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Yeah, I know about supposed loss of sound quality etc if I bridge but I have 3 amps that are all bridgeable and want to focus on which one to keep and which 2 to sell. They are:
1. Hafler DH120
2. Parasound HCA-800II
3. Nad 2200
While I know that many years have passed since they were produced reliability is pretty important to me.
Thoughts??
Follow Ups:
I would probably go with the NAD. I have had friends with problems with Hafler and I myself had problems with Parasound. But I probably was one of the few with a Parasound issue. Haven't heard of an NAD issue so for me by default, I would go with the NAD for reliability.
Why? - I have had flawless operation of my NAD 2150 amp since the early 1980's - for a couple years i ran it as my main stereo amplifier, then I used it to drive deck speakers, for about three years I used it as a bridged subwoofer amplifier.A few notes about bridging.
Neither speaker lead can touch anything at ground potential.
Bridging only gives you slightly more headroom (a barely noticeable 3dB RMS) - but that extra is important if you want to avoid clippingI considered at one time a NAD 3150/2150 setup where both amps were bridged - The soft clipping on the NAD was generally unobtrusive enough - not nearly as noticeable as clipping. I never pulled the 3150 trigger - and I had another preamplifier to use.
I don't have Parasound experience. The Hafler is likely much less reliable.
"The hardest thing of all is to find a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat" - Confucius
Edits: 03/28/16
...Popsy. If you want to bridge amp, you simply engage button on back. Provides 700 watts into 8 ohm load when mono bridged (200 watts into 8 ohm load stereo; 300 watts into 4 ohm load stereo). Why hack quality amps when vintage Carver Pro amps are still relatively affordable, & have provision you desire already built in? BTW, sound quality is exquisite when volume controls are bypassed. 73s para Sactown
Edits: 03/28/16
Just a crap shoot but here it goes. I would bridge the NAD being a lot of people seem to do that with them.Then choose the amp the has similar specs as the NAD.
But I'm with EStat - why?
In the end bridging never works out the way you want it too.
Edits: 03/26/16
necessarily bridge any one of them? Replace all with a single, more powerful option?
not meant to be flippant but I just want to :)
Not a good enough answer. There is almost never a good reason to bridge in home audio. Remember if said amp is capable of running as low as a four ohm load then when bridged that would change to eight.
Are you sure all three can be bridged? Be careful of heat, keep it well ventilated. I assume you are going to run a mono sub. Passive covers cost a lot so I assume you have a preamp level crossover.
So what's the reason?
ET
Doesn't Spectral offer a bridged amp design or two? I assume Spectral had a good reason to do this. The pair I got to spend some time with were pretty darn good and definitely intended for home use.
So long as you don't need to drive low impedance loads bridging works fine and does provide the benefits of using mono amplifiers per channel.
Given that the OP wants to do so "just because", I'm not convinced of the benefits using any one of the three listed which are not remotely in the Spectral class.
...with reliability as the major consideration, not whether he should or should not do so. And yet all he's recd so far is the third degee on his app, comments regarding potential sonic implications and criticism of his reason for doing so (I want to is as good as any).I can't offer specific advice because I have no experience with any of his amps. But bridging is a valid means of obtaining increased power and has been very seccessfully employed in commercial designs.
Unfortunately from the OP's perspective, this thread has gone off the tracks.
Edits: 03/27/16
Yes increased power for a mono load only with restricted impedance demands.
As a dealer so often the person that wanted to do this did not have the scenario to properly benefit from it. There are scenarios that benefit from bridging, some that don't and some that for impedance reasons are a no go.
The OP mentioned three possible amps but not the load(S) so one might assume mono but without all the data....
ET
If the question is solely about long term serviceability, perhaps the most practical answer is the Hafler with its simpler and modular board construction. As a kit product, manuals with complete parts lists are easy to find like here.
Also, I think Frank Van Alstine might offer one of his mods using the chassis and power supply of that unit if should ever want to upgrade.
n/t
OK first we don't know his intended use and load impedance of it. If bridging gives double the power that's a whopping plus 3 dB. Third when bridging you take the stereo minimum load impedance and double it. So if he has an amp that has a minimum load of four ohms in stereo that means eight bridged so if he has say a four ohm sub or dual VC eight ohm sub no go. But we dont know because he didnt say. 3db big deal. I assume a sub since he's inquiring about running one amp mono. Therefore my statement stands. I've sold plenty of both car and home audio bridgeable amps as a dealer. People delude themselves when they see a number twice as large.......which means 3db but often less stability too. Almost never is not never.
ET
Edits: 03/26/16 03/26/16
Bridging doubles the voltage which gets us 6dB more, and that is quite a lot.
-reub
Dark energy? Ridiculous!
We live in an electric universe.
The NAD 2200 that he mentioned is 100 per channel or 200 Watts total. It can handle loads only as low as four ohms in stereo.
When bridged it is 400 Watts total or twice the 200 when stereo. That's a 3db difference in total power. It can also only drive a load as low as eight ohms when bridged. It will run hotter bridged.
We have no idea what the connection scenario is because the OP didn't say. A sub? Teo subs? Single or dual VC? Mono center channel?
ET
which is the easiest one to locate on the used market?
I thought ha said he already owned all three.
ET
So why ask us which one is best?
Why not just buy the one that is easiest to get?
of the 3 to keep and find a mate so I can bridge them and sell the other two. Sure didn't think it was going to turn into a kind of Spanish Inquisition! :)
someone else to tell you which one of yours sounds best?
no one has to TELL me which one sounds best, if you would read my first posting I was mostly concerned with the reliability factor and thus was eliciting thoughtful comments from those that might have had one or all three of these for a lengthy period of time. Understand now??
they will likely need some level of servicing in the near future for the electrolytic caps at the very least. Now you will be doubling the scope of that task.
Sorry, just trying to understand your motives and provide feedback as to better alternatives for the same investment.
You could purchase a comparable, more recent amp which would provide more trouble-free years of use for $300-$400.
it is not what I wanted. Heck, a lot of people believe in change for change sake. No logic to it many a time, we just want what we want :)
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