Educate me on Class D amp power supplies

[Axtman]

As I understand it Class D amplifiers can run on various input outlet power voltages. So if a person travels to a country with different voltage all they will need to do is bring an IEC power cord that corresponds to the outlet configuration.

Handy voltage/hertz/plug website: https://www.worldstandards.eu/electr...ge-by-country/

Will Class D amplifiers work on different hertz?

Will there be any loss of output power going from, for example 240v to 120v?

Thanks!

[Enzo]

You are confusing class D amplifiers with switchmode power supplies, or SMPS.

SOME SMPS, not all, are "universal" types and can indeed run on 120 or 240 simply by connecting to the mains. MAny or dual voltage 120/240 but to change requires a switch or a jumper wire be moved. Some are designed to run on just one or the other mains voltage.

That is just the power supply.

Class D refers to the power amplifier. That requires specific operating voltages and that has no relation to mains voltage. It requires that whatever power supply is used produce those specific voltages.

Mains frequency - Hertz - also has nothing to do with the class D power amp. It also doesn't generally affect SMPS.


Also, not every class D amp has an SMPS, some have plain old linear supplies - the large power transformer and filter caps type. Most all of those I have ever seen didn't really care about 50/60Hz, but they do care about mains voltage.

[nickb]

The question of power supply voltage and frequency is a property of the power supply design and had nothing to do with the power amplifier. Class D refers to the power amplifier, not the power supply.

Generalizing, it's not unusual for a modern design that had a class d power amp to also have a switch mode power supply (SMPS). SMPS can be fairly tolerant of power supply voltage and very tolerant of frequency.

However at the end of the day you need to check. The voltage and freq info should be printed on the panel usually near the power connector. It may require link or switches to be changed to get he full range. All the requirements will be in the owner manual.

[SoulFetish]

The question of power supply voltage and frequency is a property of the power supply design and had nothing to do with the power amplifier. Class D refers to the power amplifier, not the power supply.

Generalizing, it's not unusual for a modern design that had a class d power amp to also have a switch mode power supply (SMPS). SMPS can be fairly tolerant of power supply voltage and very tolerant of frequency.

However at the end of the day you need to check. The voltage and freq info should be printed on the panel usually near the power connector. It may require link or switches to be changed to get he full range. All the requirements will be in the owner manual.

doesn't a switching mode power supply operate in a kind of class D?

[Enzo]

In the same sense your car battery operates in linear mode.


An SMPS doesn't worry about waveform since the rectified output is so heavily filtered into DC anyway. There are more than one system, but common is PWM, where the drive changes duty cycle to the drive waveform. COuld also vary freq in some.


Both class D amps and SMPS have an element of current switching off and on, but to me the similarity ends there.

[nickb]

doesn't a switching mode power supply operate in a kind of class D?

Granted there are some similarities but I think that conflating the terms will just lead down a slippery slope of confusion. Based on the OP there's already plenty of that. "Class D" is a contraction of "Class D amplifier". Let's keep it that way i.e. referring to amplifiers. Perhaps better still, avoid the contraction.

[SoulFetish]

Granted there are some similarities but I think that conflating the terms will just lead down a slippery slope of confusion. Based on the OP there's already plenty of that. "Class D" is a contraction of "Class D amplifier". Let's keep it that way i.e. referring to amplifiers. Perhaps better still, avoid the contraction.

Yeah, fair enough. Plus power supplies Have a different class designation anyways

[Enzo]

"Class" refers to audio amps, not power supplies. We would never refer to a linear supply - a zillion Fenders for example - as class A or class B.

Power supplies use different terms. Linear supplies are just that. Switching supplies can be described in terms like boost and buck, and PWM.

[SoulFetish]

"Class" refers to audio amps, not power supplies. We would never refer to a linear supply - a zillion Fenders for example - as class A or class B.

Power supplies use different terms. Linear supplies are just that. Switching supplies can be described in terms like boost and buck, and PWM.

Enzo, NEC and IEC both have class designations for power supplies. That's what I was referring to.
I mentioned it as an example affirming that your and Nick's point about introducing confusion was a good one. Only in doing so, I'm afraid I only introduce more confusion.

you dig?

[J M Fahey]

Enzo, NEC and IEC both have class designations for power supplies.

You mean Class1 , Class2, etc.
That refers to **Grounding/Insulation/Double insulation/Safety** issues, absolutely unrelated to "Class of Operation" .
As related as thinking "Class of '72" at School is also speaking about the same just because the word "class" is in the same phrase.

That's what I was referring to.

Well ... no.

I mentioned it as an example affirming that your and Nick's point about introducing confusion was a good one. Only in doing so, I'm afraid I only introduce more confusion.

Iīm afraid I have to agree with "introducing confusion".

you dig?

Guess so

[SoulFetish]

You mean Class1 , Class2, etc.
That refers to **Grounding/Insulation/Double insulation/Safety** issues, absolutely unrelated to "Class of Operation" .

That's IEC class designations, and it's actually "class I" & "class II", NEC is "class 2" ect. which designates output voltage/power, and it was what I was refering to

As related as thinking "Class of '72" at School is also speaking about the same just because the word "class" is in the same phrase.

I was going to mention this as well

Guess so

That's because you, Juan, have the best kind of class

[Enzo]

"What kind of fool do you take me for anyway?"


"First class."

[J M Fahey]

- "What Class is that Peavey Amplifier on the store window?"

- "Oh, canīt you read the label all by yourself? .... Itīs a Peavey Class ... ic"

[Enzo]

Class IC...

Internal Combustion?

Israeli Couscous?

Ice Cream? (For cool sounds when the road gets rocky)

[Justin Thomas]

I like Israeli Couscous, myself...

Jusrin