Safety question: budget Class D amps as "electric guitar amps"?

[kyuu]

And if your fuse box doesn't have RCD/GFI breakers, there's nothing to stop you plugging an amp into an RCD adapter. In fact if you have a long run of mains cable to an amp, you'd best use an RCD as near to it as possible....

That's an excellent point. Use of an inline RCD/GFI can make any safety worries due to a lack of a safety ground fairly moot. Ubiquitous GFIs are how countries like Japan get away with having safety ground at the outlet still be relatively rare in their electrical system.

Of course, if your equipment is out where it may get rained on or otherwise exposed to moisture, I don't think one should simply rely on either the safety ground or GFI for protection. Perhaps consider using equipment that's actually rated for such things, or at least put your equipment into a housing that provides such protection.

 

[kyuu]

Also, from a quick gander it seems like a class I, class D amp isn't all that rare. For example, the recently reviewed SMSL RAW-MHA1:

Or, for a much better performing example, the Wiim Vibelink:

 

[KSTR]

As said many times before, many guitarists are moving to Class D power amps, fronted by modellers to save money and to get more power with in a lightweight head.

Exactly. My smallest live amp weighs just 0.8kg (plus SMPS brick) and is smaller than a box of cigars. It's all analog, though.

 

[Sokel]

Also, from a quick gander it seems like a class I, class D amp isn't all that rare. For example, the recently reviewed SMSL RAW-MHA1:

View attachment 561441

Or, for a much better performing example, the Wiim Vibelink:

View attachment 561440

Don't know about the specific SMSL one, but they are famous about not connecting the safety earth to anything (chassis, PCB, etc) inside some of their gear.

 

[Redacted]

Exactly. My smallest live amp weighs just 0.8kg (plus SMPS brick) and is smaller than a box of cigars. It's all analog, though.

Just to add that many guitarists are like some audiophiles and don't get that the biggest single sound change comes from the speakers.

 

[tccalvin]

For example, the recently reviewed SMSL RAW-MHA1

SMSL is a special case, since they love using that 3-pin connector on many of their power amps, but when you open them up, the earth wire isn't connected. Setting aside the fact that this isn't allowed under EU regulations, there are also no safety markings on their devices, and the power supplies inside the amps seem to have barely any insulation, if any at all.

Now, that kind of design is something I would never consider buying, let alone using as a guitar amp.

Weirdly enough, that only seems to apply to their power amps, since their DACs/HP amps are completely different. I have a DL200 that has a properly connected earth, and teardowns confirm this.

I can't really comment on the WiiM, since I haven't seen a teardown of it.

Exactly. My smallest live amp weighs just 0.8kg (plus SMPS brick) and is smaller than a box of cigars. It's all analog, though.

What amp is that, out of curiosity?

 

[Redacted]

Of course, if your equipment is out where it may get rained on or otherwise exposed to moisture......

Or as said, connect the guitar using a wireless link - I use two sets of cheap Lekato 5GHz units which have zero perceptible latency, and zero noticeable effect on sound quality. My pedal board has been reduced to just one device - a Valeton GP5 (& Mvave switch unit), which is frankly poor, but OK for a mere dabbler like me - and it is powered by one of two small phone battery thingies. Each battery pack lasts at least 8 hours. Point being that if it all got wet the kit would die, but with no mains connection, I would not.

 

[KSTR]

What amp is that, out of curiosity?

Hotone Britwind. About 10 years old, out of production by now.

 

[kyuu]

Don't know about the specific SMSL one, but they are famous about not connecting the safety earth to anything (chassis, PCB, etc) inside some of their gear.

... Well, wasn't aware of that. Seems like another good reason to not buy SMSL.