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Is weight really mater?

If both amps are rated at 100wpc, in general, would one weight 100 lbs sounds fuller, more textures and juice, and is a “better” amp than the one weights only at 8 lbs? (Nope, I’m not comparing commercial PAs or Karaoke mixer systems.)
Mark Levinson No. 331 is weighted around 100 lbs while the amazing Jeff Rowland Model 102 is weighted shockingly at 7.4 lbs. Yup, you read right, “seven point four pounds”.
Can I use this factor for my determination?
In real life, bigger men will tend to lift bigger weights than tinny men, but how about electronic amplifications? Shouldn’t they too need bigger toroid transformer, bigger caps, bigger heat sinks, etc? What’s with the 8 lbs?
Please simplify much possible your comments so others (and I) would understand.
Speakers are smalll 6-ohm floorstanding Sonus Faber Grand Piano Home series. Thanks all.
128x128nasaman
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
Ngjockey - Efficiency of class D plays a role but the most important difference is Switching Power Supply. Toroid in switching supply has diameter of 1-2" and can carry as much power at 50kHz as huge 10" dia toroid at 60Hz. In addition linear power supply is not regulated and requires big amount of capacitors to hold the voltage at loud passages (and filter out 120Hz) while SMPS is regulated (line and load)and easy to filter (small capacitors).

Bad rap SMPS have is caused by some manufacturers who use them to lower the cost only(inexpensive implementations).
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
Yes and no. You have to know what the weight difference means.

If someone shows me a 100Wx2 class A amp but it weights only 30lb. I know it can't be good because he must be cutting corners on heat-sink and power supply, two critical components which weight a lot.

On the other hand, if someone build an amp with extra thick panels which added 10lb to its weight, that extra weight has nothing to do to how it sounds.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Very fair comment. . . that's why I stated earlier that perfectly legitimate but differing technology decisions lead to differing paths toward sonic excellence. . . and differing weights.

I do confess that even I used to give the beefiness of a device major importance in my component choices. . . yet I experiencemore and more that the reassurance that a hefty component can give me can be misleading about its actual sonic capabilities. G.
vandermeulen
191 posts
 
Open the amps and look in. I always do and find no correlation to what you are inquiring about. Same as 10,000 dollar paint jobs on speakers vs stain. If you know what to look for, subtracting the jewely makes a huge difference to what is really going on. Right down to the capacitor.
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