Demands regarding audio power and audio fidelity of recent speakers and home theater systems are always growing. At the center of these products is the audio amp. Modern power amplifiers have to perform well enough to meet those ever growing requirements. It is hard to choose an amp given the large range of products and concepts. I will describe some of the most widespread amplifier designs like "tube amplifiers", "linear amps", "class-AB" and "class-D" along with "class-T amplifiers" to help you comprehend some of the terms commonly used by amplifier makers. This essay should also help you figure out which topology is perfect for your precise application.
Tube amplifiers used to be popular several decades ago. A tube is able to control the current flow according to a control voltage that is connected to the tube. Sadly, tube amps have a reasonably high amount of distortion. Technically speaking, tube amplifiers are going to introduce higher harmonics into the signal. Many people prefer tube amps since these higher harmonics are regularly perceived as the tube amplifier sounding "warm" or "pleasant".
Tube amps were commonly used a couple of decades ago and utilize a vacuum tube that controls a high-voltage signal in accordance to a low-voltage control signal. Sadly, tube amplifiers have a somewhat high level of distortion. Technically speaking, tube amps are going to introduce higher harmonics into the signal. Many people favor tube amplifiers since these higher harmonics are often perceived as the tube amp sounding "warm" or "pleasant".
Solid-state amplifiers make use of a semiconductor element, like a bipolar transistor or FET in place of the tube and the earliest type is often known as "class-A" amps. In class-A amps a transistor controls the current flow according to a small-level signal. A few amps make use of a feedback mechanism in order to reduce the harmonic distortion. In terms of harmonic distortion, class-A amplifiers rank highest amid all kinds of power amps. These amps also usually exhibit quite low noise. As such class-A amps are ideal for quite demanding applications in which low distortion and low noise are crucial. Class-A amps, on the other hand, waste most of the energy as heat. For that reason they typically have big heat sinks and are quite heavy.
In order to improve on the low efficiency of class-A amplifiers, class-AB amps utilize a series of transistors that each amplify a distinct area, each of which being more efficient than class-A amps. The higher efficiency of class-AB amps also has two other benefits. First of all, the required number of heat sinking is reduced. For that reason class-AB amplifiers can be made lighter and smaller. For that reason, class-AB amps can be made cheaper than class-A amplifiers. Though, this topology adds some non-linearity or distortion in the region where the signal switches between those areas. As such class-AB amplifiers typically have higher distortion than class-A amps.
By making use of a number of transistors, class-AB amps improve on the small power efficiency of class-A amplifiers. The operating region is split into 2 distinct areas. These 2 regions are handled by separate transistors. Each of those transistors operates more efficiently than the single transistor in a class-A amp. The higher efficiency of class-AB amplifiers also has 2 further advantages. Firstly, the required amount of heat sinking is minimized. Therefore class-AB amplifiers can be manufactured lighter and smaller. For that reason, class-AB amps can be manufactured cheaper than class-A amplifiers. Though, this architecture adds some non-linearity or distortion in the area where the signal switches between those areas. As such class-AB amps typically have larger distortion than class-A amps.
More recent audio amplifiers include some sort of means to minimize distortion. One method is to feed back the amplified audio signal to the input of the amplifier in order to compare with the original signal. The difference signal is subsequently used to correct the switching stage and compensate for the nonlinearity. A well-known topology which uses this type of feedback is known as "class-T". Class-T amplifiers or "t amps" attain audio distortion that compares with the audio distortion of class-A amps while at the same time offering the power efficiency of class-D amplifiers. Thus t amplifiers can be made extremely small and still attain high audio fidelity.
Tube amplifiers used to be popular several decades ago. A tube is able to control the current flow according to a control voltage that is connected to the tube. Sadly, tube amps have a reasonably high amount of distortion. Technically speaking, tube amplifiers are going to introduce higher harmonics into the signal. Many people prefer tube amps since these higher harmonics are regularly perceived as the tube amplifier sounding "warm" or "pleasant".
Tube amps were commonly used a couple of decades ago and utilize a vacuum tube that controls a high-voltage signal in accordance to a low-voltage control signal. Sadly, tube amplifiers have a somewhat high level of distortion. Technically speaking, tube amps are going to introduce higher harmonics into the signal. Many people favor tube amplifiers since these higher harmonics are often perceived as the tube amp sounding "warm" or "pleasant".
Solid-state amplifiers make use of a semiconductor element, like a bipolar transistor or FET in place of the tube and the earliest type is often known as "class-A" amps. In class-A amps a transistor controls the current flow according to a small-level signal. A few amps make use of a feedback mechanism in order to reduce the harmonic distortion. In terms of harmonic distortion, class-A amplifiers rank highest amid all kinds of power amps. These amps also usually exhibit quite low noise. As such class-A amps are ideal for quite demanding applications in which low distortion and low noise are crucial. Class-A amps, on the other hand, waste most of the energy as heat. For that reason they typically have big heat sinks and are quite heavy.
In order to improve on the low efficiency of class-A amplifiers, class-AB amps utilize a series of transistors that each amplify a distinct area, each of which being more efficient than class-A amps. The higher efficiency of class-AB amps also has two other benefits. First of all, the required number of heat sinking is reduced. For that reason class-AB amplifiers can be made lighter and smaller. For that reason, class-AB amps can be made cheaper than class-A amplifiers. Though, this topology adds some non-linearity or distortion in the region where the signal switches between those areas. As such class-AB amplifiers typically have higher distortion than class-A amps.
By making use of a number of transistors, class-AB amps improve on the small power efficiency of class-A amplifiers. The operating region is split into 2 distinct areas. These 2 regions are handled by separate transistors. Each of those transistors operates more efficiently than the single transistor in a class-A amp. The higher efficiency of class-AB amplifiers also has 2 further advantages. Firstly, the required amount of heat sinking is minimized. Therefore class-AB amplifiers can be manufactured lighter and smaller. For that reason, class-AB amps can be manufactured cheaper than class-A amplifiers. Though, this architecture adds some non-linearity or distortion in the area where the signal switches between those areas. As such class-AB amps typically have larger distortion than class-A amps.
More recent audio amplifiers include some sort of means to minimize distortion. One method is to feed back the amplified audio signal to the input of the amplifier in order to compare with the original signal. The difference signal is subsequently used to correct the switching stage and compensate for the nonlinearity. A well-known topology which uses this type of feedback is known as "class-T". Class-T amplifiers or "t amps" attain audio distortion that compares with the audio distortion of class-A amps while at the same time offering the power efficiency of class-D amplifiers. Thus t amplifiers can be made extremely small and still attain high audio fidelity.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar