Picking the ideal audio amplifier can be overwhelming given the large number of different models and technologies. I will help you understand some of the key amplifier jargon expressions. This know-how will assist you select the right amplifier.
Audio amplifiers are crucial since your audio source such as your DVD or Blu-Ray player does not provide a signal powerful adequate to drive your speakers. The amplifier will be the bridging element to your speakers. It will convert the weak source signal to a signal strong adequate to drive your speakers.
Depending on your application, you may desire to go with a source that already has a built-in amplifier. Then again, utilizing a separate amplifier will give you more versatility in selecting the type that best complements your speakers. There are some mini amplifier models available. These models are small adequate to conceal virtually everywhere.
When picking an amplifier, your initial consideration most likely is the amplifier output wattage. You will need a high wattage if you are driving speakers with a low sensitivity (expressed in dB/W), for driving speakers in big rooms or for outdoor speakers. You shouldn’t use an amplifier with significantly higher output power than your speakers can manage. Overdriving your speakers can do irreparable damage to your speakers.
Though, amplifier wattage is not everything. Good sound quality is most likely more significant than raw power. A 20 to 50 Watt amp ought to be sufficient for most real-world applications.
Amplifier wattage is given either as rms or continuous power which shows how much power the amplifier can deliver constantly or as maximum or peak power which shows how much power the amp can output for small periods of time. You ought to select an amplifier that has adequate rms power, even though 10 to 30 Watts ought to be sufficient for most applications but has adequate headroom for peaks that occur in music signals.
Though, audio quality is just as imperative as having sufficient audio power. Thus be certain to also look at factors related to the quality of the amplifier. One of these parameters is known as total harmonic distortion or THD. Every amplifier will introduce some imperfections into the audio signal which is called distortion and expressed in percent or dB. A high-quality amplifier will have a low distortion figure. Audiophile-grade amps will have distortion figures of at most 0.05% whereas consumer-grade amps have distortion of up to 10%.
An additional specification is referred to as signal-to-noise ratio. This number specifies how much undesired components such as hum and noise the amplifier will add to the audio signal. Higher-end amplifiers will achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of at least 100 dB while consumer grade amplifiers will generally have a signal ratio of at least 80 dB.
The bulk of today’s amplifiers are based on a technology called Class-D which provides 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. Class-A and Class-AB amplifiers demand a reasonable amount of heat sinking and for that reason are generally relatively large and heavy. In contrast, amplifiers based on the Class-D technology are small and lightweight. Some of today’s smallest mini amplifiers are no larger than a deck of cards. However, when choosing a Class-D (digital) amplifier, be sure that the amplifier has little distortion and a high signal-to-noise ratio.
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