SteelerFan Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 What exactly does this mean? It's a good thing I assume. What amp companys are known to use this? Is this something only found in seperates or do some receivers also have it? I'm soon in the market, I haven't made up my mind up between seperates or a receiver. And I got ALOT to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Most of us use tube amps, and we have no idea what high current means -- but we can tell you about high voltage! Seriously though, 'high current' typically refers to solid state amps that have the ability to meet peak current demands much higher than their rated output. Even most moderately priced solid state receivers, integrated amps, and amps have this ability. NAD, Harman Kardon, and Onkyo come to mind. Next level up would be something like B&K, and higher up still would be Bryston, etc.. However, if you are considering Klipsch speakers, this feature is not as important as it is with other speakers. Your focus should be on cleaner power -- not higher power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Dean is correct. Voltage x Current ( V x I ) = Watts Increase either and wattage increases. A recent article - (source forgotten) stated that tube amps often sound more powerful than their specs would suggest because they operate at consistently high voltages and achieve their amplification by increasing the current flow while SS amps accomplish the wattage increase by raising the relatively low voltage vis the current. I am not expert enough to confirm or deny that explanation except to say that if that explanation is correct it would explain why a 30 watt tube amp driving a high efficiency speaker might well sound as potent as a 90 watt SS amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djk Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Most of the folk lore about audio is meaningless. 'High Current' How high is high? 5A doesn't sound very high? 5A is 200W at 8 ohms. Most Klipsch speakers are listened to at levels less than 1W, less than 0.5A peak. 'Slew Rate' An amplifier should have a minimum slew rate of 0.5V/µS per peak volt of output. If you have a 2A3 based amplifier, as many here do, that means you need a 4V/µS slew rate. 'Damping Factor' If the damping factor is lower than 20 I would listen to it, it will affect the bass a little bit. But not as much as you think. Many tube amps have single digit damping factors and still sound fine. 'Distortion' Frequency intermodulation distortion is the most annoying kind. A Klipsch Heresy has 3% FMD at 90dB, a Cornwall has 3% at 100dB, the Klipschorn has less than 1% at 100dB. Most loudspeakers have more than this. No amplifiers have anywhere this much FMD. 'The Bottom Line' The bottom line is that you will still have to listen to it before judging. The sad fact of the matter is that almost any receiver (picked at random) made in the mid '70s, will sound better than almost any receiver made today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclonecj Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 I used to work for a few of the hi end shops in Berkeley, & the high current amps were used mainly for hard to drive speakers, mainly electrostatics & such. Since the impendence was so unstable from one frequency to another, the amp had to "always be there", as one of the salesman always told customers. High current means that it has lots of reserve standing by, and it can pump it out fast when needed. BTW... we never sold them with Klipsch. Tubes or class-A SS were usually prefered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpg Posted March 16, 2003 Share Posted March 16, 2003 Slew rate of at least .5V/uS? Dang, I did some major overkil on the opamp headphone amp I designed... I used a 900MHz, 1700V/uS chip at a gain of +1 with a VERY high quality preamp chip, and a BUF634... needless to say, it will drive a 3" multimedia inefficient speaker loudly enough to be heard downstairs in my kitchen, which my PM5.1's can't even do sometimes. Sorry... I rambled again. That is happening more and more these days, and you will get tired of me before I get over it... I have a lot to think about. Anyway, those current receivers at Circuit City, etc. all advertise high current... most cheap speakers are inefficient, which is why it is needed. yes, yes, it has been said before. I just had to make it look like I was on topic. (note, I am sorry for posting to every single thread I see... and rambling on it it... I NEED to stay busy and keep my mind of some things or I will go crazy... I am feeling a bit better now, as long as I can't think...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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