GaNi devices are definiely the next big thing in Power amp chips. As with all new tech they are 2-3 times more expensive then LDMOS, but with their higher power handling capability are actually Inline with LDMOS in cost. Use in audio power amps is increasing, as well as in broadcast power amps. A few years down the line, 2Kw rf amps using these chips will be common. Maybe sooner. It maybe a smart thing to stock up on MOS and LDMOS devices now as replacements for today's equipment. Like Bipolar devices they will be gone sooner then later.
- J.J. 399
Yes I own an audio amp with them. Well actualy it is on loan. I am not sure it is for me. That said nothing wrong with it. It just has not blown me away. That said I am a hard person to impress when it comes to hifi/audiophile gear being a child of the 1970's and 1980's! I expect way more than I normaly get and often the price point today is stupid for what you are actualy getting. Having grown up with class A and A/B with often 80+ volts on the rails and tube gear also I expect a lot.
Power supply effeciency in compact packages and rf bandwidth at high power levels is where I think these devices shine right now. I am not an expert though just a high end user.
The real problem in audio is no one wants to actual build a great product at a fair price with decent markup. They want max profit margins so the bottom end is well served and the top end price no object is well served. It is the middle ground that suffers. No one wants to spend the money on copper and steel and use appropriate rail voltages. Everyone wants to design a small foot print cheap to build device that is good enough and maybe toss digital features that cost almost nothing over building a high headroom, voltage/current stable, low noise floor, high amplification high current device.
If your willing to pay $5000 to $10,000 you can get something similar to a 1970's or 1980's $500 amplifier.
No one wants to put dedicated switches and analog circuits they all want absolutely idiotic poorly designed menu driven interfaces etc.....Imagine if you will a repeat of the stupid desire for table top all in one amplifiers for RF but instead of giving a tune and load knob or any other external controlls you had 1 button on the front and a $9 remote control and you had to go through that disaster of a menu to adjust all the things on your amp.
The worst part is even when they claim to be American Made, Italin Made etc....You can tell the board was made in China and it was likely designed there and just populated in the USA or Italy.
So far low voltage low current transistors can not compare to the stuff of the 1970 through late 1980's.
Speakers have gotten smaller as well but not better. Design is better and tuning is slightly better but the effeciency of the speakers has dropped and combined with the drop in current, damping factory and power output of modern amplifiers the advances in DAC's and lossless audio formats has not done much until again you get into $10,000 DAC's and $20,000 turn tables which to me is a step backwards not forwards!
In terms of RF amplifier 1970's through 1980's where the best value and variety until you get into the 1990's and had some great stuff int he LDMOS realm from JRC and SGC smart cube where it's ease of use and durability was fantastic etc.....Outside of cell phones and graphics cards most electronics have declined. Name anyone that builds rf amps like Henry, Alpha, SGC. JRC where you get power, durability, and a very good value because the price was not insane!
