Are Amp's power supplies built to take a bit extra load on the primary side?

[mp3streetparty]

Just say I had a way to get 15 to 20% more watts on each output of a stereo amp.

I ran some primitive tests back in 2005 on my Stereo ETI 480 100 Watt version (The Kits which I built in the early 80's) but had no test equipment to measure results. I only took notice by how much the woofer cones seem to move back and forth with at low frequency's.

I have run the circuit thru a simulator and have some results on paper.

The problem is the primary current of the transformer is a little more in terms of RMS but average is less. The increase of input current maybe from 3 to 7%.

My uncle was a sparky and he used to say it no good unless something can stand 100% overload, but I don't know if that applies to a transformer in modern Amps.

The Question is would Stereo Amp transformer be ok with this little bit extra current on the primary side?

 

[PENG]

Well designed/built power transformers typically have very good overload capability. You can overload it by 10 to 15% all day long and it shouldn't blow but will have a shorter life. If you overload it only occasionally then there should be no problem at all. Given a fixed budget, I always thought Denon, Yamaha, Anthem, Arcam, Onkyo, (their lower/mid end lines), Emotiva, Sony (yes even Sony) etc., are smarter than NAD and HK, as they seem to invest more in beefier electronics to maximize stereo output performance and take care of short term demand from 3,4,5,6,7 channel by allowing the power supply (power transformer & caps) to do their magic whereas NAD and HK seem to indulge in this ACD thing that is good to talk about but may hurt more than gain if that the gain in ACD output is offset by loss in 1,2&3 output. Just my 2 cents of course, YMMV.

 

[mp3streetparty]

Thanks for the 2 cents worth PENG.

I have been playing with figures and if you had a 1/4 kw amp you might end up with 1/3 kw output its only .8 db more but that might be enough to take you sound pressure level another notch.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Thanks for the 2 cents worth PENG.

I have been playing with figures and if you had a 1/4 kw amp you might end up with 1/3 kw output its only .8 db more but that might be enough to take you sound pressure level another notch.

Yes, spl will increase by .8dB. Depending on where on the frequency band it is, you will not hear it most likely, certainly not in the low end where hearing is not very sensitive to such changes.

 

[PENG]

Thanks for the 2 cents worth PENG.

I have been playing with figures and if you had a 1/4 kw amp you might end up with 1/3 kw output its only .8 db more but that might be enough to take you sound pressure level another notch.

0.8 dB is not significant, but a well design/built power transformer will give you much more than that for intermittent/cyclic type of overloads, and that's what we can count on for real life music, except for heavy metals/rocks that may demand closer to constant output from an amp.

 

[mp3streetparty]

0.8 dB is not significant, but a well design/built power transformer will give you much more than that for intermittent/cyclic type of overloads, and that's what we can count on for real life music, except for heavy metals/rocks that may demand closer to constant output from an amp.

I am mainly interested heavy metal/rock continuous output so I guess I need to slightly overate the power supply to cope with the demand.

 

[PENG]

I am mainly interested heavy metal/rock continuous output so I guess I need to slightly overate the power supply to cope with the demand.

Sure, but in that case why not just get a pro amp, even with a slightly noisy fan it woudn't matter anyway.

 

[mp3streetparty]

Sure, but in that case why not just get a pro amp, even with a slightly noisy fan it woudn't matter anyway.

I have time and bits n pieces but not much money so a pro Amp is out of the question for now.

I have been looking a building a 5 channel amp with kits a 135 watt class ab amp but I need 2 off the shelf transformers to run the all the amps though.
One day...

 

[lsiberian]

I have time and bits n pieces but not much money so a pro Amp is out of the question for now.

I have been looking a building a 5 channel amp with kits a 135 watt class ab amp but I need 2 off the shelf transformers to run the all the amps though.
One day...

You could use a tripath based amp and use a meanwell power supply.