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Should I buy a Class A Amp.

I would Love to buy a Class A Amp. I have a Sony Tan-80ES Amp right now and I have had it for 19 yrs. To me it sounds Great but I am curious about Class A Amps. Do they really sound better? I am looking at a Krell KSA 200 Amp right now for $2000.00. It is older then my Sony. Is this too much for such an old Amp? Would Love to hear members thoughts on this.  

Blessings, ..........Don.
donplatt
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 
Is Class A the best design? Look at it this way: no preamplifier designer would ever build anything other than Class A.
This statement says it all, if a preamp was a/b it wouldn’t sound very good, all decent preamps are class A.

It’s the same for Class A amps even more so, but you have to cop the negatives, heat, powersupply ability, size, weight, and power consumption.
All these negatives have nothing to do with poor sound quality, if fact it’s the opposite, Class A done "right" is superior to any a/b, b, d, h etc etc

Cheers George
lynott
87 posts
 

I have an A/B amp that is biased pretty high into Class A, and my speakers are a real easy load. With this setup, I’m in Class A much of the time, and when I’m not, I honestly can’t hear it.

 From my perspective, it all depends on the amp implementation, listener preferences, and choice of speakers. I’ve had pure Class A amps cycle through the system, and I haven’t heard anything that would convince me to give up a *well-designed* A/B amplifier. BUT that’s on MY system. If the speakers were a lot harder to drive, and I listened a lot louder, then I probably would have gone with a Class A behemoth like a big Pass or Boulder.

 To answer Don’s original question: Though I think he need an amp with some serious cajones to drive his Eminents, I would probably stay away from that Krell. Only problem is, most pure Class A designs are gonna cost a good deal more than 2k, even used.

 


jafant
10,525 posts
 

Don-


audition Pass Labs power amps. Happy Listening!

nutty
1,928 posts
 
 FWIW, 
My Mark Levinson no. 334, the "Voltage Gain Stages" are biased to operate in a full class A mode in order to keep all devices within their most linear, distortion free ranges at all time. Using the proprietary adaptive biasing scheme developed in the no. 33 Reference mono's that deliver the sonic advantages of a Class A output stage without incuring the substantial inefficiencies and consequential thermal problems of pure Class A operation. Power output, 125w, 250w, 500w into 8-4-2ohms.

As a result I chose the less powerfull no.334 over the 335 or,336. I do not use any power conditioning or regeration equipment. Laws of physics cannot be denied. The Levinson no. 336 draws 50 amperes at 120v. Long term, you cannot deliver more power to a speaker than you can pull from your wall.

N
czarivey
4,494 posts
 
Well if you have techie near-by that you trust, If you live in colder zones and need extra heat, you should go for powerful class A amp.
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