origin of the term monoblock?

I know I'll probably sound like Andy Rooney complaining about nothing, but can anyone tell me the origin of the term "monoblock"?  When did a standard single-channel or mono amplifier become some sort of "block"?  Why is a mono amp a block and a stereo amp not?  Is it a block because it has one power supply per channel?  Then why not call stereo amps with two power supplies bi-block amps?  Or do we?

I don't know about you, but to me the term "monoblock" is simply silly.  It's just a mono amplifier.  The block is the head of whatever marketing genius coined that term.

Yes, I would guess that the term is a marketing tool and thats about it.

I remember when I first started hearing about monoblocks back in the day.  I didn't know what they were, but I sure did want one.

haemphyst wrote: Too much caffeine this morning, Dave?

Yea, I'm chewing on a block of it. 

This came up because one of my acquaintances has a new amplifier line with "Monoblock" boldly engraved in fancy lettering across the milled aluminum face plate.  I looked at it and said, "Why Monoblock?"  He said "Because it sounds cool."

Haha, remember those tests we had to take in high school??

"Monoblock" is to amplifier as "RAM AIR" is to hot rod.

TRUE or FALSE?

Looks like back in 2001 the term was used in the more "sophisticated" world of audio.  http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue2/sm70.htm

In that, Francisco Duran wrote, "One SM-70 running in stereo drives my speakers pretty well, but as I said I would, I purchased another one, and have been running them as mono blocks for some time."  Other reviewers also use the term "monoblock", as Victor Chavira did when saying "True to their monoblock design, the Pros were superior to my reference with respect to stereo separation and soundstage depth".

But I noticed that Duran used the singular "blocks" in his review.  On reviewing the same Monarchy SM70, Dave Clark wrote " Another issue is the owner’s manual, which could use a second look. I used these as mono amps, and the instructions as to how to hook them up this way leaves much to be desired. A clearer and more concise guide would allow the user less chance of hooking them up incorrectly. I am assuming I did not—they worked—but heck if I know whether I should have switched the speaker connections to another set of binding posts."

The amplifier, it seems, is used to power a pair of speakers unless two are used (and getting the connections correct seemed a task) as "mono blocks".

Those gentlemen clearly understood what they were describing.  But casual users of amps coined with the name "monoblock" have been just as clearly confused;  such as Timmyblah in 2005  when he asked, "How would i wire a 2 channel mono block amp to 2 alpine type r dual voice coil subs?"

I am thinking that is derives from a 2 part explanation

the word "mono" which is from the latin word "mono" meaning, "single" or "one" as in mono-E-mono, or one on one.

and the word block which comes from the polish decent for cube, (ie, most amps are square or rectangular in shape)

or it could mean that it is meant to "block" certain frequencies as built in crossovers came about the same time if I remember the 80's well enough

wahla, you have the term monoblock,,,,or single channel amp blocking certain frequencies

now, do you believe that BS?

nah, im with DYohn, just a dumb name applied and use for marketing. ive been doing this long enough to remember before this "phrase" had been coined yet and they were called single channel amps, haha, it just doesnt have that same ring as "monoblock" does it?

E monoblockum.... think it's Latin er somthin!

EL monoblock.... thats Spanish.

Eine monoblockenzi.... German.

Then there's Monobrock....some kind of Asian.

Der monoblockerdee... Sveedish.

I need another chunk of caffeine..........