ICE amps need cooling?

Muralman1 - yes it is pretty much the same. I have no idea why you call switching power supplies digital and amplifier analog. Both of them are analog (no discrete values) and both operate with PWM and feedbacks. Modulation process might be different but purpose of power supply is different - input value is constant and feedback keeps output constant. The issue that you raised was noise. Since both operate at the same principle (pulse width modulation) and the same power - noise product of both is the same and very easy to filter out.

Icepower doesn't even bother to filter amplifier's switching noise completely and leaves about 1% on speaker wires. This noise is not audible and can modulate the sound only on non-linear element. Tweeter is potentially one but only if membrane moves (it cannot at such high frequencies). It cannot radiate because it needs hundreds of feet of wire to create 1/4 wave antenna.

There is quite few amps built with 1000ASP module that includes built in SMPS (40 Amperes) and very good reviews.

Let me repeat again - SMPS are regulated (line and load) and can deliver a lot of current - each of 1000ASP modules have its own 40A SMPS.

B&O guys are audio freaks and would never design substandard SMPS to their Icepower modules. I would be happy to discuss it with them if they would find my statements "insulting" or "hilarious". I design electronics (including SMPS) and am familiar with Karsten Nielsen doctorate work.

As for Henry Ho - he might get very low ripple by using a lot of capacitors but you're paying for that and power supply is still completely unregulated same way it was designed more than 50 years ago. Class D was invented during demonstration of response of SMPS. Engineers claimed that SMPS was so fast that it could even play music. Since then SMPS got highly specialized as well as class D. Requirements are different since SMPS is unidirectional and holds constant output voltage but they both got quite sophisticated with a lot of high quality ICs released in recent years.

B&O developed ICEPower technology with much research and help from their government. B&O uses the units in their mass market systems and also sells them to the likes of Rowland, Spectron, Bel Canto, etc. Some people just stick them into folded metal boxes, but those mentioned add proprietery improvements to integrate them into their own designs.

Yes, switching and digital are two different things. Too bad they didn't call it Class E instead. I think that the "D" confuses lots of people, even though it holds no significance other than being the next letter in the alphabet after A, B and C.

Dave

Just for the record. Current generation of Spectron amplifiers do not use switching power supplies. I will not go into reasons, sorry.

Kijanki, thanks for the calm and reasoned response. As much as we want to believe the very talented engineers at B&O made the digital power supply to perfect the sound of their modules, the fact is they did it to shrink the package. There is no doubt the small size of their amps is their strongest selling point. These modules are finding their way into everything from phones to audio gear. Like their business report says, they sold more than a 100 million units last year. Audio amps account for just a tiny fraction of those sales.

Dcstep is entirely right. If you look into your Rowland, you will not see just a module in a box. There is other circuitry there to attenuate the sound to their liking. Same goes for the H2O.

Spectron says they don't use switching power supplies either. He won't say why, but I bet it isn't for conveniences sakes, or some easy way out.

Ah yes. Then there are batteries. Arguments, anyone?