High Current Monoblocks

What do you mean by "high current"?

An amplifier's power output can be limited by: (1) the maximum voltage it can produce, or (2) it's ability to deliver current to the speaker so that the output voltage can be maintained.

Musical signals are characterized by infrequent "spikes" of high voltage. These only require high current for a brief time interval. For music reproduction it is better to run out of current than voltage. The "continuous" power rating that FCC specs require are actually less sensible than the scorned "music" power specs that the industry dreamed up some years ago.

I am all in favor of a "robust" power supply, but I don't need a welding supply.

Sanders Sound System ESL Mono amps. He also has a new amp for "regular" speakers.

I think Spectron amps are switching and provide high current - is this correct? I know nothing about their sound.

But I want to throw out a general question about high current. I've always judged this solely by how wattage changes with speaker impedence. The closer the amp comes to doubling its power when impedence is halved, the better it is at not being current restricted. An amp that doubled its power with half the impedence would not be current limited, and should be a great candidate.

Are there other measures of how well an amp can deliver current while playing music? What are they?

Thanks, Peter

I would stay with something from ARC. There 'is' such a thing as synergy in a system. It's rarely achieved mixing multiple brands together. ARC spends a lot of time tweaking there designs by listening to them with other componets from there own line of product designs. Call ARC and ask their oppinion. Leonard usually handles those types of calls and is a 'straight shooter'.

Peter_s...The "Double down" criteria is a good test of a decent power supply.
Another criteria which might be more appropriate for music is "headroom". I think this word describes the ability to deliver an undistorted waveform when the peak (brief duration) voltage is well above what the amp can deliver continuously. In practice this would mean high "rail" voltages that will "sag" if a correspondingly high output voltage is required continuously. Don't like that "sag"? No problem. Just give me another $1000 for a bigger power supply,and more output transistors, but if you don't listen to continuous ear-splitting sine waves it will gain you nothing (except audiophile bragging rights).