Amplifiers are great as they help you in increasing the volume of your sound. If you are curious to know about these units, here are a few things that you need to know:
How the Units Amplify Sound
The best way of understanding how they work is by thinking of them as servo-controlled “valves” that control the stored energy from the wall outlet and release it in measured amounts into your loudspeakers.
Classes of Amplifiers
There are many classes of amps that vary depend on their make and distortion levels. Some of the most common classes are:
Class A: here current flows constantly through the output transistors even if there’s no incoming audio signal. Due to this the output transistors are always on. The cool thing with a class A amp is that it has the lowest distortion. Its main flaw is that it’s inefficient.
Class B: they make use of output transistors that switch on and off. If there’s no signal, no current flows through the output transistors. While they are more efficient than class A amplifiers, they tend to have non-linear distortions.
In addition to class A and B, there are also class A/B and class D amplifiers.
The Names of the Amps Don’t Represent Performance Ratings
The names are used in differentiating the different types of amplifier circuits; therefore, if you find an amp written “D” this doesn’t mean that it’s a class D. In most of the cases, it means that the unit has a “digital” design.
What Is the Difference between Digital and Analogue Amplifiers?
There are a number of differences. An analog amp regulates transistors in order to release power from the power supply of the amp to the loudspeakers in such a way that it exactly mimics the incoming waveform. Digital amps on the other hand use a circuit that switches at high-frequency in order to modulate the output devices.
What Should You Consider When Buying An Amplifier?
For you to buy the right unit you need to consider a number of things. One of the factors that you should consider is the class of the amp. As rule of thumb you should buy a unit that is efficient and at the same time has less sound distortion.
You should also consider the price. It’s good to go for the best unit that your money can afford. You should avoid cheap amplifiers as they tend to break down fast. They also don’t give you the sound quality that you deserve.
