Bugredmachine 5-31-2016 8:14am EDT
If you’re pulling 10 amps with an amp, that would be some major kilowatts happening!! With 250 watt monoblocks and my full system in play including all peripherals, I only measure around 3 amps total pull at 85 db levels.
First, in the absence of further information I would not assume that your current meter is fast enough to capture brief high current peaks in the AC current draw that will occur on brief dynamic peaks in the music, assuming (as I believe) that your TRL Samson amplifiers operate in class AB at high power levels.
Second, keep in mind that under typical circumstances most music requires just a small fraction of an amplifier’s power capability most of the time. In general, most of an amp’s power capability is required just for brief dynamic peaks in the music.
Third, keep in mind that a musical peak of 95 db will require 10 times as much power out of the amplifier than an 85 db level. For a class AB or class D amp, that means a great deal more AC power going into the amp during a 95 db peak than at 85 db.
Roughly speaking, class AB amps tend to be in the vicinity of 50% efficient at full power. So to deliver 250 watts x 2 channels something on the order of 1000 watts of AC would be required, just for the amplifiers. In the USA and other 120 volt countries that is about 8.3 amps.
And then there are class A amps, which draw enough AC power all the time to support their maximum output power capability. A Pass XA200.8 monoblock, just to cite one example, is rated to provide 200 watts into 8 ohms and is spec’d as requiring 750 watts of AC. For two monoblocks that would be 1500/120 = 12.5 amps, drawn continuously.
Regards,
--Al
