Amplifier classes AB vs Digital: noticeable difference when hooked up to a subwoofer?

[Slaugh 10+ year member]

hey i'd like to know what are the differences on sound quality using subwoofers hooked to AB class amplifiers against D class amplifiers... is there a difference worth the price for an AB class, or even for SQ projects folks should stick with a D class one?

cos ive been thinking for a long time on ebaying a old used Alpine MRV-1507 or should i stick with a D class of the same price for higher wattage... im mostly a SQ fan (well sometimes im SPL too, but ill have enough power for my ears from either amplifiers)

is it worth the price after all?

Click to read more...

 

[Slaugh 10+ year member]

oh and i forgot to ask... for AB class would you recommend Fosgate 800a2 or the Alpine MRV-1507?? can someone make a comparisn between both... i know they are old skool, but these amps are what i can afford ... and i preffer older equipments... i think they are more worth the price you pay for them //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

oh and i forgot about the Crossfire 1000d... i heard also great things about it... and it's digital //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

what are your opinions on it to?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

For subwoofers?

I highly doubt you'll be able to tell a difference...

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Class D amplifiers are not digital amplifiers, just for future reference.

But, beyond that....between two properly designed amplifiers you should not be able to tell a difference.

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

If efficiency is your concern, then a class D would be your best bet. However, your sub is another speaker isn't it?? In this case why not a/b.

I really doubt you will be able tell the difference between the two. I have run a/b's on my subs and D's on my comps in the past - both with good results. I am not an expert on amplifier design by any means but I really don't see a justifiable price difference for your situation.

 

[Slaugh 10+ year member]

Class D amplifiers are not digital amplifiers, just for future reference.

But, beyond that....between two properly designed amplifiers you should not be able to tell a difference.

woops, my bad... im used to say digital when referring to D-class amplifiers hehe

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

i heard also great things about it... and it's digital //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

You mean you've heard great marketing BS!??!? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

 

[Slaugh 10+ year member]

You mean you've heard great marketing BS!??!? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

yah sorry... i fixt my statement 2 replies above...

where can i find comparisons of old amps... ive been having these 3 on my mind MRV-1507, 800a2 and 1000d

i tried many search strings on google but nothing came up... on general terms, which brand makes the best amplifiers among these and which makes the worse? ive heard only good things about all of them, and a few complaints about Fosgates heating up too much and going into protection mode...

 

[thch 10+ year member]

many people don't really like calling class D amps 'digital'. (as they have no digital input or output). but that debate is everywhere online.

as for sound, there are 3 main differences in classD vs class AB:

1.) low damping factor. in some cases this can change the sound. maybe good, maybe bad.

2.) different clipping and other distortion mechnism. when pushed to the limit, classD responds differently.

3.) forced signal processing. due to low bandwidth of the class D amp, the amp has forced signal processing that may not be what the user desires.

note that there are people out there who will only go pure class A (high linearity, low efficiency), and others who prefer all class D (high efficiency). you can buy some full range class D amps.

I will say that i've heard difference going from my 900W@4ohm class AB amp to my 400W@4ohm class D amp. in both cases i wasn't using the amp near full power. but in both cases i heard improvements in the normal things -- seemed like tighter sound, cleaner, ect...

though SQ purist will suggest the class AB amp.

 

[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

A/B sounds better on subs.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

A/B sounds better on subs.

RC's experiment shows otherwise //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

I hate constantly bringing that up....but in these A/B v. D threads, it is pretty solid evidence that in two properly designed amplifiers, you can't tell an audible difference between different amplifier classes.

 

[Slaugh 10+ year member]

many people don't really like calling class D amps 'digital'. (as they have no digital input or output). but that debate is everywhere online.
as for sound, there are 3 main differences in classD vs class AB:

1.) low damping factor. in some cases this can change the sound. maybe good, maybe bad.

2.) different clipping and other distortion mechnism. when pushed to the limit, classD responds differently.

3.) forced signal processing. due to low bandwidth of the class D amp, the amp has forced signal processing that may not be what the user desires.

note that there are people out there who will only go pure class A (high linearity, low efficiency), and others who prefer all class D (high efficiency). you can buy some full range class D amps.

I will say that i've heard difference going from my 900W@4ohm class AB amp to my 400W@4ohm class D amp. in both cases i wasn't using the amp near full power. but in both cases i heard improvements in the normal things -- seemed like tighter sound, cleaner, ect...

though SQ purist will suggest the class AB amp.

yay thanks a lot for tha answer... i got one question thou... yu said you had a 900w RMS A/B class amp and then another 400w RMS D class and you said one of them sounded tighter and cleaner, but i want to know with which one you felt this difference? for what you said both sounded better on different aspects.. can you tell me what were the differences and in which sense one amplifier sounded better than the other? and which one you think the bass was better to listen to... by this i mean sound quality... i noticed some amps have a kind of "hollow" bass while others have a fulfilled bass... even thou the one with the hollow bass may hit stronger, i think i preffer a good weaker bass than a bad strong bass

oh and i found one guy who reviewed the 3 amps im narrowed between but i dont think it's only a single person...

this is the best i could come up with on google... hopefully someone here will give me some answer about the amps i asked hehe... they all seem to be awesome amps... im still leaning more towards the Alpine, then the Crossfire...

 

[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

RC's experiment shows otherwise //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

I hate constantly bringing that up....but in these A/B v. D threads, it is pretty solid evidence that in two properly designed amplifiers, you can't tell an audible difference between different amplifier classes.

I can //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

I can //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Then go win yourself $10k

Otherwise the differences you were hearing were not related to amplifier class at all, but you are mistakenly attributing it to that.

 

[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

Then go win yourself $10k
Otherwise the differences you were hearing were not related to amplifier class at all, but you are mistakenly attributing it to that.

Prove it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif