Audio amplifiers are available in a flood of different technologies and models. Choosing the perfect model for a particular application seems to be a daunting task. I will explain some basic amplifier terms and help you pick the best model no matter what your particular application might be.
Depending on your application, you may want to go with a source that already has a built-in amplifier. However, using a separate amplifier will give you more flexibility in choosing the model that best complements your speakers. Some of today's mini amplifier models are small enough to hide them virtually anywhere.
Most people will look at amplifier wattage first when choosing an amplifier. Output wattage is the amount of power the amplifier is able to deliver to the speakers. Driving low-sensitivity speakers (sensitivity is expressed in dB/W) requires fairly high wattage. Also, driving outdoor speakers or speakers in a large room will require higher amplifier power. You shouldn't use an amplifier with significantly higher output power than your speakers can handle. Overdriving your speakers can do irreparable damage to your speakers.
But don't be overly concerned about wattage. An amp supplying 20 to 50 Watts will give you more than plenty of power to sufficiently drive a speaker in any but the largest room.
Amplifier wattage is given either as rms or continuous power which shows how much power the amplifier can deliver continuously or as maximum or peak power which shows how much power the amp can output for short periods of time. You should choose an amplifier that has sufficient rms power, although 10 to 30 Watts should be plenty for most applications but has enough headroom for peaks that occur in music signals.
There are other parameters that are more important than wattage when selecting an amplifier. One important parameter is called total harmonic distortion or THD in short. Every amplifier will introduce some imperfections into the audio signal which is known as distortion and expressed in percent or dB. A high-quality amplifier will have a low distortion figure. Audiophile amplifiers will have distortion numbers of typically less than 0.05%. Consumer-grade amplifiers will have distortion figures of up to 10%.
Another figure related to audio quality is known as signal-to-noise ratio and describes the amount of unwanted noise the amplifier will add to the signal. Higher-end amplifiers will achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of at least 100 dB while consumer grade amplifiers will typically have a signal ratio of at least 80 dB.
The majority of today's amplifiers are based on a technology called Class-D which offers higher power efficiency than amplifiers based an Class-A or Class-AB technologies. High efficiency means that little power is wasted as heat which can make the amplifier fairly small. Some of today's mini amplifiers are no larger than a deck of cards. However, when picking a Class-D (digital) amplifier, be sure that the amplifier has low distortion and a high signal-to-noise ratio.
Depending on your application, you may want to go with a source that already has a built-in amplifier. However, using a separate amplifier will give you more flexibility in choosing the model that best complements your speakers. Some of today's mini amplifier models are small enough to hide them virtually anywhere.
Most people will look at amplifier wattage first when choosing an amplifier. Output wattage is the amount of power the amplifier is able to deliver to the speakers. Driving low-sensitivity speakers (sensitivity is expressed in dB/W) requires fairly high wattage. Also, driving outdoor speakers or speakers in a large room will require higher amplifier power. You shouldn't use an amplifier with significantly higher output power than your speakers can handle. Overdriving your speakers can do irreparable damage to your speakers.
But don't be overly concerned about wattage. An amp supplying 20 to 50 Watts will give you more than plenty of power to sufficiently drive a speaker in any but the largest room.
Amplifier wattage is given either as rms or continuous power which shows how much power the amplifier can deliver continuously or as maximum or peak power which shows how much power the amp can output for short periods of time. You should choose an amplifier that has sufficient rms power, although 10 to 30 Watts should be plenty for most applications but has enough headroom for peaks that occur in music signals.
There are other parameters that are more important than wattage when selecting an amplifier. One important parameter is called total harmonic distortion or THD in short. Every amplifier will introduce some imperfections into the audio signal which is known as distortion and expressed in percent or dB. A high-quality amplifier will have a low distortion figure. Audiophile amplifiers will have distortion numbers of typically less than 0.05%. Consumer-grade amplifiers will have distortion figures of up to 10%.
Another figure related to audio quality is known as signal-to-noise ratio and describes the amount of unwanted noise the amplifier will add to the signal. Higher-end amplifiers will achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of at least 100 dB while consumer grade amplifiers will typically have a signal ratio of at least 80 dB.
The majority of today's amplifiers are based on a technology called Class-D which offers higher power efficiency than amplifiers based an Class-A or Class-AB technologies. High efficiency means that little power is wasted as heat which can make the amplifier fairly small. Some of today's mini amplifiers are no larger than a deck of cards. However, when picking a Class-D (digital) amplifier, be sure that the amplifier has low distortion and a high signal-to-noise ratio.
About the Author:
Gunter Fellbaum has been developing audio and electronic products for over 10 years. You can get further information concerning t-amp models as well as stereo amplifier from Amphony's website.
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