Calculating Wattage of Class A/B Amplifiers

[TLS Guy]

Thanks everyone for your comments about regulated power supplies.

TLS Guy, thanks especially for reminding us that "a transformer and power supply caps have to be adequately sized… This is always above the output voltage. A regulator can not boost voltage". Conservation of energy and matter is a law of physics that applies everywhere, including audio.

I also appreciate the fact that unregulated power supplies have served us well for years in audio.

But there is a reason why I asked about this. A number of years ago, as an experiment, Frank Van Alstine built a completely balanced audio system.



One of the results of this past experiment is the active regulated power supplies in his present line of amplifiers. Frank Van Alstine claims it helps his amplifiers perform with an audibly lower noise floor.

What was once costly, and of questionable necessity, can become worthwhile if it can be done at a reasonable cost. I don't know if regulated power supplies will become standard in the future, but here's at least one example that it can be done at perhaps not unreasonable cost, with audible results.

Most power supplies are regulated now. Guess what, it is cheaper! You can have a less expensive power transformer with less taps. Regulators are cheap. Probably wholesale cents. To guys like me generally two to three bucks.

The biggest downside to me is the potential for failure of regulators. I had one fail in my pre pro half way into the warranty. However for supplying microprocessors a regulated supply is mandatory.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Most power supplies are regulated now. Guess what, it is cheaper! You can have a less expensive power transformer with less taps. Regulators are cheap. Probably wholesale cents. To guys like me generally two to three bucks.

The biggest downside to me is the potential for failure of regulators. I had one fail in my pre pro half way into the warranty. However for supplying microprocessors a regulated supply is mandatory.

Actually, I'm only aware of one amplifier that has ever used a fully regulated output stage power supply, the Mark Levinson No 20 monoblock. There may be others, but I've never seem them. The No 20 worked by using separate circuits with bipolar power transistors for each half of the differential output stage, to create the DC voltage on the rails powering the audio output transistors. Yes, that meant the power regulation was balanced too. In other words, the regulator was literally a power amplifier that maintained a constant DC rail voltage up to the limits of the 1st stage power supply.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Oh boy... I swear you guys can complicate peanut butter and jelly....
Just buy an amp that says its 4 ohm capable if you plan on running 4 ohm speakers, problem solved, lol....

Irv, we're trying to answer some peoples' questions, and having the usual useless-but-interesting tangential discussions, and you're trying to be pragmatic. Here? In a conversation about Class A amps and doubling down? Have you been away so long you've forgotten who you're dealing with? We want to see the peanuts' resumes. And potato flour bread? Give us a break.

 

[lsiberian]

Oh boy... I swear you guys can complicate peanut butter and jelly....
Just buy an amp that says its 4 ohm capable if you plan on running 4 ohm speakers, problem solved, lol....

PS I know PB & J is complicated, first you have the PB, chunky or smooth, Organic, natural, or "regular", Commercial or Private label. Then the Jelly, jelly or jam or preserves which one? Old school grape, or Blackberry, Strawberry, Peach, Raspberry, or a tropical mix of a bunch of berries, or maybe something exotic like Cactus jelly, mango banana, or Papaya who knows, so much to think about and we didn't even consider the bread yet??? Oh no, old fashioned american, sliced Italian, Rye, Marble, Banana, french, toasted raisin, maybe it would be good on some cold french toast? This turned out to be very confusing, but at least that is all we have to choose, but wait Hre comes mister Fluff? WTF do we add fluff and what does Nutella have to do with this, does that go in there too???? Someone help me, Which goes an first, when I just had PB and jelly, it was easy, jelly on one side PB on the other, or do we mix them in a bowl then spread them on?????? Ill never figure this out...

But seriously I have figured it out, Koezes PB {I prefer crunchy}, with Mackays Scottish 3 berry, on lightly toasted Arnolds Potato bread, NO FLUFF, NO CHOC CHIPS, NO NUTELLA...

Unless you are using fresh bread, homemade grape jelly and ground and salted peanuts with peanut oil. You haven't had a real PB&J. It's been so long since we've made that Jelly.
You can also use smucker simply fruit grape and smuckers creamy PB&J with fresh bakery bread to make a good one too. Seriously you've gone full potato with the bread.

You don't need a new amp to drive your speakers unless you are listening at really loud volumes.

 

[TLS Guy]

Actually, I'm only aware of one amplifier that has ever used a fully regulated output stage power supply, the Mark Levinson No 20 monoblock. There may be others, but I've never seem them. The No 20 worked by using separate circuits with bipolar power transistors for each half of the differential output stage, to create the DC voltage on the rails powering the audio output transistors. Yes, that meant the power regulation was balanced too. In other words, the regulator was literally a power amplifier that maintained a constant DC rail voltage up to the limits of the 1st stage power supply.

I should have been more specific, the output stages are not usually fully regulated as you say, as the regulator would become a current choke point. However, the lower voltage stages are usually regulated, and are in my Quad 909s. The Quad 405 and 405 II series are totally unregulated.

 

[ImcLoud]

Unless you are using fresh bread, homemade grape jelly and ground and salted peanuts with peanut oil. You haven't had a real PB&J. It's been so long since we've made that Jelly.
You can also use smucker simply fruit grape and smuckers creamy PB&J with fresh bakery bread to make a good one too. Seriously you've gone full potato with the bread.

You don't need a new amp to drive your speakers unless you are listening at really loud volumes.

Grape jelly, NOOOOOooooooo.... LOL, grape jelly gives me a headache..... The potato bread is the most important part, for some reason a single sandwhich with that bread will fill the hungriest adult, with a glass of skim milk, perfection... The bread is so soft and heavy, perfect for pb and j... ITS PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!!! - YouTube

 

[lsiberian]

Grape jelly, NOOOOOooooooo.... LOL, grape jelly gives me a headache..... The potato bread is the most important part, for some reason a single sandwhich with that bread will fill the hungriest adult, with a glass of skim milk, perfection... The bread is so soft and heavy, perfect for pb and j... ITS PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!!! - YouTube

We used to make the good stuff, but Smuckers is pretty close actually and it was a lot of works. Same thing with Ice Cream and Blue Bell.

 

[ImcLoud]

Ice cream is an entire different story, I LOVE ICE CREAM, but to get good ice cream I have to agree BB is one of the best, although when we moved to ct I tried this little place in town and they make their own in house, and it is amazing... Funny enough my favorite flavor is peanut butter with strawberries and strawberry sauce... I think from trying to pack in so much protein in my diet I got addicted to peanut butter...

PS I think this thread is officially destroyed, I don't feel bad though because I fear the OP is long gone, lol....