Re: Tripath Class-T amplifiers

May 30, 2008 4 Replies
K


I was surprised to find that Tripath, the firm that makes some of the best


>(probably *the* best) digital amplifers went bust a couple of years ago. It
>sold its IP to Cirrus Logic but looking at their website it wasn't really
>obvious that they've build on the Tripath technology. In any case, their
>class-D amplifier range is quite small compared to Tripath's.
>
>Are there any other firms who build devices based on Tripath's technology?

Not so far as I know. OTOH, some of the companies that used that technology have moved on to others and, imho, are making even better amps. For example, Bel Canto's ICEpower amps are superior to and more reliable than their older Tripath amps.


Kal

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L

The technique is called 'ternary modulation' and any patent on this is basically indefensible. Crown/Amcron have been using it for years - calling it 'BGA'.

RL

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L

Sorry about this bit of misinformation - was thinking of something else entirely.

RL

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P

"legg"

** The PWM technique developed over a decade ago by Crown is called " Class I" aka " BCA" for Balanced Current Amplifier.
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Still by far the best performing PWM design released - was used in the Crown K series and a few other models.

I have bench tested a K2 model and found it performed just like a good conventional, linear hi-fi amp. There were virtually no switching artefacts in the output, even right up to the clipping point.

By comparison, Tripath based power amps were cheap junk.

..... Phil

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D

Here's my 2 cents to that pile, too: Actually listen to an ICEPower

200AC or the older 200A and blind A/B compare that to a good (and hot) class A/B MOSFET amp like an old Perreaux PMF5550.

If ICEPower is top of the breed, I'm changing species.

IMO, efficiency (with the electronics) can go to hell.

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