Full Range Class D amplifier

[Cathlock 10+ year member]

Question?

What is a "Full Range" Class D amplifer and what is the best aplication for it?

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[ANeonRider 10+ year member]

A full-range Class D is called a Class T I believe. Best application is well, to run at full-range.

 

[Cathlock 10+ year member]

OK I am new at this what do you mean run at full range. I thought class D amps were for subwoofers. Does this mean you run your mids and high with kind of amp? Soryy if I sound like an idiot...

 

[ANeonRider 10+ year member]

full-range = full range of sound 20 hz - 20khz.

The full-range Class D is not a Class D, but a Class T. It uses digital circuits to amplify more efficiently.

 

[EFFENDI 10+ year member]

Best application for them is in a situation where you want the least amount of current draw/highest efficiency plus the wow factor of having a highly efficient full-range amp. They are commonly known as Class T, or Tripath, as Tripath Technologies were the first to pioneer the full range Class D amp, and to produce the technology (Digital ICs) for it. They are true digital amps, unlike the misconception that Class D amps are digital. I believe that the first true Class T amps were the Blaupunkt PA series, released in 2002 (IIRC). They are amazingly small amps. Amazingly expensive as well.

 

[Cathlock 10+ year member]

Thank you.

I notice Eclipse has a new "Full Range" class D amp on there web site.

Thanks again.

 

[3.5Max6spd 10+ year member]

Best application for them is in a situation where you want the least amount of current draw/highest efficiency plus the wow factor of having a highly efficient full-range amp. They are commonly known as Class T, or Tripath, as Tripath Technologies were the first to pioneer the full range Class D amp, and to produce the technology (Digital ICs) for it. They are true digital amps, unlike the misconception that Class D amps are digital. I believe that the first true Class T amps were the Blaupunkt PA series, released in 2002 (IIRC). They are amazingly small amps. Amazingly expensive as well.

My Arc 1500D is a class T and I recall it being released prior to 2002- actually theres a documented review of it on 6/01- plays 20hz- 20khz

Not saying it was the first....but that date seems off perhaps

 

[jlaine 10+ year member]

The full-range Class D is not a Class D, but a Class T. It uses digital circuits to amplify more efficiently.

Incorrect

Full range class D amplifiers have been out long before the Tripath chip was even stable to 100w, let alone the current 1kW + you see from them these days.

The ONLY reason class "D" has been associated with 'subwoofer amplifiers' is because of the way the current market designs them.

Switching frequency of the supply for class D's is the limitation of the high end of the bandwidth. It's cheaper for manufacturers to build a slower switching supply and put it in their 'subwoofer' amplifier than to build a higher switching supply and have a 'full range capable' unit.

Class T is NOT a class D full range amplifier. It never has been, it never will be.

 

[jlaine 10+ year member]

Best application for them is in a situation where you want the least amount of current draw/highest efficiency plus the wow factor of having a highly efficient full-range amp. They are commonly known as Class T, or Tripath, as Tripath Technologies were the first to pioneer the full range Class D amp, and to produce the technology (Digital ICs) for it. They are true digital amps, unlike the misconception that Class D amps are digital. I believe that the first true Class T amps were the Blaupunkt PA series, released in 2002 (IIRC). They are amazingly small amps. Amazingly expensive as well.

The amplifier stage in a Tripath unit still uses analog components. Therefore digital is simply just a misnomer like it is for the class D.

Those "high output" tripath models out today use a tripath driver, similar to this one here - and still use output transistors to generate all that power potential.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Full range Class D's is hardly a new concept.................

 

[jlaine 10+ year member]

Full range Class D's is hardly a new concept.................

And I'm positive I've repeated myself on this very subject at least once...

I don't understand how this falsehood keeps getting regenerated.

Backtracking and actually researching shows the two topologies are not the same and that full range class D's have been around since the '70s.

 

[ANeonRider 10+ year member]

Well looks like I was confused, thanks for correcting me.

 

[denim 5,000+ posts]

Alpine, US Amps, and some other company I am forgetting make class "T" amps

 

 

Xtant has that little full range class "D" amp that does 100w or something

 

[imready77 10+ year member]

Lanzar has a full range class D amp too. Do they sound the same as a A/B does?

 

[EFFENDI 10+ year member]

Yeah that CD-case sized one made by Xtant. (Waste of money in my opinion). Yes I was off with that date, based on some quick googling, it looks like the first Tripath chips were starting to be integrated into car amplifiers around 1998. The TA2022 which is used in car audio applications consists of three main operational blocks, the signal processor, MOSFET driver, and power MOSFETs. You are absolutely right, I neglected to mention that the only digital component is the signal processor, which operates from a 5V CMOS. Of course the power amplification components are still analog. More info at www.tripath.com/audio.htm

Now if they could only increase power output levels, and lower costs, we'd all be swithing to Class T amplifiers.