Ditching Class A Amps due to Heat - Sort of a Poll


A discussion elsewhere about the future of Class A made me wonder how true one statement really is. So the questions are...

Have you done away with your Class A Amp due to Heat concerns?

Will you be moving away from Class A Amp due to Heat concerns?

Will you never buy a Class A Amp due to Heat concerns?

I only have a class A/B unit that does Class A up to 6 watts with almost no heat so really can't speak for those who have used in the past or currently own and run Class A Amps.

brianh61

I have a Pass 250.8 in a 13x 23 room running Sabrina with a JLf113 V.2. It always heats the room to 70 - 72 in the winter months and to 74 in the summer- too hot despite sounding great. I run a pair of Bel Canto REF600m in the warmer months and they will probably end up being my main amps as I downsize. Inevitably the 100 pound Pass will become too heavy at some point. 

Ralph:

The Sharp sounds more than decent with 4/8 ohm speakers (the super cheap Sonic Impacts were always odd sounding and I even tried powering them with batteries).

This is coming from someone who has been using DH/SET 300B/2A3 amps (Audion/Bottlehead) for the past 20 years.

The Sharp's were a goof (purchased 5 of them on closeout for $75/each mainly for gifts, but ended up liking it).

I didn't even realize that the Sharp was Class D until recently upon looking it up.

 

http://www.laaudiofile.com/sdex111.html

DeKay

Digital GaN amps are another step up in sonic purity from class A, class A/B and normal Class D (including GaNs). NO DAC, NO PREAMP, NO ANALOG INTERCONNECTS, NO FEEDBACK, NO HEAT.......just super sound. The only one available right now that makes sense is the Peachtree GaN 1 using the Elegant Audio Solutions 200 watt a channel board. I have no doubt you will soon see other manufacturers using this board and the 400 watt stereo and mono boards (and inside speakers too). This is the revolution that many have been waiting for.....less money, less heat, less components and better sound. Please see the GaN 1 thread here.....much much more info coming soon. Ditch those super big amps....you just don’t need them.....and ditch the DAC, and the preamp and cables....and grin!

And you can bi and tri amp in the digital domain and get rid of your transparency robbing xovers in your speakers.....now super easy to make a diy speaker that will simply blow you mind. I am making a page online that will describe the revolution in more detail. I will post a link to it. The revolution is NOW!

Another Luxman 590AXII owner.  It's actually high bias Class A to 30 watts, then A/B to 100.  The 30 watts is enough for most everything.  That said, it's really heavy, at 65 lbs. Never gets hot to my knowledge.  It sounds like Class D is really advancing with makers like Atmasphere innovating.  When the consensus is the sound and value exceeds Class A and the products are light weight, run cool, are priced right and are better for the planet to boot, count me in.