Stereo vs. monoblocks

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The important thing is that both monoblocks are voiced as exactly to one another as possible.

By better, do you mean more dynamic? The benefits of monoblocks are by nature, the dedicated power supplies and separation of signals (i.e., no signal interference or cross-talk). But I imagine a competently designed stereo / multi-channel amplifier should sound very similar if not identical to a similarly designed monoblock at low to moderate volumes. The benefit of monoblocks (i.e., independent power supplies, signal separation) should really become more apparent / noticeable (if at all) at higher volumes...like you said, this is not meant to be an "absolute" but more of an expected outcome. But at higher volumes monoblocks should at least theoretically maintain better stereo separation and greater dynamic range. There are other factors of course...source quality, rated power output, speaker efficiencies, type of cables used, etc., that could further increase or even nullify the benefits of monoblocks over stereo / multi-channel amps. One more question - in your video response, were you assuming identically powered amplifiers (i.e., (1) 200w stereo amp vs. (2) 100w monoblocks)? What would need to change to make a stereo amp equal to (or better than) a monoblock? Really appreciate / enjoy these videos, many thanks!

I really really love your videos and the way you explain things! Thank you sooooo much!

Thanks, i'm totally agree. Best regards from Verona itay

would have been easier to move the camera next time eh?

Paul, I was told to achieve the very best...have 2 monoblocks per channel....so one handles mid-highs and other lows ...so 4 monoblocks in total but is this true or snake-Oil ?

Plus monos just look cooler as well as the Separate stands and can be placed closer to each speaker and use a shorter wire most importantly

What about stereo blocks?

Hi Paul i hope that your videos has improved your sales .

Cramming everything into one box vs separating each channel? Who would have thunk?

Paul, mono blocks don't share a common ground first (as they use separate chassis, right) and second (mostly but not always) are balanced, i.e. two channel amplifying the plus and minus where ground is not referenced by the signal itself. Balanced operation doubles the voltage swing and the slew rate.

Would 2 carver tfm 45 amplifiers sound better than just the one @ 2 channels

I have a Luxman L10, which is a monoblock amp and it sounds fantastic.

I guess we use two stylus also. Mono amps are better? Why? Gee I wonder if any recording studios insist on mono amps when they create what we listen to? Recording desks and recording interfaces are usually never isolated but for playback there's a difference? This is not passing the sniff test.

What if I have a stereo amp with a mono bridge switch ( 2x Bryson 3B ) is it the same as two mono block when bridged ?

Stil using Cocaine Paul ? Dr Solheim Norway

If you have a stereo amplifier only with amplifiers and power supply, the transformer is just as close to the amplifier card no matter if there is a mono or stereo amplifier version. So the sound is not much better on a mono amplifier compared to a stereo version

A preamplifier inside a reseiver is almost always not as good as a sepparat one. so having amplifier without preamplifier with sepparat good preamplifier does more on the sound than what mono vs stereo amplifiers do on the sound

the only thing is that if the mono amplifier uses the same transformer as the stereo version does then mono is better. but if the stereo amplifier has a 1000w transformer and the mono version has a 500w transformer then both are equally good

Steely state for tin ears. Cram a big steel box with transistors = loud obnoxious headache inducing sound. You want pure sound that makes you keep listening and are not trying to impress simpletons with how many watts you have or how big your amps are get a nice 300b set amp and some efficient speakers sometimes simple is better and fewer parts = better sound. Took me years of learning and ridding my brain of marketing bs to discover this hopefully i have saved people some big bucks by learning from my mistakes. However buy what makes you happy not what some biased reviewer tells you.

Plus it does not hurt the makers that you bought two pieces from them lol.

Why do the mono blocks sound better? Isolation...does that affect the sound? If your sharing a power supply..as long s you have more than enough power to drive the speakers why does the mono amps sound better besides you guys making more money worth the sale of two amps?

i would love to see scientific proof, measurements that back those claims

Absolutely love going back through these older videos

does this apply to 2 identical stereo amps but just using the left output only on one amp for one speaker, and the right output only on the other amp for another speaker ? so one amp per speaker

Sounds good... So under the monoblock logic shouldn't we also make mono-preamps too? Separate boxes for left and right line-level input signals with separate power supplies for each? - Delicate line-level signal handling is more important than brute amplification signal handling.

If i have 2 stereo amps and use one amp for the left channel and the other stereo amp for the right, would i get the same quality as 2 monoblock amps?

It looks like a beautiful place for an office

I don't want to be "that guy", but why... It is fine to talk about absolutes, BUT.... other than channel isolation, different power supply per amp which only should matter if the power supply is not sufficient to feed both channels, and possibly capacitance differences why would mono-blocks sound better given the same input and output stage?

For 2 Chanel stereo...Is this class A , B or D ?
I don't really like class D...can I connect mono blocks to my marantz model 40n ? What about using. Rose streaming DAC and connect 2 mono locks...can I do that and is it good

However are 2 mono blocks better then 1 Stereo Amp at the same total price?

You need to use the phrase "all things being equal"

If you have two mediocre monoblocks they'll stop sound crap.

didn't really give us much here!!!! but I like your reviews in general....

LOLZ.

OMA would disagree and there integrated 4 box amp costs the price of a flipping house!!!

Significant?

I think it can get pretty cold in Malta in the winter too, Paul 😊

I am an electrical technician. I view this a little differently from you. I have a 130 watt times 9, high end THX theater amp (9 X130 = 1170 watts). The input power is rated at only 110 VAC @ 650 watts. Do the math, running at 90% efficiency (which is a little high), that's 64.8 watts of power that is available for each channel. When driving only my vintage speakers, my theater amp does great. It did this because when using only those two channels, it draws only 260 watts from a 650 watt power supply. Kick in the other 7 speakers, then its easy to see why that really nice amp comes up way short when also driving the 350 watt vintage speakers * I also had an older 4 channel 135 per channel Sony amp. Using only two channels made a significant improvement in the punch the bass had. * I also had a Sansui pure DC stereo amp @ 120 watts per channel that had a 250 watt power supply. That amp could kick the crap out of those same vintage speakers. But that amp was the same age, and it was designed to justly drive those big speakers. In every case, the power supply having more than enough power to do its job, was what made the big difference. That all being said leaves us to one last truth: your best components bring a lot more light into pointing out the weaker ones.

So Harman Kardon were on the right track in the mid 70s with their twin powered units? I certainly enjoy my 430.

Tube/Monoblocks>L&R stereo power amp>AVR!

Doesn't tell us why. Just believe. Just pay more.

The myth begins at the time that marketing departments decided that is more profitable to sell power amplifiers with separate power supplies for each channel so the price going up..The recording of a track is made up to a single ground with stereo image for a single soundstage and that is.Trying to amplify that signal with two independent power supplies (transformer-diodes-capacitors-grounds) just recreate two different soundstages,it's like to have the group to different rooms,simply the homogeneous of soundstage is lost together with low notes unison.Two different power supplies will be never in the same phase precisely,that is not good for the reproduction and it gets worse with monoblocks!Likewise marketing departments decided that toroidal transformer have better sound and the simple cooper cords is not good for your speakers! I always construct my power amplifiers with one oversized power supply and a power ground as ''common'' as possible...

Your not strong enough so please don't pick up the amplifier.

What you going to do next, throw it in the floor?

Wimpy

If that was my amplifier I'd be mad at you hernia man.

He (him halls) around so much I can't stand to watch him.

They are better, "for a variety of reasons."
None of which shall be named in this video. 😏

The difference just isn't worth twice the money!

Would like to see an AB test on this ;)