2. amps-preamps
  3. 190605-193284

Power consuption of an amplifier

Hi, friends!

Maybe you can help me to figure out the peak power consumption of my amp.

I have bought Micromega M-150 from USA, but I live in Europe now. The amp's voltage is 120v, but I have 230v in socket here. So, I'm going to buy a step-down coverter 230v to 120v. Each step-down converter is designed for some maximum load, 150W, 450W, 600W, 1500W etc. So I need to know how much power my amplifier consumes from a socket to choose a coverter.

The problem is that I found three different points of view:

1) The Micromega's manual says: 

Power consumption: Standby : 1W

2 channels -1/8 Pmax under 8 Ohms : 185W

The seller says this is the maximum and I should take converter with double reserve, let it be 450W

2) Hi-Fi News Lab Report says:

Power consumption (idle/rated o/p): 40W / 480W (3W, standby)

I was told in another audiophile forum that 480W is maximum. So we can take with reserve 600W converter.

3) On same forum another guy counted this way:

You should take the dynamic power for two channels and multiply it by two. It means like 300W*2*2=1200W. And as the dynamic power of this amp on 1Ohm is 690W you showd take at least a 1500W conerter.

So I'm confused... The converter I want (Krieger) is 1150W maximum available and costs too much with shipping.

Amp specs:

Power by channel: 150W for 8Ohms, 300W for 4Ohms (I have 4Ohms speakers)

Efficiency 95%

Two power supplies - one for each channel

I wrote to Micromega, but they were bought by another company three years ago and stopped support.

I hope someone here could help me with this problem.

128x128iad
iad's avatar
iad OP
55 posts
 

gs5556, thanks for your advice.

If I understand right, if power consumption will exceed max power of transformer, the transformer will just turn off because of built-in protection.

gs5556
1,235 posts
 

The transformer is a passive device, it literally passes voltage and current that is fed into it. A higher wattage transformer has thicker wires and is able to carry more current and therefore more power. If the transformer is undersized for the load it will overheat and damage. The size of the transformer you pick is based on economics. As an extreme example, you can hook up a 10,000 VA (watt) transformer to a load that only consumes 1 watt. Since you have much more capability than necessary, you paid for all that copper, size and weight for no reason and the job would have been done no different with a 1 watt transformer.

Your amp is made to work in an 1800 watt outlet. Therefore you should ideally select an 1800 watt transformer. In your example, the 1500 watt unit is the closest. No need to go smaller as it may have an effect on performance.

czarivey
5,946 posts
 

Gs suggesting getting welding transformer...

 

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