Define SQ/SPL Amps..

[adi]

Dear Zth forummers,

Im a bit confuse as to what defines an amp to be classified as a SQ or SPL....
Izzit their class (A/AB)..?
izzit by power output...?

Currently im setting up ICE for SQ...but have been confused when reading in this forum when try to find an amp to drive my speakers...

side note: saw a 4-ch lanzar amp,claimed to have 800W, saw its fuse, it has two 20A fuses...izzit correct if i assume
Power=Volt x Current, then 14V x 20A=280Watt & then divide by 4ch= 70Watt per ch. Is this calculation true..? the amp actually produce only 70Watt rms per channel..?

Thanx a million for ur replies..

 

[appleyard]

SQ or SPL depends on applications. I doubt amps are produced for SQ or SPl purposes. Its more towards speakers and installations. Dont tell me you can hear more SQ when changing amps.

 

[GRexer]

SQ/SPL amps ain't exactly depending on it's power ratings, it depends on the construction of the amp itself, so... basically, it still lies back to people's comments, maybe saying this certain amp sounds warm sounds like this sounds like that. And well, like appleyard mentioned, SQ/SPL depends more towards the speakers and installation(takes up quite a big role in this case)

 

[Bert]

ACtually most amps on the market are class AB, some r Class D, got new classes (T,X) and very rare are pure class A.

The class refers to the way they work. AB is chosen cuz its more effecient than Class A and sounds much better than Class B (or so I read).

Anyways, for SPL , power and efficiency matters so you will see mostly Class D amps being used. For SQ, the design, components used etc make for the SQ.

 

[Zenn]

another way is to look at signal to noise ratio, something above 90 is good. also look for THD values, lower is better less than 0.01 usually. however some manufacturers overrate their products so we dont really know if its true or not, as well as the methods of how they came to get the figures. best to rely on reputation sometimes. if u see a TT coming up in your area please join so u can hear to as many systems as u can before spending your money on something u regret buying later.

a rough way of figuring out the real output of an amp from the fuse rating goes something like this.

2 x 20A = 40A.
13V (car running voltage) sometimes ppl use 13.5 or 14.4 for max
80% efficiency for D class monoblocks
50% efficiency for AB class amps. better amps would have 60%, some are even higher.

eg for your lanzar: 40 x 13 x 50% = 260 total watts
260/4 = 65W per channel.

something like that lahh....if wrong dont shoot me :p :D

 

[adi]

ppl thankyou for your replies....as appleyard already pointed out that how can an amp be classified as SQ/SPL...i totally agree with this at first, since IMO an amp task is only to boost pwr.But recent threads esp in ICE for sale, ive been noticing ppl selling/looking for SQ/SPL amps...i hope y'all get my drift! This in turn have confused me :p
My question now is that, if an amp doesnt constitute whether it can produce better sound quality or nor & it main task is to power up signal, then why must we buy a certain "brand" which deepened more our pockets rather than a cap ayam/kambing..?
i would like to point out that due to R&D cost these branded amps will surely cost higher while cap ayam that plagiarised these branded amps surely will cost lower.Pls dont shoot me oso arrr :D...i juz hoping we can generate a helthy discussion
Until we can ensure that the specs stated by the manufacturer is true, then we r kinda like a "sitting duck",and as Zenn stated in his post that we can only rely on their reputations...

 

[appleyard]

try and read psychoacoustics more and you will know there is a difference betweeen hearing the difference and think to hear the difference. Lots of markerting gimmick out there.

The most noticable changes you can hear is when you change your speakers. While other ppl claimed to hear the differences in cables, caps and so on.

I dont know ppl can hear differences in SQ in 0.05 thd and 0.03 thd while others claim to be but Xover has lots of difference in SQ. While good xover can help lots in tuning and noise elimination.

 

[DJgErM]

yep,X-overs can help thought but even passive can go for SQ....for the amps..it really does matter alot for SQ..if u have a good drivers (lets say a PHD CF6.1 component set) n u r running on a cap ayam overrated amp(most amp),lets say u r playing a vocal song...the voice of the singer can't really present out very clearly...once the top voice stage is blur..u can either hear to those back ground music or etiher other unwanted sound.

if ur budget allows u...get a better amp to drive the front...maybe u can go for tube amps..althought the power is approximately 20plus rms per side...but the sound driven out is clean n add on some fine touch tuning...it;ll be perfect...get a A/D/S amp , genesis or tru amp la now tru amp t4.65 2nd hand very cheap edy...

the drivers also matters alot ya..

p/s just my 2cents....happy searching!

 

[Bert]

mmm, if you can afford pure class A tube amps for the car... you will get abotu 20+wRMS.

Most tube amps on teh market are hybrbid tube amps whereby the input stage will passthrough the tubes before going to a solid state amp... something like a mini-processor. Those amps gie out as much pwoer as you want... mine does 150wx2.

Soem tube amps are on the outputstage so works the other way around.

Either way... been through many discussions with ppl on them and some like it and some dont.

 

[flamefox850]

tumpang thread

sorry ah tumpang thread hehe. just want to ask u guys, what about SQ subs and SPL subs ? what's the different ?
i'm noob in ICE so i dun have any idea how to compare these two categories. as far as i know subs produce boom boom only

 

[DJgErM]

looks the same but does not sound the same..

actually for a brief defination,u can judge it by its brand..
like peerless,scan speak...these r SQ brands...their woofer is not meant for hitting hard..the sound is bouncy n firm bass..(sometimes under certain circumnstances diff la)

but like RF n kickers...etc...all for zha gei wan..like the kicker solobaric...for cha gei wan..to hit hard n loud...

on top of that the soudn produce is also influence by the tuning n the enclosure of the woofer box..the right size n type (ported/sealed/vented) will give the best out of ur woofer

 

[appleyard]

SQ or SPL subs.
Sq subs are accurate subs with good response resulting in good transient response means tighter bass and be able to play Loooooow bass freq.

SPL subs hits harder. means it can move lots of air resulting in air preassure.

SQ or SPl depends a lot on applications not just equipment alone. you can have the best subs out there but put it in the wrong box will result in neither SQ or SPL.

 

[Bert]

For subs, apple is right in teh sense you need a proper box for it.

Proper in the sense that it is the right size, ports (if any) are the correct length and diameter, edges sealed to be airtight and usign adequately sized wood. Additionally, bracing plays an important function but most boxes are nto braced.

 

[flamefox850]

ok thanks for the explaination guys. i think i get the idea of how SPL and SQ sound. good info