Anyone replaced a Class A amp due to power use? Suggestions for replacement?

yoda900

Moderator
Wammer Plus
Sep 20, 2005
3,961
261
163
Cheshire
HiFi Trade?
  1. Yes
Don't know what your budget is but the Emilen Audio D-Block Mono Power Amplifiers are Class D but sound like a VERY good Class A/B.
Having tried them I could happily live with a pair rather than my normal amp that draws 170W when switched on up to 840W when pushed hard. However you would be deaf or have the Police knocking before it hit that level. You would not hear the Police ;) anyway .
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Snoopdog

Psilonaught

Wammer
Wammer
Aug 16, 2007
3,774
2,311
158
Saffron Walden
AKA
James
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I expect many members here have air con being in various countries of the world . no doubt that consumes a lot of electricity . music helps mental health and if its class A then happy days !!
I also have air con in my listening room, integrated into the ceiling. I probably only use it a few months a year. I also have 14 solar panels and a glycol solar water heater so all in all my power usage isn't bad....

...then our heated swimming pool ruins everything and in fact our power bills are astronomical lol.

I'll get my coat...🫣
 

cynix

Wammer
Wammer
Jan 7, 2011
250
88
43
UK
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Perhaps a better way to look at it is not to consider the hifi power use in absolute terms but to compare its relative power use to the alternatives that I'd otherwise be spending my time on. Using my AV system + projector to watch a movie or my PC for gaming, both of which use around double the power of the hifi... so in that respect using the hifi instead of either of those options is actually a significant power saving. :D

The Roksan Capsian M2 power amp looks interesting, will look out for a used example of that just to hear what an alternative amp is capable of.
 

THOMO

Wammer
Wammer
Aug 10, 2010
967
290
78
Western Australia
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I borrowed a latest Purifi Class D.They sound good in some ways and can see how some people might like them.They certainly sound very clear and detailed and they do not seem to have the peculiar haze or swimmy/phasey soundstage I have heard in earlier Class D amps.However the more I listened the more I disliked it.There was very poor musical cohesion and flow and the soundstage was a bit flat and lacking centre focus and depth.In a way it reminded me of the sort of resolution and clarity I hear from my Bakoon amplifier but without the imaging or musical connection I get from that amplifier.
So I would recommend Bakoon for an efficient and cool running amplifier with outstanding clarity and musicality but they are a bit like valve amps in that they really only sound their best with genuine 8 ohm speakers.
 

Andrei

Wammer
Wammer
Mar 28, 2013
1,511
508
158
Napier
AKA
Andrei
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

I think I'll keep an eye open over next few months for a possible alternative and at least give a class AB power amp a try.
You can get Class AB that are fairly large Class A Bias. But Plinius and PureAudio do amps where you can choose the level of bias. Low for movies or summer, high for winter or critical listening.
 

cynix

Wammer
Wammer
Jan 7, 2011
250
88
43
UK
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
However the more I listened the more I disliked it.

Yes, that was my experience with the Class D amps I've tried (a Wadia and a Teac, think I said Sharp in my original post but I meant Teac). At first I wasn't too sure, they sounded different but like anything else it can take time to get used to a change. But the more I listened the less I liked them and within the week I was sure they weren't staying.

I guess another possibility is to stick with Class A but find a lower power amp, maybe a 40w Class A would only draw 150w or so from the mains and as I don't play things too loud that would likely be fine.
 

garn63

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Mar 3, 2020
12,284
18,699
198
www.avfc.co.uk
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I used to solely use Class A amplification. Presently I am using NVA which I like very much...and you might too ?
Class A/B 60 watts. Should tick your boxes & of course you can try it in your system before committing to buy.(y)
 

MotherSky

The stone that killed two birds
Wammer
Jun 5, 2010
1,828
1,713
158
Shropshire
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Yes, that was my experience with the Class D amps I've tried (a Wadia and a Teac, think I said Sharp in my original post but I meant Teac). At first I wasn't too sure, they sounded different but like anything else it can take time to get used to a change. But the more I listened the less I liked them and within the week I was sure they weren't staying.

I guess another possibility is to stick with Class A but find a lower power amp, maybe a 40w Class A would only draw 150w or so from the mains and as I don't play things too loud that would likely be fine.
Proper Class A will draw the same power from the wall regardless of volume - I am happy to be corrected on this, but as I understand it, bias/standing current would be the critical figure (P=VI) MH
 
  • Like
Reactions: hiesteem

Jules_S

Wammer Plus
Wammer Plus
Jun 7, 2019
3,383
1
4,507
183
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Yes, that was my experience with the Class D amps I've tried (a Wadia and a Teac, think I said Sharp in my original post but I meant Teac). At first I wasn't too sure, they sounded different but like anything else it can take time to get used to a change. But the more I listened the less I liked them and within the week I was sure they weren't staying.

I guess another possibility is to stick with Class A but find a lower power amp, maybe a 40w Class A would only draw 150w or so from the mains and as I don't play things too loud that would likely be fine.
I appreciate that I'm a bit of a Class-D fanboy, but I'd just say be mindful not to associate what you experienced with all Class D amps - they are absolutely NOT all the same (Just as all Class A or A/B are not all the same).

I'm currently auditioning an Audio Research Class-D amp (yes, I know, heresy!) and it has an astonishing ability with image focus and soundstaging. As we all know, synergy between components is equally, if not more, important than individual performance. An unsympathetic partner will not show up the amp's best qualities.

My previous Gato Class-D amp was a superb match with my Q Acoustics Concept 500s but not quite as good with the Martin Logans, whereas this Class-D Audio Research is really doing the business with them, and it's less powerful than the Gato so it's not all down to grunt. If it was, the MF kW550 that's also currently in residence here would wipe the floor with it... but it absolutely doesn't.
 

cynix

Wammer
Wammer
Jan 7, 2011
250
88
43
UK
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Proper Class A will draw the same power from the wall regardless of volume - I am happy to be corrected on this, but as I understand it, bias/standing current would be the critical figure (P=VI) MH

Yes, that's correct. The logic is that my current Class A amp is a huge 80w beast drawing around 300w from the mains, but as I don't play things all that loud maybe a 40w Class A amp would meet my aim to reduce power use while retaining that Class A sound.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hiesteem

cynix

Wammer
Wammer
Jan 7, 2011
250
88
43
UK
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I appreciate that I'm a bit of a Class-D fanboy, but I'd just say be mindful not to associate what you experienced with all Class D amps - they are absolutely NOT all the same (Just as all Class A or A/B are not all the same).

Yes, quite true.

I was tempted by the Nord NC500 in the classifieds recently and if it had been a little cheaper (thus allowing me to move it on at less of a loss if/when I didn't like it) then I'd have given it a try.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jules_S

uzzy

Grumpy Old Git
Wammer
Apr 16, 2006
8,565
4,632
158
NN38TA Northampton
AKA
David
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Well the money you will save (unless you have the amp going 12 hours a day) may well be a minor amount compared to the cost of changing the amp I have a Class AB amp heavily biased to class A - I did try a Nord Class D and it just lacked the drive and mid range detail of my current amp. Funniest was after I had set it up and put on some music the missus asked me what was wrong with the hifi.
I had it in the system for two weeks to ensire it has a fair shot. After two weeks I slotted the old amp back and it was a great relief .. it was head ans shoulders better overall. Don't get me wrong - for the £1300 or so new that the Nord amp was it is great value for money and I am sure is as good or better than any other amp you can buy for a grand new but it was not my cup of tea and the old Hafler remains (I still have a hankering to change the amp and keep trying different ones but have yet to find anything I can afford, that comes close let alone beat it .. want to try a Prima Luna but will have to get bigger attenuators perhaps if I do lol)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sonofsun

hiesteem

peacebro
Wammer
Feb 6, 2019
1,921
1,666
133
AKA
Pete
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Don't overlook Class D. The latest offerings, particularly those based on Purifi's Eigentakt technology, are pretty amazing. Look for ones that don't just buy in Evaluation Boards, look for ones that build under licence after tweeking the circuit and using superior components. NAD is, the main player, although I believe that T&A are working on a Purifi amp. . I chose the NAD M33 out of the dozen amps I home demo'd over a prolonged period.
I would add Jeff Rowland class D amplifiers to that list.
 

hearhere

Wammer
Wammer
Apr 9, 2013
1,373
1,184
158
Portsmouth, UK
AKA
Peter
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I would add Jeff Rowland class D amplifiers to that list.
Thanks. I wasn't aware that Jeff Rowland used Purifi Eigentakt modules in any of their amps. although they obviuously use another Class D technology in some units. Could you direct me to any Eigentakt-powered amps from JR? Or any other maintream amp builders that offer Eigentaky-based amps. Thanks. Peter
 

hiesteem

peacebro
Wammer
Feb 6, 2019
1,921
1,666
133
AKA
Pete
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Thanks. I wasn't aware that Jeff Rowland used Purifi Eigentakt modules in any of their amps. although they obviuously use another Class D technology in some units. Could you direct me to any Eigentakt-powered amps from JR? Or any other maintream amp builders that offer Eigentaky-based amps. Thanks. Peter
T+A use the purifi Eigntact in their A200 stereo and m 200 mono power amps. I don't think Jeff Rowland use the Purifi modules, I mentioned it as it's an impressive build and sound quality. Especially the 535 power amp.
 

TheFlash

Also available in pink
Wammer
Jun 22, 2013
12,479
8,343
208
Rural Leics [system 1] & Kendal [systems 2 & 3]
AKA
Nigel
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I hope you have it switched on for less than half an hour per day! Have you thought of replacing it with an amp that sounds as good but consumes a fraction of that? Then you could listen as long as you like with a clear concience - and a low electricity bill?
He might use a 100% renewable energy tariff like some of us do..
 

hearhere

Wammer
Wammer
Apr 9, 2013
1,373
1,184
158
Portsmouth, UK
AKA
Peter
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
T+A use the purifi Eigntact in their A200 stereo and m 200 mono power amps. I don't think Jeff Rowland use the Purifi modules, I mentioned it as it's an impressive build and sound quality. Especially the 535 power amp.
Thanks. I thought it was T&A that had introduced Purifi into their range, Unfortunately if you want T&A to supply the features of the NAD M33, one needs 3 boxes instead of just one and even then there are features such phono stage, room correction DSP, headphone out are omitted.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hiesteem

russell2010

Wammer
Wammer
Apr 3, 2010
39
29
33
Barnet
AKA
Russell
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
2nd system: replaced ATC P1 with Nord NC252 to power ATC SCM11s. Works for me. ATC power amp was an immovable power-hungry beast.
 

newlash09

Iam deaf at the ears, but way more dumb in between
Wammer
Aug 10, 2018
3,379
3,333
183
45
India
AKA
Y.Manohar / mike
HiFi Trade?
  1. No
I've been typing for close to 2 hours. Only to loose it all as my tab has a mind of its own
 
  • Haha
Reactions: uzzy

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
113,444
Messages
2,451,263
Members
70,783
Latest member
reg66

Latest Articles