Monoblocks - what's that all about then?

[symon]

I'm hoping you guys (and gals?) can tell me about monoblocks, how they work and why they are used.

I really don't know anything about them. My simple understanding is that you have two mono amplifiers. How do you get stereo from them? And, why would you use them instead of one (power) amplifier?

[aquapiranha]

Think of monoblocks as an amp for each channel, one for left and one for right. The advantages are alledgedly..

better channel seperation
seperate power supplies for each channel increases performance
ability to place each nearer to speakers and reduce cable length

YMMV

[Mr. C]

We use both methods in demonstrations, both give good results, again depending on equipment, speakers, room etc.

Mono blocks greater dynamics, better depth of field, and generally the music seems to have greater freedom from the speakers.
Stereo power (again these can be a genuine dual mono design, some even having 2 separate transformers) we find, give great stage width, better separation and a more fluid sound .
As has been stated, your results may differ.
Both work well, some speakers seem to prefer monoblox, other like a stereo power, (even with identical spec's).
Personally I use a stereo power in my main system and mono blocks in the everyday listening room.

[roscoeiii]

Agreed with the above.

I really like the greater channel separation that monoblocks provide, due to each channel's circuitry being isolated from the other channel.

And the separate power supply for each channel is the other main advantage, although you can get this in a single chassis dual mono design as well.

Some claim that it is better to have short runs of speaker cable and longer runs of interconnects, which would be another advantage. But this seems to be a debated configuration, and I have yet to give it a try (I'm too cheap to invest in long interconnects ).

[symon]

Ok - I get the principle now. But, what I don't understand is how you get stereo sound from two mono sources.
Or have I completely misunderstood that bit?

[DaveK]

Ok - I get the principle now. But, what I don't understand is how you get stereo sound from two mono sources.
Or have I completely misunderstood that bit?

What about 1 stereo channel per monoblock?
Having a bad day ??
Cheers

[Tom472]

Ok - I get the principle now. But, what I don't understand is how you get stereo sound from two mono sources.
Or have I completely misunderstood that bit?

As stated above, you connect the left output of your preamp/cd player/whatever to one block and the right output to the other. Probably want a preamp with balance control to iron out any minute differences in the blocks.

Regards
Tom

[HighFidelityGuy]

I recently upgraded to mono-block power amps and I definitely noticed that the stereo image got wider and more three dimensional and the dynamics improved.

[jandl100]

... and they can look damn pretty!

Here's my pair of monos ...



One for each channel - one does left, the other right. Get it yet? Imagine them as a stereo power amp cut into two halves.

[StanleyB]

Is that a TC-7510 MK3 I see switched on in the background amongst all that expensive gear Jerry?

Stan