As you search for matching power amplifiers for your precious speakers, you will bound to come across monoblock amps. They can be bulky in size and some even look really impressive. The question still stands, what is a monoblock amp and what do you use it for? We will be answering these questions and sharing with you useful information which will help with your decision.
Table of Contents
What is a Monoblock Amp?
A monoblock amp is designed and made to drive a single speaker or channel. Unlike most power amplifiers where they are built to drive multiple speakers/channels, a mono amp has a single purpose of driving just one channel, usually making them costlier to own. Furthermore, going for mono amps will also take up more space especially if you have multiple loudspeakers all aiming to be driven by one.
What are Monoblock Amps Used For?
You can use a monoblock amp to drive a single loudspeaker or channel. If you need to drive a pair of speakers, you will then require two monoblock amps. There are cases where a monoblock amplifier is used to drive a single driver of a speaker. Some active studio monitor models are bi-amplified with each of their speaker drivers being powered by a monoblock amp. A monoblock amp can also be used to amplify your subwoofer.
In a home theater system where there are multiple channels involved, the monoblock amps are usually used to power the front mains which are center, left, and right speakers. The subwoofer you are using along with your HT system should have its own built-in amplifier. It is rare to have each individual speaker including the surround and height channels be amplified using monoblock amps. This will cost a lot and takes up plenty of space. Most home theater system owners would go for a multi-channel power amplifier to drive all their speakers excluding the active subwoofer.
Why Use Monoblock Amps?
Seems like it is more cost-effective to go for multi-channel power amplifiers, not to mention, that they don’t take up a lot of space too. Monoblock amp does have its advantages and benefits. A monoblock amplifier will produce lesser noise and distortion than multi-channel amplifiers since it is isolated. This will provide you with better overall sound quality and a full focus on driving a single speaker/channel. These are the reasons why audiophiles who want the best sound quality will often go for monoblock amps instead of multi-channel amps such as a stereo power amplifier which there is a risk of bleeding together and muddling the audio.
There are some stereo power amplifier models which have the bridging capability. This will turn the stereo amp into a monoblock amp where it would gain higher output power to drive a single loudspeaker. The Parasound NewClassic 275 v.2 is a good example of such a stereo amplifier. The RMS power output is 90 Watts at 8 Ohms impedance with all channels driven. In bridged mono mode, the NewClassic 275 v.2 has a power output of 200 Watts at 8/4 Ohms impedance. The Parasound A21 is the higher-end stereo amplifier model and it would be worth your time to take a look too.
To Conclude
Listeners who want to achieve the best sound quality from their sound systems should certainly consider using monoblock amps. Whether to go for monoblock amps to drive all your speakers is also depended on your available budget and space. And so, you might want to take some time to consider your requirements and comfort level on how much you are willing to spend on power amplifiers.
You should also consider which class of monoblock amplifier to get. Class A monoblock amps are the most expensive and usually the least efficient but these are what discerning audiophiles yearn for. Class D monoblock amps are more affordable and efficient. Their sound quality is highly debated among audiophiles though. Fortunately now, Class D amps are more widely accepted due to the years of sonic improvements. Class AB monoblock amps will be the middle choice between these two classes (Class A & D).
You might want to do your own testing by auditioning monoblock amps. Arrange a side-by-side comparison between a stereo amp and monoblock amps of equal caliber, as they drive a pair of stereo speakers. From there, see which amps sound better to you. For listeners who have limited space in their rooms and have a tighter budget, you might want to check out dual-mono amplifiers. Do note that monoblock and dual-mono amplifiers are different. Dual-mono amps will have slightly improved stereo audio quality when compared to a traditional 2-channel (stereo) power amp within the same price range. Going with integrated amplifiers such as Peachtree Nova 300 can be a good idea if you don’t wish to spend too much on amps.
