the real Duke Spinner Posted March 25 Share Posted March 25 On 3/22/2024 at 12:37 PM, CWelsh said: A key part of my question that I may not have articulated well is, regardless of the amps rated power, how much of that power is used to drive the speakers to an equal SPL? There was a thread sometime back where a simple method of measurement was described that identifies just how many watts are actually being used to drive the speakers to the desired level. If an equal two amps with significantly different power ratings can drive the amp to the same level, it makes sense to me that the same wattage is being used to do so. And, if that is the case and you are noticing obvious benefits from the higher power amp, I have to wonder if the benefits are from something other than the actual power at the speaker terminals. Please understand, I am not questioning or disputing your experience...others in these forums have said similar things. I'm just wondering if there are factors other than just the power capabilities of the amp that make the difference, or if that extra wattage contributes to more than just the power used by the speakers. P.R A T. Perhaps ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Invidiosulus Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 I’m running three Aiyima AO7 class D amps on my LaScalas and they sound great. Although I did replace the op amps with some TI LM4562. The AO7 usually cost around $70 online. I also have the previously mentioned Crown XLS 1002 and it sounds nice with my KP-250s. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacek Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 1 hour ago, Invidiosulus said: I’m running three Aiyima AO7 class D amps on my LaScalas What is noise level on tweeters and squakers with those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave MacKay Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 54 minutes ago, Bacek said: What is noise level on tweeters and squakers with those? I’m running a similar config (tri-amped La Scalas with 3 Aiyima A07 amps — one for tweeters, one for squawkers, and one for woofers). Using the stock power supplies I am unable to hear any noise. I did hear noise when I tried to consolidate the three power supplies with a Meanwell LRS 600-36, so I went back to the stock power supplies. I’m very happy with how my system sounds. The level of noise is at least as good (perhaps better) than the Yamaha R-N803 I was using before I tri-amped the speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 I am NOT a huge fan of Class D... but it's what I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacek Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 8 hours ago, Dave MacKay said: Using the stock power supplies I am unable to hear any noise. Ok but at listening point or ear close to the driver? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave MacKay Posted March 27 Share Posted March 27 26 minutes ago, Bacek said: Ok but at listening point or ear close to the driver? Typically I listen at around 80-85 dB(C). At those levels I don’t hear any noise at my MLP (which is about 4m/13’ from the speaker). At lower levels, I don’t hear any noise at the mouth of the speaker, even with nothing playing. However, if I turn the gain up high I will hear a hiss. YMMV, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezin' Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 My Topping PA3s is dead silent with my Heresy 1. Or I cannot hear it. Hearing fades around 14Khz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 Quiet amps (those with a very low noise floor) reign supreme with high efficiency horn speakers. Just because an amp is horn quiet doesn’t mean it’s a good listen. Unless there is an opportunity to A-B a particular amplifier one might assume a quiet amp, most any Class D, is truly a good sounding amp. I owned Hypex nc400 monoblocks and Benchmark ABH2 at the same time. Both being dead silent. There was no question (through my ears) the Benchmark was a much cleaner sounding amp, I believe the audiophile term is transparent. If you want a quiet, “transparent “ amp think Benchmark. Granted they are several times the price of many of the above mentioned brands but hey, we’re talkin’ quiet amps, not amps based on price. I also have several tube amps that are silent through big ol’ horns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacek Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 As I would need four of them so Benchmark is way out of my budget range. I was looking on Topping RA3 for a moment but then looks like they have huge failing rate. PA5 II looks promising, and they fixed with it issue which was in RA3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacek Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 8 hours ago, geezin' said: My Topping PA3s is dead silent with my Heresy 1 From mesurements it looks worse then Aiyima. Maybe it's matter of La Scalas higher efficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezin' Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 I don't measure I listen. And it's quiet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 On 3/27/2024 at 7:59 AM, Invidiosulus said: I also have the previously mentioned Crown XLS 1002 and it sounds nice with my KP-250s. I see you snuck in a can of Guinness. I have some Extra Stout 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezin' Posted March 28 Author Share Posted March 28 A can? What a cretin! 😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave MacKay Posted March 28 Share Posted March 28 12 hours ago, Bacek said: From mesurements it looks worse then Aiyima. Maybe it's matter of La Scalas higher efficiency. @Bacek I have updated the measurements I made about the Aiyima A07. It might be of interest to you. As you'll recall I'm driving my tri-amped La Scalas with three A07s (1 for the tweeters, 1 for the squawkers, and 1 for the woofers). Here's the post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacek Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 Ok, Thanks. I'm running mine on six channel Rotel RB-976mk2 but I'm ready for the change. For noise figures (and thd) I was looking here Aiyima A07 audiosciencereview 1 Topping PA3 audiosciencereview 2 Topping PA5 II audiosciencereview 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezin' Posted March 29 Author Share Posted March 29 That is a previous generation PA3. Here are the (current generation) PA3s numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bacek Posted March 29 Share Posted March 29 For the noise figures this looks much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigantic Posted March 31 Share Posted March 31 I'm currently running a pair of the new Fosi Audio ZA3 as mono blocks to drive the woofers on my horn speakers and by next week, I'll have another pair to drive the tweeters. I've been rolling op amps in them and so far, I'm deeply impressed with the SQ. There is zero noise and the separation and imaging are exquisite with MuseS02 op amps in them. Next week, I'll also get a pair of Sparkos op amps to try, and will be able to a/b them. I'd previously been using a pair of Alesis RA150 mono blocks on the woofers and an Emotiva Mini-x a100 on the tweeters; they're great amps that performed well, but after a couple weeks with the ZA3, I'll concede that the class D amps are more betterer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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