class aa?

[admin_exported]

could someone enlighten me as to the meaning of class "aa" or "a" components please?

tia

 

[Anonymous]

I always thought it was just a Technics thing about what power supplies e.t.c they had.

 

[Anonymous]

I would have thought that it meant top or first class generally..........

 

[daveh75]

its to do with the operation of the particular amps, heres a link, not the best description, but cant link you to better descriptions, they'd be classed as competition by whf. wiki and google's your friend

 

[daveh75]

sorry ignore me,just re-read the post thought you were on about amp classification not components

 

[Anonymous]

Class AA is Technics version of "non-switching" amplification. In a proper Class AB amplifier, at some signal level, the amp operates in Class B with only one output leg active. In Class AA, the inactive leg never completely shuts off, but stays in Class A, but with a significantly lower idling current.

Very similar technology is used in JVC's "Super-class A" amplifiers. The result is usually an amplifier with reduced high volume distortion than Class AB when a class AB is in B mode, but more distortion at low volume levels compared to a Class AB.

 

[Thaiman]

I am a member of RAC! although AA still the top choice for many motorist.

(ahh wrong forum!)

 

[Andrew Everard]

Thaiman:I am a member of RAC! although AA still the top choice for many motorist.

(ahh wrong forum!)

Eh? Eh??

 

[drummerman]

Andrew Everard:Thaiman:I am a member of RAC! although AA still the top choice for many motorist.

(ahh wrong forum!)

Eh? Eh??

someone interrupted hibernation?

 

[Andrew Everard]

No, much too warm and early for that...

 

[manicm]

I see a lot of flippery here (including your entries Mr Everard).

Anyway till about 4 years I had an old Technics SU-V4X amp when the IC packed up, had it for nearly 20 years and I have to say it still sounded stunning, and yes being a Class AA (Technics' fancy term for A) it ran pretty hot. But man do I miss that amp.

 

[Andrew Everard]

manicm:I see a lot of flippery here (including your entries Mr Everard).

 

[Alsone]

 

[manicm]

Ok, firstly this thread is a royal laugh, hi-fi nuts do have a sense of humour after all.

2nd, mistake, my old SU-V4X was a 'new Class A' amp which was Technics' fancy term for good old Class A, and indeed they sounded fantastic and ran HOT.

3rd, this class of amps was replaced by the so-called 'AA' amps which were inferior in comparison, and marked the end of Technics as a respectable hi-fi maker. They of-course continued to make decent CD players and the revered SU A900 (?) DC amp, and I think were one of the first to release a DVD-Audio player which got decent reviews at the time.

After that it was Technics R.I.P. as a true hi-fi maker sadly. Must have been the Panasonic bean-counters who nailed the coffin in.

 

[Pike900fish]

Thaiman:

I am a member of RAC! although AA still the top choice for many motorist.

(ahh wrong forum!)
I thought it was a class for recovering alcoholics

 

[SVI2004A]

Those are stellar amps.... I have ear on the full 85 lineup and the V4X is my pick of the bunch, though the SE-A3MK2 is in its own world... Been getting a good run on them lately from the UK... All in all have near on 20 V4X amps... And loving it.

 

[Feral]

It lives!

 

[manicm]

Those are stellar amps.... I have ear on the full 85 lineup and the V4X is my pick of the bunch, though the SE-A3MK2 is in its own world... Been getting a good run on them lately from the UK... All in all have near on 20 V4X amps... And loving it.

I miss the thing, even today the SU-V4X would make modern amps run for cover. IMO it sounded better than the Pioneer A400.

 

[TrevC]

could someone enlighten me as to the meaning of class "aa" or "a" components please?

tia

Class AA is a sales gimmick.

 

[Dom]

could someone enlighten me as to the meaning of class "aa" or "a" components please?

tia

Class AA is a sales gimmick.

 

[Rimse]

this is old topic*biggrin* but who cares*biggrin* class aa sounds good if system matched right

 

[SVI2004A]

I miss the thing, even today the SU-V4X would make modern amps run for cover. IMO it sounded better than the Pioneer A400.

i found the same... And what surprised me most is how it handled a set of speakers that had an issue and were enormously difficult to drive, the V4X still producing stellar sound and a 110 watt a channel discrete amp was floundering, (had distortion ar lower levels and sounded lifeless throughout)

If I were you, I'd seriously look on the bay for one.... Prices are good atm

 

[SVI2004A]

New class A was Technics amplifier circuitry based on synchro bias that ensured the output transistors never turned off no matter what part of the sine wave it was in....

class AA was a current correction amplifier setup, where a voltage amp would drive the speaker via a Wheatstone bridge and the current drive amp would drive current to reduce volt drop over the Wheatstone from voltage amp. Technics claimed the current drive amp to be class B, and in their discrete setups they were, amps using SVI3205 output ics had a new class A current amp (examples SU-V550,650 etc)