Why would anyone want class AB amp when class A always sounds better ?


Cost ? Heat? Reliability?
inna
Why would anyone want class AB amp when class A always sounds better ?

Because Class A does not always sound better. Obviously.

class A always sounds better 
Who says?  Absolutes are rarely applicable in this hobby IMHO. 

Yes, they are sometimes applicable.
Miller, what's wrong ? Give us an example. I'll give it myself. Gryphon Diablo 300 class AB integrated sounds better than Sugden class A integrated. But it's not a fair comparison, not what I mean, of course.
As a direct example, some feel that the Luxman 509X class AB at $9.5k sounds better than the Luxman 590axii class A at $9k. Can’t get much more absolute-busting than that. Same company, both integrateds with same features, essentially same price, both current products.