Class A, A/B endangered species?

[Alberich]

With the increasing popularity of class D amplification these days, it's seems more and more manufacturers are embracing it as the amplification of choice for their newer or even flagship products.
NAD, Primare, Cyrus, Classe, Mark Levinson....the list goes on and on.

Obviously for environmental reasons moving forward the efficiency of Class D makes it a firm favourite to become the amplification of the future.

Is there a real danger that the typically less efficient class A or A/B will become a thing of the past altogether?
I wouldn't be overly knowledgeable on the current efficiency regulations facing manufacturers but is it likely for the topologies we know and love to become unsustainable and rendered completely obsolete in the decades to come?

Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely appreciative to the plight our planet faces and the action being taken to reduce emissions.

Now I have absolutely nothing against class D, in fact some of the best setups I've had the pleasure to experience have used class D amplification, but I know it has its critics and advocates.

I suppose I'm asking will it,
for better or for worse,
be our only option in the not so distant future?

Thoughts ?

 

[Dom]

Computers tend to go to the ends of the earth on power saving features, it would make sense that HIFI does the same.

I will add if it sounds better then it's the only way to go.

 

[lindsayt]

My class A amplifier consumes 80 watts. That's a lot less than the PC I'm writing this post on.

Does that mean that for environmental reasons I should use a PC with a worse graphics card?

Every class D amplifier I've heard has not been for me. Simply because they made pianos sound all wrong.

It would take 50 years for class A or A/B amplifiers to become a thing of the past. There are still plenty of manufacturers making them. Plus a huge back catalogue of the things.

 

[Dom]

Even though computers might consume more power, we shouldn't ignore possible planet saving electronics.

 

[Dom]

I have never listened to a class D amp, so I don't know. Don't get wrong I'm all for best performance to pound ratio, it's just my planet might not be make it too long, and we all die.

 

[Alberich]

There is no denying it's positive attributes regarding the environment.
That very fact makes it highly likely for it to become the exclusive topology in the coming decades.
So I'm wondering, eventually will there be little choice for its detractors when buying new ?
Will they just have to swallow their medicine ?

 

[steve_1979]

... I suppose I'm asking will it, for better or for worse, be our only option in the not so distant future?

Thoughts ?

Fossil fuel reserves are disappearing. Populations are increasing. Energy prices are continuing to increase.

There are ever increasing monetary and enviromental pressures on both governments and individuals to be more efficient with our energy useage. Class D amplifiers, low wattage lightbulbs, energy efficient TVs and the like are just a small step towards the future that we are all going to be forced to embrace.

Scientifically speaking, humanities current way of living cannot continue forever. Unless nuclear fusion energy becomes available in the future we are heading for a massive energy crysis for the next generation of people. Class A/B gradually being phased out by class D and other more energy efficient types of amplification is just one very small speck on a much larger picture that is just beginning to effect the whole world.

 

[Alberich]

... I suppose I'm asking will it, for better or for worse, be our only option in the not so distant future?

Thoughts ?

Fossil fuel reserves are disappearing. Populations are increasing. Energy prices are continuing to increase.

There are ever increasing monetary and enviromental pressures on both governments and individuals to be more efficient with our energy useage. Class D amplifiers, low wattage lightbulbs, energy efficient TVs and the like are just a small step towards the future that we are all going to be forced to embrace.

Scientifically speaking, humanities current way of living cannot continue forever. Unless nuclear fusion energy becomes available in the future we are heading for a massive energy crysis. Class A/B gradually being phased out by class D and other more energy efficient types of amplification is just one very small speck on a much larger picture that is just beginning to effect the whole world.

 

I totally agree. Which I hope is evident in my initial post. Drastic action needs to be taken and we are waking up to that fact.
The sacrifices we will have to make will be miniscule in relation to the big picture.

Class D it will be, for better or worse.

 

[lindsayt]

Stop having baths. Use the shower only. Once a month.

Don't use a dishwasher. Wash up in a small bowl with a minimum of detergent.

Wear 5 layers of clothes indoors in winter.

Dig up your lawn and grow sesame instead.

Listen to the radio. Don't watch TV.

Move to Lincolnshire and ride a velomobile, not a safety bicycle.

Don't use inefficient speakers. Use ones with a sensitivity of more than 102 dbs/2.83v/1 meter.

 

[Alberich]

Computers tend to go to the ends of the earth on power saving features, it would make sense that HIFI does the same.

I will add if it sounds better then it's the only way to go.

 

Does it sound better though Dom?
It definitely has its fans and detractors. A lot of folk claim to be unmoved by it.
A common description is a sort of artificiality and unnatural character.
Lindsayt seems to have issues with it.

 

[Alberich]

And if I implement that regime can I keep my class A amp? 🙂

 

[steve_1979]

I totally agree. Which I hope is evident in my initial post. Drastic action needs to be taken and we are waking up to that fact. The sacrifices we will have to make will be miniscule in relation to the big picture.

Class D it will be, for better or worse.

Class A or class D. It probably doesn't matter either way.

Individuals can sometimes be sensible but the human race as a whole is stupid and arrogant. Any steps that we take to reduce our energy intake are far too small and far too late to be effective. Realistically we're unlikely to take the necessary steps required to curb our energy usage until they are forced on us buy mother nature.

In the mean time we might as well just enjoy our class A/B hifi systems and excessive, self-indulgent life styles of decadence.

 

[Alberich]

Individuals can make a difference, but we must act collectively.
We'll go there kicking and screaming.

 

[steve_1979]

And if I implement that regime can I keep my class A amp? 🙂

 

[steve_1979]

Individuals can make a difference, but we must act collectively. We'll go there kicking and screaming.

And therein lies the problem!

Collectively the human race are a self-destructive, selfish bunch of arrogent idiots. There are just not enough individuals willing to make a difference for it to actually make a big enough difference to work. That's why sooner or late mother nature will force our hand and we will have no choice but to live energy efficient lives because there just won't be enough energy available to live any other way.

Until then hedonismbot has the right idea. 😉

 

[steve_1979]

Don't use inefficient speakers. Use ones with a sensitivity of more than 102 dbs/2.83v/1 meter.

😀

 

[Dom]

We might have entered the anthropocene where human activity has been been the dominant influence on climate and the environment.

I guess the saying "Hold on to your butts" apply's.

 

[Alberich]

Individuals can make a difference, but we must act collectively. We'll go there kicking and screaming.

And therein lies the problem!

Collectively the human race are a self-destructive, selfish bunch of arrogent idiots. There are just not enough individuals willing to make a difference for it to actually make a big enough difference to work.

 

I certainly won't argue there.

 

[Electro]

Everybody could own a large class A amplifier without a hint of a guilty conscious if we were to take renewable energy with Hydrogen storage seriously .

The technology is fully developed and working NOW it just need the infrastucture to be expanded .

All power can be produced and stored locally and will only run out when our sun explodes.

Just imagine a solar hydrogen system on every roof or garden or on local council land backed up with small wind generators where space allows all making hydrogen 365 days a year, there would be a massive surplus, power would cease to be an issue and as a bonus it would be 99.99% pollution free with almost zero carbon emissions.

Before anyone mentions Zeppelins or explosions it is a proven fact that hydrogen is far safer to use than natural gas or any oil based fuels, did I mention zero pollution . *smile*

This system needs some refinement but you get the idea.

http://www.h-tec.com/fileadmin/content/edu/Lehrmaterialien/Transparencies.pdf

There is plenty more info if you want to find out more.

I apologize in advance to the people who are sick of me banging on about renewable hydrogen power. *smile*

 

[TrevC]

There is no denying it's positive attributes regarding the environment. That very fact makes it highly likely for it to become the exclusive topology in the coming decades. So I'm wondering, eventually will there be little choice for its detractors when buying new ? Will they just have to swallow their medicine ?

We haven't managed to get rid of valve amplifiers yet, so I think that's highly unlikely.

 

[chebby]

The growth in industrialisation in China (and now India) presents enormous environmental and resource/energy challenges over the next few decades.

But we can fix all that by using a Jute bag-for-life (made in India), some LED lightbulbs and a class D stereo (made in China).

 

[Infiniteloop]

There is no denying it's positive attributes regarding the environment. That very fact makes it highly likely for it to become the exclusive topology in the coming decades. So I'm wondering, eventually will there be little choice for its detractors when buying new ? Will they just have to swallow their medicine ?

We haven't managed to get rid of valve amplifiers yet, so I think that's highly unlikely.

Nor will we whilst they continue to sound so good.

 

[Infiniteloop]

The real problem is that there are just too many people on the planet.

Perhaps people should reconsider having so many kids.

 

[chebby]

The real problem is that there are just too many people on the planet.

Perhaps people should reconsider having so many kids.

https://www.gapminder.org/videos/dont-panic-the-facts-about-population/

(i found it interesting. That's all. Please don't shoot the messenger.)

 

[NSA_watch_my_toilet]

The real problem is that there are just too many people on the planet.

Perhaps people should reconsider having so many kids.

We voted about a principe like that in Switzerland last year. To have a top limitation of citizens that could not be outpassed. It was massively refused. The state, the industry and finance system don't want a normalized quantity of workers, they want more, to sell more stuff and make more money and be at the right side of the knife when negociating about the loan of the workforce. The state wants more peoples to finance a flawed rent system.
If the citizens don't wake up, we are going to a systemic implosion. Not today and not tommorow. But no plant and no animal is ment to over-reproduce outside of a given number without consequences.

For the debate about class A, and A/B. I would not be alarmed about this. You have always tube amps and A class amplifiers. So don't worry. The A/B will be sold on and on. You will probably not have as much choice as you had before ; but some brand will stick to it... if the Hifi hobby continues to exist of course.