Music amplifiers are at the very core of every home theater system. As the quality and output power demands of modern speakers increase, so do the requirements of stereo amplifiers. With the ever growing amount of models and design topologies, like “tube amplifiers”, “class-A”, “class-D” as well as “t amp” types, it is becoming more and more demanding to select the amp which is perfect for a particular application. This article is going to explain some of the most widespread terms and clarify some of the technical jargon which amplifier producers often employ. An audio amp is going to translate a low-level audio signal which frequently originates from a high-impedance source into a high-level signal which may drive a loudspeaker with a low impedance. The kind of element utilized to amplify the signal is dependent on what amp topology is utilized. A few amplifiers even utilize several types of elements. Typically the following parts are used: tubes, bipolar transistors in addition to FETs.
Simply put, the use of an audio amplifier is to translate a low-power music signal into a high-power audio signal. The high-power signal is big enough to drive a speaker sufficiently loud. Determined by the type of amplifier, one of several kinds of elements are utilized to amplify the signal like tubes in addition to transistors.
Moreover, tube amplifiers have rather low power efficiency and therefore dissipate much power as heat. Yet another disadvantage is the high price tag of tubes. This has put tube amplifiers out of the ballpark for a lot of consumer products. Because of this, the majority of audio products nowadays uses solid state amps. I am going to explain solid state amplifiers in the following paragraphs.
Solid-state amplifiers use a semiconductor element, like a bipolar transistor or FET in place of the tube and the first kind is called “class-A” amps. In a class-A amplifier, the signal is being amplified by a transistor which is controlled by the low-level audio signal. Regarding harmonic distortion, class-A amps rank highest amid all types of music amps. These amps also typically exhibit quite low noise. As such class-A amplifiers are perfect for extremely demanding applications in which low distortion and low noise are essential. Class-A amplifiers, though, waste the majority of the energy as heat. Therefore they frequently have big heat sinks and are quite heavy.
Solid-state amplifiers utilize a semiconductor element, such as a bipolar transistor or FET instead of the tube and the earliest sort is often known as “class-A” amps. In class-A amps a transistor controls the current flow according to a small-level signal. A number of amps use a feedback mechanism to reduce the harmonic distortion. Class-A amps have the lowest distortion and usually also the smallest amount of noise of any amplifier architecture. If you require ultra-low distortion then you should take a closer look at class-A types. The major drawback is that much like tube amps class A amps have quite small efficiency. As a result these amplifiers require big heat sinks in order to dissipate the wasted energy and are frequently rather bulky.
In order to improve on the small efficiency of class-A amplifiers, class-AB amps utilize a number of transistors that each amplify a separate area, each of which being more efficient than class-A amplifiers. As a result of the larger efficiency, class-AB amplifiers do not need the same amount of heat sinks as class-A amplifiers. Therefore they can be manufactured lighter and cheaper. When the signal transitions between the two distinct regions, however, a certain level of distortion is being generated, thereby class-AB amps will not achieve the same audio fidelity as class-A amps.
To solve the dilemma of large music distortion, newer switching amplifier styles incorporate feedback. The amplified signal is compared with the original low-level signal and errors are corrected. A well-known architecture which makes use of this type of feedback is called “class-T”. Class-T amps or “t amps” achieve audio distortion which compares with the audio distortion of class-A amps while at the same time exhibiting the power efficiency of class-D amps. Thus t amps can be manufactured extremely small and still attain high audio fidelity.
Simply put, the use of an audio amplifier is to translate a low-power music signal into a high-power audio signal. The high-power signal is big enough to drive a speaker sufficiently loud. Determined by the type of amplifier, one of several kinds of elements are utilized to amplify the signal like tubes in addition to transistors.
Moreover, tube amplifiers have rather low power efficiency and therefore dissipate much power as heat. Yet another disadvantage is the high price tag of tubes. This has put tube amplifiers out of the ballpark for a lot of consumer products. Because of this, the majority of audio products nowadays uses solid state amps. I am going to explain solid state amplifiers in the following paragraphs.
Solid-state amplifiers use a semiconductor element, like a bipolar transistor or FET in place of the tube and the first kind is called “class-A” amps. In a class-A amplifier, the signal is being amplified by a transistor which is controlled by the low-level audio signal. Regarding harmonic distortion, class-A amps rank highest amid all types of music amps. These amps also typically exhibit quite low noise. As such class-A amplifiers are perfect for extremely demanding applications in which low distortion and low noise are essential. Class-A amplifiers, though, waste the majority of the energy as heat. Therefore they frequently have big heat sinks and are quite heavy.
Solid-state amplifiers utilize a semiconductor element, such as a bipolar transistor or FET instead of the tube and the earliest sort is often known as “class-A” amps. In class-A amps a transistor controls the current flow according to a small-level signal. A number of amps use a feedback mechanism to reduce the harmonic distortion. Class-A amps have the lowest distortion and usually also the smallest amount of noise of any amplifier architecture. If you require ultra-low distortion then you should take a closer look at class-A types. The major drawback is that much like tube amps class A amps have quite small efficiency. As a result these amplifiers require big heat sinks in order to dissipate the wasted energy and are frequently rather bulky.
In order to improve on the small efficiency of class-A amplifiers, class-AB amps utilize a number of transistors that each amplify a separate area, each of which being more efficient than class-A amplifiers. As a result of the larger efficiency, class-AB amplifiers do not need the same amount of heat sinks as class-A amplifiers. Therefore they can be manufactured lighter and cheaper. When the signal transitions between the two distinct regions, however, a certain level of distortion is being generated, thereby class-AB amps will not achieve the same audio fidelity as class-A amps.
To solve the dilemma of large music distortion, newer switching amplifier styles incorporate feedback. The amplified signal is compared with the original low-level signal and errors are corrected. A well-known architecture which makes use of this type of feedback is called “class-T”. Class-T amps or “t amps” achieve audio distortion which compares with the audio distortion of class-A amps while at the same time exhibiting the power efficiency of class-D amps. Thus t amps can be manufactured extremely small and still attain high audio fidelity.
#end
A Brief Primer For Audio Amplifiers A Brief Primer For Audio Amplifiers
Article Source: http://ift.tt/1dw7RhK
0 comments:
Post a Comment