To help you decide on an audio amplifier, I am going to clarify the expression "signal-to-noise ratio" that is usually utilized in order to explain the performance of audio amps.
When you have narrowed down your search by glancing at a few key criteria, such as the level of output wattage, the size of the amplifier plus the cost, you are going to still have quite a few products to choose from. Now it is time to take a look at some of the technical specifications in more detail. Every amp is going to generate a certain level of hiss as well as hum. The signal-to-noise ratio will help quantify the level of noise generated by the amp.
Comparing the noise level of different amplifiers can be accomplished rather simply. Just collect a few products which you want to evaluate and short circuit the inputs. Afterward set the amp volume to maximum and verify the level of noise by listening to the speaker. The noise that you hear is generated by the amplifier itself. Be certain that the volume of the amps is set to the same level. Otherwise you will not be able to objectively compare the amount of hiss between several amps. The general rule is: the smaller the level of static that you hear the higher the noise performance. Whilst looking at the amp specification sheet, you want to look for an amp with a large signal-to-noise ratio number which indicates that the amplifier outputs a low level of noise. Noise is created due to a number of reasons. One reason is that today's amplifiers all employ components like transistors as well as resistors. Those components will make some amount of noise. As the amplifier overall noise performance is mostly determined by the performance of components situated at the amplifier input, makers are going to attempt to pick low-noise parts whilst designing the amp input stage.
If you favor an amplifier with a small level of hissing, you can look at the signal-to-noise ratio figure of the data sheet. Most manufacturers are going to display this figure. Amplifiers with a high signal-to-noise ratio will output a low level of noise. One of the reasons why amplifiers produce noise is the fact that they use elements including transistors and resistors that by nature create noise. Given that the amp overall noise performance is mostly determined by the performance of components located at the amplifier input, makers will try to select low-noise components when developing the amp input stage.
The most common method for measuring the signal-to-noise ratio is to set the amp to a gain that allows the maximum output swing. Next a test signal is input to the amplifier. The frequency of this tone is usually 1 kHz. The amplitude of this tone is 60 dB underneath the full scale signal. Then the noise-floor energy is measured in the frequency range between 20 Hz and 20 kHz and compared with the full scale signal energy.
A different convention in order to state the signal-to-noise ratio utilizes more subjective terms. These terms are "dBA" or "A weighted". You are going to discover these terms in many amp parameter sheets. In other words, this method tries to express how the noise is perceived by a human. Human hearing is most sensitive to signals around 1 kHz whereas signals under 50 Hz and higher than 14 kHz are hardly noticed. Consequently an A-weighting filter is going to amplify the noise floor for frequencies that are easily perceived and suppress the noise floor at frequencies that are barely heard. A lot of amps will show a higher A-weighted signal-to-noise ratio than the un-weighted ratio.
When you have narrowed down your search by glancing at a few key criteria, such as the level of output wattage, the size of the amplifier plus the cost, you are going to still have quite a few products to choose from. Now it is time to take a look at some of the technical specifications in more detail. Every amp is going to generate a certain level of hiss as well as hum. The signal-to-noise ratio will help quantify the level of noise generated by the amp.
Comparing the noise level of different amplifiers can be accomplished rather simply. Just collect a few products which you want to evaluate and short circuit the inputs. Afterward set the amp volume to maximum and verify the level of noise by listening to the speaker. The noise that you hear is generated by the amplifier itself. Be certain that the volume of the amps is set to the same level. Otherwise you will not be able to objectively compare the amount of hiss between several amps. The general rule is: the smaller the level of static that you hear the higher the noise performance. Whilst looking at the amp specification sheet, you want to look for an amp with a large signal-to-noise ratio number which indicates that the amplifier outputs a low level of noise. Noise is created due to a number of reasons. One reason is that today's amplifiers all employ components like transistors as well as resistors. Those components will make some amount of noise. As the amplifier overall noise performance is mostly determined by the performance of components situated at the amplifier input, makers are going to attempt to pick low-noise parts whilst designing the amp input stage.
If you favor an amplifier with a small level of hissing, you can look at the signal-to-noise ratio figure of the data sheet. Most manufacturers are going to display this figure. Amplifiers with a high signal-to-noise ratio will output a low level of noise. One of the reasons why amplifiers produce noise is the fact that they use elements including transistors and resistors that by nature create noise. Given that the amp overall noise performance is mostly determined by the performance of components located at the amplifier input, makers will try to select low-noise components when developing the amp input stage.
The most common method for measuring the signal-to-noise ratio is to set the amp to a gain that allows the maximum output swing. Next a test signal is input to the amplifier. The frequency of this tone is usually 1 kHz. The amplitude of this tone is 60 dB underneath the full scale signal. Then the noise-floor energy is measured in the frequency range between 20 Hz and 20 kHz and compared with the full scale signal energy.
A different convention in order to state the signal-to-noise ratio utilizes more subjective terms. These terms are "dBA" or "A weighted". You are going to discover these terms in many amp parameter sheets. In other words, this method tries to express how the noise is perceived by a human. Human hearing is most sensitive to signals around 1 kHz whereas signals under 50 Hz and higher than 14 kHz are hardly noticed. Consequently an A-weighting filter is going to amplify the noise floor for frequencies that are easily perceived and suppress the noise floor at frequencies that are barely heard. A lot of amps will show a higher A-weighted signal-to-noise ratio than the un-weighted ratio.
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