A magnetic resonance apparatus (10) includes a magnet (18) that generates a static magnetic field, e.g., 7 T, a resonance excitation system (26, 30, 32) induces resonance in an observed nuclear species such as 13C or 31P. A decoupling delay generator (48) introduces pauses between adjacent pulses of a decoupling pulse train configured to decouple a coupled species such as 1H. An RF amplifier (32, 44) whose energy shortage capacity would be exceeded by the pulse train without the pauses amplifies the pulse train with the pauses. The pauses are sufficiently short that decoupling and Nuclear Overhauser Effect enhancement are not adversely affected, but long enough to provide recovery time to the RF amplifier, e.g., 0.2 msec.
