Turning now to an analysis of the latest digital power amplifiers, we start with this one from Powersoft, which offers 4 channels of amplification in a single rack space. According to the company, “Powersoft's Digam technology delivers high efficiency and sends more power to the loudspeakers with very little heat dissipation.

This high efficiency makes it possible to dramatically reduce size, weight and current draw. The amplifiers' output circuits typically run at 95% efficiency, dissipating only 5% of the incoming energy as heat. Compared with conventional technology, the thermal performance of these systems means producing only 10% of the heat. This is the fundamental premise most digital amp manufacturers rely on to give people enough reason to abandon their old analog amps and move to this new digital world.

Specifications
This amp delivers 500 W per channel at 8 ohms and 800 W at 4 ohms, measured at 1 kHz. In bridge mode (bridging each pair of channels to get two higher-power outputs) we get 1600 W at 8 ohms, also measured at 1 kHz.

Note that if you don't use all four channels, the output power of each is reduced by approximately 25%.

Input impedance is greater than 10 kohms for a balanced signal.
Input sensitivity is fixed at 32 dB.

The signal-to-noise ratio is > 105 dB, measured from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

The inputs on this amp use Neutrik combo connectors, which accept either balanced XLR or jack, and the outputs are 4-pole Speakon only (with the bridge output on +2/-2, which engages automatically).

The damping factor is 600 at 100 Hz and 100 from 100 Hz to 10 kHz.

It also has a power supply that automatically adjusts to the input voltage, accepting anything from 95 V to 265 V so it can work anywhere in the world.

Powersoft is the first amplifier manufacturer in the world to use PFC (Power Factor Correction). This technology makes the amplifier's performance independent of variations in mains voltage. This feature gives optimal amplifier behavior at high output levels.

The Digam series is fully protected against any possible operating error and is designed to work under extreme conditions.

They also have a temperature-controlled air cooling system.

Finally, a selectable active filter (HP, LP, BP, 12 dB/octave at 65, 100, 130 Hz) can optionally be added, and a remote control interface is also available as an option.

This amp weighs just 9.5 kg.

Pros and Cons
Keep in mind that today's rental companies (the main buyers of these very high-power amps) increasingly look to cut the weight and size of their gear considerably while gaining reliability and versatility. For that purpose, having a unit that provides four channels of amplification in a single rack space, with so little weight and reduced power consumption, is an important consideration.

What impressed me most about this amp is how easy it is to use. It is designed for use with medium-power cabinets, so you just unpack it, plug it in and go. Be aware, though, that it doesn't let us combine the signals of two channels except in bridge mode.

An alternative to this amp is the Camco Vortex 3 Quadro, which for a little more money gives the same power, though it can work down to two ohms and in bridge at 16 ohms. On the downside, it weighs 800 grams more and takes up 2 rack spaces.

Although this amp doesn't reach the power of the others in this comparison, I've included it as a starting point among the digital amps, but I want to mention Powersoft's higher-end amps, the K Series:

The K6 is comparable to the MA-5002VZ, but being digital, it has the advantage of taking up a single rack space and weighing only 12 kg. This amp delivers 1,300 W at 8 ohms, 2,500 W at 4 ohms and 3,600 W at 2 ohms, with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 115 dB.
The K8 is comparable to the Camco Vortex 200V, which I'll discuss later, but in a single rack space. It gives us 1,500 W at 8 ohms, 3,000 W at 4 ohms and 4,800 W at 2 ohms per channel.

And the K10 can be compared to the Crown I-Tech 8000, which we'll also see later, except that this Powersoft amp does deliver 6,000 W at 2 ohms per channel (and takes up only one rack space), making it one of the most powerful amps on the market today. The remaining power figures are 2,000 W at 8 ohms and 4,000 W at 4 ohms.