Dan D'Agostino's Momentum Monoblocks

[psjl]

Originally Posted by mimesis

The Ayre MX-R mono amp has two 375VA transformers. You can tell this by the maximum power draw of 750VA.

mimesis,

Thanks for providing the VA rating spec.

Could you tell me where you got this spec., as I tried looking on Ayre's website, the MX-R owner's manual, as well as calling Ayre directly, but couldn't find this spec.

In fact, Ayre politely replied to me that this spec. is likely to be one of the most meaningless, if not the most meaningless specifications a manufacturer could publish. They went on to say that there is absolutely no standard for measurement and so whatever number you come up with is pointless. The same transformer could be rated so extremely different that it is pointless to even specify a number. Unless of course you were to know at least four details about how the measurement was taken. That is the dirty little secret that no one will tell you - is how they took the measurements. When you see a specification of VA rating the proper question is how did they test it and how was that number ascertained. They said, in fact, that the best way to see which transformer is better is to weigh it! If it is heavier, it will likely perform better!

I'm neither an engineer nor a very tech-savy individual, so I guess I have to take Ayre's word on this. Any thoughts on this?

Philip