One more time: autoformers?

Are you looking for a comparison on output transformers vs autoformers, or autoformers vs not using either?

If you haven't already check out the Paul Speltz Zero page where he discusses the benefits of using autoformers between the amp and speakers. I used a set we built between my OTL and planars to increase the impedance of the speaker which allowed my amp to drive them a bit better. My amp puts out more power as the speaker impedance increases so this was a benefit, but not all amps do this. I didn't notice any downside using the autoformer. I suspect with other types of amps what the autoformer does is affect damping factor and provide better amp/speaker matching.

Thanks Zd... and Clio.... I own a power amp with output transformers. I also read the Paul Speltz white paper as well as the Atmasphere white paper on Voltage Paradigm and Power Paradigm amps. I get his basic point about impedance matching and the benefits of increasing the level of impedance the amp "sees."

My concern is that I do not have the full picture. If autoformers are so great, why don't amp manufacturers just slap that on the back of their amps for all the perceived benefits.

I would appreciate hearing from our "EE" type members about the benefits and downsides of using autoformers. One thought is that if a speaker's impedance curve is a rollcoaster with some pretty tough dips and hills . . ., sure, the autoformer presumably can lift the entire plot up 2X, 3X and so forth. What happens, for example, if the impedance hills touch 20ohms or 30 ohms?? Can any amp (SS or tube) push power into a 40 ohm (2 x 20 ohms) or 60 ohm (2 x 30 ohms) impedance??

Thanks again .

Well, as far as I know, OTLs are the only amp design that increases power into higher impedance. Though many amps may struggle when impedance dips too low (not sure if autoformers help this or not).

Amps certainly can push power into 40 or 60 ohms. These are not unusual impedance values for headphones (and some headphones have much higher impedance values). But a SS amp and a tube amp with transformer and speaker taps for 4,8,16 ohms would be putting out considerably less power into these impedences.

That's about as much as I can help here (if this could be called help).

+1 on reading Speltz's webpage.

Thanks Roscoe. There's a number of "EE" type members who I hope chime in too.

No +1 point for reading the Atmasphere white paper too??