Mono Block Amp???

[AdrianMills]

I had no choice in my HT, I had to have longer interconnect cables rather than longer speaker cables because I simply had more coaxial cable than I had speaker cables. (bought a thousand foot spool of coaxial cable)

but I was also thinking, doesn't the coax cable have more shielding than the speaker cables?

plus like PENG said, the difference in the signal they are carrying.

Yes, shielded cables should be fine over reasonable distances of course but comparatively speaking they are more prone to interference than speaker cable because the signal is of such low power - I certainly wouldn't run one of my 8m sub cables alongside a power cable for any distance just to be sure anyway.

 

[highfihoney]

No, I didn't make it sound like any such thing.

And yes, a lot of amps produce heat but I was responding to a post that indicated that it's for this reason that someone should place the amps next to the speakers they are driving which is just silly. Most well designed amps should be rackable given a reasonable air gap and air flow - of course if you live on the equator without AC you may want to reconsider.

BTW, if you have amps that generate so much heat that you're concerned I'd think about swapping them out for better designed ones or do something about your room cooling.



Edited to add
I see that you used to have quite large McIntosh amps in a closed wooden cabinet with very little space - it's no wonder you've been concerned about heat in the past.

Where do you get all this well designed nonsense,heat dissapation has nothing to do with the quality of an amplifier design,especially hi power amplifiers.

You obviously know very little about Mac amps & heat but you speak as if you have first hand experience with them,the amps of mine that you are refering too & are trying to slam using word play run cool as a cuccumber & heat is of no concern to me with them,even in an enclosed cabinet.

How can you say that "in any normal setting heat should not be an issue",is an audio rack not a normal setting? Heat is a major factor in the life of electronics & plays a huge role in the life span of an amplifier,to tell people that unless they are running stacked class a amps heat should not be a problem is very far from the truth.

 

[AdrianMills]

You obviously know very little about Mac amps & heat but you speak as if you have first hand experience with them,the amps of mine that you are refering too & are trying to slam using word play run cool as a cuccumber & heat is of no concern to me with them,even in an enclosed cabinet.

So you're not concerned by heat then?

How can you say that "in any normal setting heat should not be an issue" ,is an audio rack not a normal setting?

Because in most situations (unless you've done something silly like place a lot of heat sources inside a closed wooden cabinet for instance) heat isn't an issue. And given your first comment, you seem to agree with me.

Heat is a major factor in the life of electronics & plays a huge role in the life span of an amplifier,to tell people that unless they are running stacked class a amps heat should not be a problem is very far from the truth.

Oh, so you don't agree with me - or yourself then?
But yes, excessive heat can be an issue but under normal circumstances and given the correct precautions heat shouldn't become excessive.

Somehow I suspect that you're just spoiling for a fight with these posts.

 

[mazersteven]

but I was responding to a post that indicated that it's for this reason that someone should place the amps next to the speakers they are driving which is just silly.

That was not the only reason stated for having the amp as close to the speaker.

 

[PENG]

I had no choice in my HT, I had to have longer interconnect cables rather than longer speaker cables because I simply had more coaxial cable than I had speaker cables. (bought a thousand foot spool of coaxial cable)

but I was also thinking, doesn't the coax cable have more shielding than the speaker cables?

plus like PENG said, the difference in the signal they are carrying.

Adrian is correct about the interference concerns but that's why there are all sorts of well shielded interconnects on the market. I agree speaker cables are not as prone to the ill effect of interference but they are not totally immune neither. Don't forget they do carry the same frequency spectrum as the interconnects, though at much higher magnitudes. I would think that the main reason for keeping speaker cables short are to minimize the impedance of the cables. Impedance includes not just the resistive component but also inductive and capacitive components. Keep in mind also using cables too thick say (#8 AWG,if you can get them), may result in higher inductance that affects high frequency signals. I don't know how signifcant the effects are, but I am not going to waste time trying to calculate it. I know I have nothing to worry about by keeping my 12 AWG wires not longer than 15 ft. As for interconnects, again, money can buy you high quality ones that are longer than 15 ft, without worrying about interference.

 

[AdrianMills]

That was not the only reason stated for having the amp as close to the speaker.

True, it wasn't, and to be more accurate I should have said, "one of the two silly reasons" so I apologise for that.

 

[mike c]

Adrian is correct about the interference concerns but that's why there are all sorts of well shielded interconnects on the market. I agree speaker cables are not as prone to the ill effect of interference but they are not totally immune neither. Don't forget they do carry the same frequency spectrum as the interconnects, though at much higher magnitudes. I would think that the main reason for keeping speaker cables short are to minimize the impedance of the cables. Impedance includes not just the resistive component but also inductive and capacitive components. Keep in mind also using cables too thick say (#8 AWG,if you can get them), may result in higher inductance that affects high frequency signals. I don't know how signifcant the effects are, but I am not going to waste time trying to calculate it. I know I have nothing to worry about by keeping my 12 AWG wires not longer than 15 ft. As for interconnects, again, money can buy you high quality ones that are longer than 15 ft, without worrying about interference.

do I have to worry about my DIY 46 foot long interconnects? RG59 coaxial, Belden 75ohms

 

[highfihoney]

Somehow I suspect that you're just spoiling for a fight with these posts.

Im the one spoiling for a fight,take a closer look at your mantra at the bottom of your posts,any post that remotely smells like hi end audio & your there(on several forums) with catch words like "properly designed" or " normal conditions" both of which are silly & useless.

What im spoiling for is for those who have zero or very little experience with different gear to spell out from the get go that the advice they give is based on stuff they have read & not based on experience or personal useage.

You've spent much time making fun of monoblocks but have you ever ran a pair, or any other hi wattage amplifiers before,if your gonna slam a peice of equipment as being snake oil tell us why it did not make a difference in your system.

 

[dem beats]

Get flame retardant suit on.

I would think it would be good to drop any discussion aside from what the OP asked about. I think we are far and away from it.



I really can't speak to HT and stereo difference from monoblock to mulptiple...I will say this though. In car audio Mono FTW. Those multi channel amps are not built the same and more frequently have issues.

I for one would love some McIntosh stereo gear and a nice Monobloc for the center. My center seams to have issues... it's a power hungry bastard, and I think a well built monobloc would fix that issue. I am no expert. I am only speaking using knowledge by induction, & speaking in terms of finacialy equal units, something can do one thing verry well or many things "ok"...

just my .02
This thinking is also along the lines of a heavier amp is a slight barometer of the quality build of an amp also.

 

[AdrianMills]

Im the one spoiling for a fight,take a closer look at your mantra at the bottom of your posts,any post that remotely smells like hi end audio & your there(on several forums) with catch words like "properly designed" or " normal conditions" both of which are silly & useless.

What im spoiling for is for those who have zero or very little experience with different gear to spell out from the get go that the advice they give is based on stuff they have read & not based on experience or personal useage.

You've spent much time making fun of monoblocks but have you ever ran a pair, or any other hi wattage amplifiers before,if your gonna slam a peice of equipment as being snake oil tell us why it did not make a difference in your system.

Hm this is similar to the rhetoric I hear from almost every subjectivist that has their knickers in a twist for whatever reason.

I'd also like you to point where exactly I "slammed" any equipment in this thread?

I'd also like you to explain why you think phrases such as "properly designed" and "normal conditions" are silly and useless - you see, I do sometimes try to qualify my statements, if I don’t I may get audiophools coming along being pedantic about things which can be very tedious to say the least. Although it’s a shame that it happens here – I sort of expect it over on AVS.

And where exactly have I made fun of monoblocks? FWIW I have a Bel Canto Ref1000 on its way to drive my new HTM3S.

I think you're doing your best to find something to argue about and in doing so you're reading something into my posts which just isn't there.

But whatever dude, you carry on.

Oh yeah, and my "mantra"? You've got issues with my sig? You're kidding, right?

 

[mtrycrafts]

Oh yeah, and my "mantra"? You've got issues with my sig? You're kidding, right?

I think it is a super sig line.

 

[AdrianMills]

I think it is a super sig line.

Me too.

I think he must have got out of bed the wrong way today.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hm, yes, I added the "interference" and didn't mean to imply that Tom suggested that in his post although as far as I understand, interconnect signals are more subject to interference because they are such low power signals - hence the need for interconnects to be shielded as opposed to speaker cables which do not.

Also, interconnects are between high impedance circuits, more susceptible to corruption. One reason passive preamps and capacitive cables can have a sever impact on high frequency roll off, significantly.

 

[mtrycrafts]

do I have to worry about my DIY 46 foot long interconnects? RG59 coaxial, Belden 75ohms

Between what components?

 

[zumbo]

YMCA......A

 

[mike c]

Between what components?

from the receiver pre-outs ... the 46 foot interconnects ... to the three amps up front of the room. (front LCR)

 

[mazersteven]

YMCA......A

I didn't get it? Was there a jab, or joke in there somewhere?

 

[zumbo]

I didn't get it? Was there a jab, or joke in there somewhere?

On page 2 after you posted the picture, I responded with the lyric. When I looked at the picture, all I could think of was The Village People. Then in my latest post, I used it to reference the wheels on the bus.

 

[PENG]

from the receiver pre-outs ... the 46 foot interconnects ... to the three amps up front of the room. (front LCR)

If you are using the balanced type, then 46 ft should be fine.

 

[PENG]

What im spoiling for is for those who have zero or very little experience with different gear to spell out from the get go that the advice they give is based on stuff they have read & not based on experience or personal useage.

hifi, with all due respect, I do not see anything wrong with someone doing just that, as long as they read the right stuff, i.e. things written by knowledgeable people who specialize in the subject matter. Not all EE professors have actually practiced in EE, as an extreme example just to make my point.

As always, I do see your point otherwise.