2. amps-preamps
  3. 148670-2497

Bridging an amplifier

I recently watched a YouTube video, a few years old, that featured Flemming Rasmussen, the highly regarded founder and engineer for Gryphon (now retired I believe). Flemming was speaking of his class A monoblock amplifiers in the Antileon Evo, Colloseum and Mephisto. Flemming was expressing his disdain for Monoblocks that are actually 2 internally bridged amplifiers, (such as DNA 500,Clayton M300s and also class A Luxman that can be used as Monoblocks in the BTL mode (bridged tied load), calling these types of Monoblocks inferior and not true Monoblocks. He claims dedicated Monoblocks where all push pull transistors are paralleled, are vastly superior to summing the two channels via bridging (antiphase summing). I’d love to know if most audiophiles and engineers agree with Flemming. I have owned and found both the DNA Monoblocks and Clayton M300 Monoblocks to sound excellent, and a friend uses two M-800A Luxman class A amplifiers in bridged tied load mode (BTL switch) with great clarity and power. Thank you for your thoughts!
audiobrian
audiobrian OP
183 posts
 
For those interested:

http://www.iar-80.com

Just one reviewers opinion.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,476 posts
 
Audiobrian, anybody who thinks those are the best sounding SS amps out there needs to have their Haldol doses increased. Not that they are bad but certainly not the best. Find me a bridged amp that sounds as good as a Pass 600.8 or Parasound JC-1 not to mention the Gryphon and Soulution Mono amps. Or even the Manley Neo amps or any of the Atma-sphere mono amps. Can’t do it. Not even the giant killer AHB2 can do it. 
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,476 posts
 
Sh-t I am agreeing with George. I am going to have to increase my Haldol dose..
audiobrian OP
183 posts
 
Everyone’s tastes and ears are different, of course. Mr Moncrieff may have, indeed, needed additional haloperidol in 2004, I believe, when that volume of IAR was published. Just found it interesting that his choices for the two most natural SS amplifiers (at that time) were bridged designs....proves nothing....just his opinion without mention or possibly knowledge of circuit design. My personal SS favorites for natural sound are the Gryphon Antileon Evo, GamuT M250i and Clayton S-2000, two non bridged and one dedicated bridged design, two class A and one class AB, and two bipolar and one mosfet design....lots of flavors and excellent designers.

robert1976
75 posts
 
@georgehifi
Pro’s=
More watts.

Con’s=
Worse damping factor
Higher output impedance (has relevance to damping factor)
Lower stability (especially into low impedance’s)
Current ability is reduced (especially into low impedance’s)
Higher distortion.

Whether these con's are a real, audible issue depends on the amplifier in case, no?

Looking at the Luxman's M-900u specs, doesn't it still have great specs when used as a monoblock?

Sure, damping factor and current ability take a hit. But 600/1200/2,400w into 8/4/2 ohms and a damping factor of 300+ still sounds pretty good.

Please explain if you disagree, I'm kinda new to this :)
More to discover