Selecting a decent amplifier for your loudspeakers is not a trivial chore. You want to ensure that your amplifier matches your speakers. I will explain some simple amplifier terms and give some suggestions to aid you select the perfect amplifier.
There is a flood of different audio amps available which all differ in their specifications, shape and size. However, you don't need to be an expert to select the right type. By following some essential rules you won't regret your purchasing decision.
The most evident parameter is the size of the amp. There are types that are as big as half your living room while a number of of the most recent mini amplifier types are as tiny as a bar of soap. A big number of amplifiers are the size of a standard rack. This permits your amp to be stacked on top of your other audio devices.
There are a number of core amplifier technologies available. One technology is referred to as "solid-state". Solid-state amps now account for the majority of audio amplifiers. In the past, tube amplifiers have been popular. Even today tube amplifiers are still obtainable. However, tube amps have rather high audio distortion. Audio distortion refers to how much the audio signal is being degraded while passing through the amp and is specified in percent. This value is often used when comparing the audio quality of amplifiers.
In contrast, "Class-D" amps which are also known as "digital amplifiers" offer a power efficiency of normally 80 to 90%. This enables the amplifier and power supply to be made a great deal smaller than analog amplifiers. As a result of the switching output stage, digital amps usually have larger harmonic distortion than analog amplifiers. On the other hand, a number of of the latest models are capable to lower distortion to 0.05% and less by employing a feedback mechanism.
When picking an amp, make certain that the output power is adequate to drive your loudspeakers. The needed power will be determined by how much power your loudspeakers can handle as well as the size of your space where you will be listening. There are two values for speaker power handling: peak and average power handling. The peak value indicates how much power the speaker can tolerate for short periods of time. The average value on the other hand describes how much power the speaker can handle continuously without damage.
In a small listening setting, you might not require to drive your loudspeakers to their rated value. 20 to 40 Watts of power would most likely be sufficient. Note however that speakers differ in their sensitivity. Typically a low-impedance speaker will be simpler to drive to high volume than a high-impedance loudspeaker. Be certain that your amplifier can drive your loudspeaker impedance. You can easily find the rated speaker impedance range in your amplifier's user manual.
Lastly, make certain that your amplifier introduces little noise and has a broad enough frequency response. High-quality amps will have a signal-to-noise ratio of at the very least 100 dB and a frequency response of at least 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
There is a flood of different audio amps available which all differ in their specifications, shape and size. However, you don't need to be an expert to select the right type. By following some essential rules you won't regret your purchasing decision.
The most evident parameter is the size of the amp. There are types that are as big as half your living room while a number of of the most recent mini amplifier types are as tiny as a bar of soap. A big number of amplifiers are the size of a standard rack. This permits your amp to be stacked on top of your other audio devices.
There are a number of core amplifier technologies available. One technology is referred to as "solid-state". Solid-state amps now account for the majority of audio amplifiers. In the past, tube amplifiers have been popular. Even today tube amplifiers are still obtainable. However, tube amps have rather high audio distortion. Audio distortion refers to how much the audio signal is being degraded while passing through the amp and is specified in percent. This value is often used when comparing the audio quality of amplifiers.
In contrast, "Class-D" amps which are also known as "digital amplifiers" offer a power efficiency of normally 80 to 90%. This enables the amplifier and power supply to be made a great deal smaller than analog amplifiers. As a result of the switching output stage, digital amps usually have larger harmonic distortion than analog amplifiers. On the other hand, a number of of the latest models are capable to lower distortion to 0.05% and less by employing a feedback mechanism.
When picking an amp, make certain that the output power is adequate to drive your loudspeakers. The needed power will be determined by how much power your loudspeakers can handle as well as the size of your space where you will be listening. There are two values for speaker power handling: peak and average power handling. The peak value indicates how much power the speaker can tolerate for short periods of time. The average value on the other hand describes how much power the speaker can handle continuously without damage.
In a small listening setting, you might not require to drive your loudspeakers to their rated value. 20 to 40 Watts of power would most likely be sufficient. Note however that speakers differ in their sensitivity. Typically a low-impedance speaker will be simpler to drive to high volume than a high-impedance loudspeaker. Be certain that your amplifier can drive your loudspeaker impedance. You can easily find the rated speaker impedance range in your amplifier's user manual.
Lastly, make certain that your amplifier introduces little noise and has a broad enough frequency response. High-quality amps will have a signal-to-noise ratio of at the very least 100 dB and a frequency response of at least 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
