Is my amp "High Current"?

One easy definition of a 'high-current' amp, as Monty mentioned, is one that has a continuous-power rating of double its output power as the load halves its impedance. This test is rather strenuous, and many amps just can't do it. The key word here is 'continuous'. For a short-enough period, any amp can double its power when the load halves. To be able to pass twice the current continuously, almost ALL parts in an amp that pass current, and that's at least all the power supply and active circuirty, have to be larger and the entire system has to be able to dissipate the heat*. A few amps are built with large-enough parts that that they'll double output again into 2 Ohms, and fewer still will double again into 1 Ohm. I had a Lazurus HA-1 stereo poweramp that was rated 50WPC into 8, 100WPC into 4, and 200WPC into 2.

So maybe one definition of 'high-current' is having a continuous-power rating into 4 Ohms of double the 8-Ohm power. Others have more-strenuous definitions.

* This requirement is what prevents many multichannel amps such as my Outlaw 770 from doubling its power continuously--each amp module is so close to the next, there just isn't enough airflow over each to remove the additional heat created by the doubled current flow.
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Dear Koestner: +++++ " I read about speakers benefiting from using a high current amp " +++++

It benefit if the electrical speakers impedance curve goes really down, say below 3-4 Ohms. Along with this HC desired factor is a desired too low output amplifier impedance, say below 0.1 Ohms.

Now if your amplifier meets what Montytx posted then it is a HC one.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I think y'all are confusing power with current.

1. Watts are a product of volts times current
2. So 200 watts could equal (A) 1V x 200A or (B) 200V x 1A
3. When impedance (ohms) drops, and the speaker wants lots of watts, you could give it A or B, but an electrostat would prefer A because it's a current hungry device, not a voltage hungry device like a cone driver which prefers B.
4. Tube amps (generally speaking) have more amps in each watt while SS amps have more volts in each watt,
5. Ergo, a 35 watt tube amp may be capable of delivering the same amount of CURRENT as a 200 watt SS amp.

So if it's current you're after, a good tube amp will do it -- if it's voltage you need, you'd be happier with the SS amp. The thing is, that unlike stats, cone drivers generally don't drop significantly in impedance as the frequency rises, however they do call for more power (in the form of volts not amps), when controlling (damping) large woofers.
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Wow, That was an excellent response. I finally saw the light bulb above my head go on. I only hope I can generate the watts to keep it lit :-)

Thank you. You really did explain that well.

"3. When impedance (ohms) drops, and the speaker wants lots of watts, you could give it A or B, but an electrostat would prefer A because it's a current hungry device, not a voltage hungry device like a cone driver which prefers B.
4. Tube amps (generally speaking) have more amps in each watt while SS amps have more volts in each watt,
5. Ergo, a 35 watt tube amp may be capable of delivering the same amount of CURRENT as a 200 watt SS amp.

So if it's current you're after, a good tube amp will do it -- if it's voltage you need, you'd be happier with the SS amp. The thing is, that unlike stats, cone drivers generally don't drop significantly in impedance as the frequency rises, however they do call for more power (in the form of volts not amps), when controlling (damping) large woofers."

Oh my. That's exactly backwards, Nsgarch.
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