Are There Any Inherent Advantages to Class A amps?

Thanks for the references Tripper!

I have an amp that can be switched from pure A to A/B with a toggle switch in the back. I move it to A/B sometimes instead of turning it off (it runs much cooler in A/B). At other times, when the music is strictly for background listening I'll also run it A/B. I can always tell the difference! Class A sounds more "right" and much smoother overall.

I don't think the class of operation will (or should) make one amp be more advantageous over another. To answer the question directly: yes, there is an inherent advantage. It's the elimination of cross over distortion which means one less level of distortion to worry about during design. If one were to design a cost-not-matters sota amp, then class A will probably be ONE design criterion.

But it doesn't mean that the advantage results in a better amplifier - too many other factors are involved. I personally prefer the class A/B Classe amps over the class A Krells. Nothing against Krell, but to me their amps are just not to my taste. So to toss the coin with an eye towards operating class will not, in my view, bring about the end result of a good sounding system.

"The Krell is probobly [SIC] pure class a for the first few watts or so."

That's class AB, Radiob.

Mitch, I believe class-A-biased amps have an inherent sound-quality advantage over class-AB-biased amps, but in well-designed amps, this advantage is overwhelmed...swamped...by other differences. Buy according to the usual criteria...

Class-A amps do make great room heaters! :-)

Dear Mitch4t: Switching-cross distortion: as a fact almost every amplifier works in class AB, what this means?: that it works in class A, for a few or severals watts, and in some time switch to works in class B. So, there are amplifiers that works the first 5, 10, 50, 100 watts in class A and when you are asking for more ( watts ) switch to class B.
This switching-cross distortion ( up and down ) it can be audible. So, a pure class A amplifier does not have this switching distortion because always is working in class A and this is the inherent advantage of pure class A. Theoricaletly the class A has less distortion than class B ( it can be measured ) but it is almost inaudible ( in good designed amplifiers ) , example: if you have two amplifiers ( that have same specifications, design and designer ), one pure class A and one pure class B, working between their best linear power ( not near clipping point ) it is almost immposible to detect any differences in the quality of the sound reproduction .
BTW, I don't know why you need the Krells 750 or the Pass XA 600 in an audio system where your front loudspeakers are biamplified. Can you explain this?
Regards and always enjoy the music.
Raul.

Gs, I generally agree. I stopped short of recommending that Mitch should go for the Class A because there are simply too many design characteristics that influence overall sound. There are clearly A/B designs that beat A designs -- that was also made fairly clear in the great references shared by Tripper. On a straight design to design comparison (i.e., same amp), Class A rules. As always, judge with your ears. Good point Gs.