Amps for dummies

[TheMoose]

Originally Posted by kennyt

Ah Moose, we are only leading you astray.....

Don't worry about "leading me astray" this is very informative & anyone who doesn't know much about separates can use this type of info!

So another question is what kind of SS amp?
From what I can remember reading in magazines there are a few different types, A, B, AB, D & Digital or something like that.

The first question is wouldn't all Solid State amps be digital & what are the differences in all the different types of amps?

[kennyt]

Class A use full power all the time, so they are always ready to output it. They run hot and eat up electricity.

Class B switches on and off as needed, saves power and heat

Class A/B works like class A to a point, then uses class B type switching for the higher outputs.

D are digital or switching amps, they've been around a while but people are really just getting them accepted by the high end. No, all solid state amps are not digital amps.

This is obviously only a brief overview, but will give you the idea.

[docjj]

How about the new Pioneer SC-09TX that has 7 200W Class D amps with all the bells and whistles of a high end receiver in one package? Anyone get to see one in action yet? It may be the best of both worlds of Receiver and Amp Pre/Pro separates.

[kennyt]

If that is the new TOTL like $7K one, I saw and heard it @ CEDIA this year, that thing is pretty sweet, you can also do 10 channels @ 140 wpc.

That said, I wouldn't trade my Levinson for it!

[quikslvr750]

Originally Posted by TheMoose

Don't worry about "leading me astray" this is very informative & anyone who doesn't know much about separates can use this type of info!

Agreed. Moose, you just saved me from having to ask, lol. Thanks, you couldn't have started this thread at a better time.

[docjj]

Earlier in this thread, someone commented that amps usually sound better at low volumes than receivers. This Pioneer SC-09 TX has something called Dolby Loudness, which is to try to compensate for this apparent problem. I have not heard about this feature, so it must be something new from Dolby Labs. Anyone else hear about this feature on any other receiver or pre/pro and how it performs or is it nonsense? Thanks.