I used Silpad (TM) silicone rubber insulators under the transistors. No grease or cream is required when using those. The amplifier worked fine, both aurally and thermally with those. I used a tiny torque wrench to be sure that both bolts on each transistor were equally tightened so that the Silpad was uniformly compressed between the surface of the transistors and the mating heat sink surface. These pads work as well as or even possibly better than mica and grease.
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Why use monoblocks?
- Thread starter JustAnAudioLover
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olds1959special
Major Contributor
I was told that speaker wires are low impedance / high current so the less resistance the better (better control of woofers), while interconnects are high impedance / low current so as long as they are low in capacitance up to 25 feet doesn't impact the sound significantly.
But you can always compensate length of speaker wire with cross sectional area - and once that is large enough for the length, the impact of impedance is inaudible. It doesn't have to be that large, either.
On the other hand long interconnects can cause all sorts of problems with noise pickup - especially ground loops. And especialy when you are running long power cables near by (or worse, connecting the amp power to a different socket from the source - often a problem with powered speakers). And even balanced cables only reduce noise - they never eliminate it fully. (Though in most cases they'll provide sufficient rejection for it to be inaudible.)
olds1959special
Major Contributor
My vintage speaker amps can't accommodate wires thicker than around 12 awg (hard to insert) or 14 awg, which limits how thick speaker wire can practically be, at least for me.
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I wrote that monoblocks and balanced inputs go together. My 2-meter balanced cables are not only inaudible, but also not measurable at 50 Hz. Absolute purity. Of course, everything can be assembled poorly and work poorly. But with balanced cables this is very difficult to achieve. And many may not like increasing the thickness of speaker cables both aesthetically and in terms of price, and they can be difficult to connect.
12AWG will be fine up to 60ft with 4ohm speakers - or 120ft with 8ohm.
14AWG - 40 or 80 with the same speakers.
You probably don't have those lengths - even when you don't use mono blocks.
2m is not much of a run and I would not expect any issues in a normal environment, no matter if it's RCA or XLR.
That said, I have always said we can't dispute our heads play a huge role. If someone says they prefer monoblocks for potential performance benefits, hey, if it puts their mind to rest - all the power to them.
Some else mentioned this... it's extremely easy to test if crosstalk is a potential issue in one's setup.
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I don't know just how neurotic one would have to be to do this and I am so hoping the moderator steps in and shuts down this ever-more-bizarre thread.
I wasn't saying it's necessary just that it's super easy to test
following the procedure someone else posted previously.
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Thank you for that link.
I was having a moment, trying to decipher the AWG#s' (wire gauge) equivalents in metric.
I was trying to make heads-n-tails of the metric specifications, while searching bare-speaker wires from aliexpress.
Remembering that the diameter (mm) spec is different than a cross-section (mm2) spec.
I've been meaning to try ^this^ type of speaker cable for a while.
I prefer soldering (re: crimping/screw-on) my connectors. So, I ordered the 'tin-plated' version.
Being allergic to visible cabling, I selected the ^above two colors^, plus:
This ^colorful^ sleeving, was to make them more WAF!
I also liked the fact that the selected wiring is said to be boOmb-proof!
PristineSound
Major Contributor
@JustAnAudioLover,
Here is also a different view, the B100 is a better performing amp than the PA5. As you can see it is power invariant, when it comes to the distortion and noise profile. And before anyone here starts to accuse me of saying such power invariances actually makes an audible difference, please read carefully as I have made no such statement, I am simply throwing out facts.
Now for you OP, it is often cited that .1%THD+N is the audibility threshold, so chances are this extra performance on the B100 will make no audible difference, especially people lose more of their high frequency hearing as they age, which the PA5's distortion profile is at its highest. But it does not mean you can't pursue such performance if you choose to for whatever reason that makes your boat float. I do it all the time (despite I also have products that doesn't have superior technical performance) because I can and the products available today is so affordable to do so.
Here is also a different view, the B100 is a better performing amp than the PA5. As you can see it is power invariant, when it comes to the distortion and noise profile. And before anyone here starts to accuse me of saying such power invariances actually makes an audible difference, please read carefully as I have made no such statement, I am simply throwing out facts.
Now for you OP, it is often cited that .1%THD+N is the audibility threshold, so chances are this extra performance on the B100 will make no audible difference, especially people lose more of their high frequency hearing as they age, which the PA5's distortion profile is at its highest. But it does not mean you can't pursue such performance if you choose to for whatever reason that makes your boat float. I do it all the time (despite I also have products that doesn't have superior technical performance) because I can and the products available today is so affordable to do so.
A table is much more useful
Or just simply use Digikey's online calculator. (Click the "Chart & Calculations" box will show the same formulas in xanalog's post.)A table is much more useful
Wire AWG Size Conversion Calculator
Convert American Wire Gauge (AWG) to diameter and area values in inches (in) millimeters (mm) or circular mil area (CMA) using the Wire Size Conversion Calculator.
www.digikey.com
It's quicker. A possible calculation error can be avoided using the table, too.A table is much more useful
I demand a W.A.F. report!
I see. I wonder if I should no longer eat out at Japanese restaurants because it far exceeds the "good enough" McDonald's. Or if I should downgrade my 2020 Subaru Forester because it is far more than I need for a "good enough" car, perhaps a 1970 Corolla will suffice.
Lots of life decisions I now need to make.
I know I am going waaaay off topic here. But even at my mature age (62 as of now, but a very healthy and active 62) things can change. Ever since I turned 29 and got a big promotion, I have never had to budget much in my entire life. Whenever I really wanted something, I got it. Done. Butthat also meant I didn't save as aggressively as I could have. And two divorces certainly didn't help.
But after my second divorce I became far more diligent in that area. I already has most of the goodies I wanted in life, so zero impact to quality of life.
But then my Mom got extremely sick. She always depended on my financially, but things escalated. Now, 50% of my net salary flows into that purpose. And I think feeling that pinch has made me much better with decisions about what I really need... and wish that lesson would have come much sooner. The compromises I made are all *great* ones.
PristineSound
Major Contributor
Sorry to hear about your mom, you are a great son.
I do come from another OCD planet, where amplifier noise-figures mattered, especially when they were cascaded... as much as -if not more than- their gains.
They always went hand-in-hand in a seesaw balance.
Sorry, I'll shut up now!
They always went hand-in-hand in a seesaw balance.
Sorry, I'll shut up now!
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