Roland68
Major Contributor
You may have overlooked that the first suggestion consists of normal components that anyone can buy in stores, not DIY.Don’t forget that these prices are not realistic for a retail AVR. A markup of 3x to 5x must be accounted for before it’s in the store. Even if they buy in bulk, that’s still a significant difference. Your $500 amps are then $1500 to $ 2000…
Even the X8500h uses what looks to be a super cheap single layer PCB with through hole components:
View attachment 223310
Why? Because it works, has been used for many years and is cheap-as-F == more profit!
With a new AV receiver with pre-amplifier outputs, you get around €/$ 1500 with real 8 x 250 watts at 4 ohms, i.e. real 2000 watts of sinus power. Expandable at will for €/$ 125,- each 2 x 250 watts.
With a Canton Smart Connect 5.1 V2 even less, see my post #37.
There are inexpensive housing manufacturers for Ice Power Modules who offer ready-made housings with cutouts, drilled holes and cable sets. That is just as complex as building a PC together and more Ikea than DIY.
But that should only show possibilities.
But let's be honest, the Class A/B power amplifiers in the AV receivers are now a cheek, the more so the more expensive they are. Components for a few €/$, developments that are over 20 years old and built sparingly. You only need to look at the service manual.
This is then technically advertised as an analogue power amplifier in marketing. And it works for at least 90% of the buyers out there. Of course, this also makes it more difficult to place Class D power amplifiers, especially in the upper classes.
In relation to the output stage, the AV receivers differ in the number of channels, size/performance of the transformer and filter capacity (power supply unit) and the individual output stages, which differ by €/$ 1-5 (from the smallest to the largest receiver).
Class D, e.g. with the meanwhile proven TPA3255, would of course mean a lot of development effort. Sure, there is now plenty of experience with these chips, but in such an environment, in a confined space with several sensitive processors, everything first has to be extensively tested and cleaned up.
But with 2 pieces of TPA3255 you could have an 8 x 150 watt power amplifier at 4 ohms, which also brings this power to all channels. Component price for normal mortals approx. €/$ 60.00.
An open frame industrial power supply with 600 watts is around €/$ 50, one with 1200 watts at around €/$ 70. Further central screening capacities are not required.
For the manufacturer, this solution should be well below €/$ 100.00, with a 600 watt power supply even around 70.00.
With 6 pieces of TPA3255 you could build a 12 x 250 watt power amplifier into 4 ohms, so just to see the number, 3000 watts total output. Should be around €/$ 100 - 150 for the manufacturer.
In addition, there would be an open frame industrial power supply with 2000 watts for less than €/$ 100.00. Or 3000 watts for 150,-.
That shouldn't be more expensive than the previous power amplifiers with transformer, rectifier and filter capacitors.
But the customer would have significantly more power available, the manufacturer would have a power-saving and economical device that also meets all the requirements for it and the components are much more space-saving.