifi/hobby market that incorporate ICE or certain Hypex modules -- if those could be adapted to use Speakon or 1/4" speaker cable, they might be options.

Many small heads work pretty well taking a line-level input into the effects return jack, but optimal levels (and, I think, impedances) can vary from head to head.

 

[bucephylus]

Demeter Minnie 800D

 

[Zoobiedood]

Both the PowerStage 170 & 700 are clean power amps with active EQ...I've used both for bass and they work just as good as they do for guitar.

 

[Zbysek]

I have had the Amplite. It worked well with my EBS pedal preamp.

Now I am having an eye on the Quilter Bass Block. It's not just a power amp, however it's simplicity is in that direction...

 

[Zbysek]

Bassics A-900

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[juledude]

• GSS (Guitar Sound System) Baby Sumo variants.
• Jay Ganz Straight Ahead power amp.
• TBer @radbass has built some of the higher wattage modules into enclosures.
  
• Jule Potter (@juledude) has a small, 500 Watt amp coming out.
• Quilter Power Block (200 Watts, and not sure how suitable for dynamic bass it is -- might be fine, but I don't know).
  
• Seymour Duncan makes a couple of "PowerStage" amps targeted at guitar (again, don't know how suitable they would be for more dynamic bass playing).

Those are the compact (some more than others), non-rack format, class D poweramps I can think of off the top of my head. There are more, I'm sure (including the aforementioned Amplite).

There are also some DIY kits targeted at the hifi/hobby market that incorporate ICE or certain Hypex modules -- if those could be adapted to use Speakon or 1/4" speaker cable, they might be options.

Many small heads work pretty well taking a line-level input into the effects return jack, but optimal levels (and, I think, impedances) can vary from head to head.

There are a bunch of good amps out there, but if you are considering DIY you might want to put the SURE AA-AB32191 (about $70 on Ebay) coupled with the MEANWELL NES-350-48 (also about $70 on Ebay) in the mix. An enclosure is gonna cost another $50 or so. Add IEC AC input jack with a self contained fuse an on/off led, Speakon Combo Jack, and you are still under $200. Does it sound like a Pascal, Ice, Hypex? "no, but it ain't bad - especially for the $$."

The SURE AA-AB32191 docs talk about 600 watts, but 500 is more realistic. Really a pretty nice amp. The chipset is from Texas Instruments. The amp has an integrated temperature controlled fan, so you don't have to add that. Four different front end gain levels. I built several of these up about 6 or 7 years ago for test rigs in my shop. They are still running after lots of abuse.

The MEANWELL power supply also has its own fan, and it is plenty beefy to run the amp. Cooling is a large consideration in all Class D amps, so it is nice to have it already taken care of.

 

[MarkA]

Both the PowerStage 170 & 700 are clean power amps with active EQ...I've used both for bass and they work just as good as they do for guitar.

Thanks for chiming in.

The reason I said that I wasn't sure how the PowerStage (or Quilter Power Block) would work for "more dynamic bass playing" (aside from my not having used them) is that I wasn't sure how amps seemingly targeted for guitar would handle the bigger dynamic peaks (at lower frequencies) often encountered in bass playing (particularly with more percussive styles, palm-muting, etc.). That's not to say that they're not great -- they very well might be, for those styles and others -- just that it'd be something I, personally, would look into before buying.

Do you find that the PowerStage amps handle dynamic ("peaky") bass well? How do you like the EQ (a bonus on a poweramp) for bass?

There are a bunch of good amps out there, but if you are considering DIY you might want to put the SURE AA-AB32191 (about $70 on Ebay) coupled with the MEANWELL NES-350-48 (also about $70 on Ebay) in the mix. An enclosure is gonna cost another $50 or so. Add IEC AC input jack with a self contained fuse an on/off led, Speakon Combo Jack, and you are still under $200. Does it sound like a Pascal, Ice, Hypex? "no, but it ain't bad - especially for the $$."

The SURE AA-AB32191 docs talk about 600 watts, but 500 is more realistic. Really a pretty nice amp. The chipset is from Texas Instruments. The amp has an integrated temperature controlled fan, so you don't have to add that. Four different front end gain levels. I built several of these up about 6 or 7 years ago for test rigs in my shop. They are still running after lots of abuse.

The MEANWELL power supply also has its own fan, and it is plenty beefy to run the amp. Cooling is a large consideration in all Class D amps, so it is nice to have it already taken care of.

Thanks, Jule -- I'm sure that some DIYers will appreciate this!

 

[Zoobiedood]

Thanks for chiming in.

The reason I said that I wasn't sure how the PowerStage (or Quilter Power Block) would work for "more dynamic bass playing" (aside from my not having used them) is that I wasn't sure how amps seemingly targeted for guitar would handle the bigger dynamic peaks (at lower frequencies) often encountered in bass playing (particularly with more percussive styles, palm-muting, etc.). That's not to say that they're not great -- they very well might be, for those styles and others -- just that it'd be something I, personally, would look into before buying.

Do you find that the PowerStage amps handle dynamic ("peaky") bass well? How do you like the EQ (a bonus on a poweramp) for bass?



Thanks, Jule -- I'm sure that some DIYers will appreciate this!

I've used a compressor for my bass, so I never got any peakiness with it...I have it set as a limiter, really. As far as EQ, I only touch it on the PowerStage if the room needs it. I do most of my EQing from a preamp.