lundi 10 mars 2014

A Couple Of Insights In Order To Help Understand The Noise Performance Of Recent Stereo Amps

By Sherry Lambert


It is easy to be baffled by the language which amplifier makers utilize to explain the performance of their models. I am going to clarify the meaning of one frequently utilized amplifier parameter: "signal-to-noise ratio" to help you make an informed decision while purchasing a new amplifier.

You can make a straightforward comparison of the amp noise by short circuiting the amplifier input, setting the volume to maximum and listening to a speaker connected to the amp. The noise which you hear is produced by the amp itself. After that compare different amps according to the following rule: the lower the amount of static, the higher the noise performance of the amp. On the other hand, bear in mind that you have to set all amps to amplify by the same level to compare different amps.

You can do a straightforward assessment of the amplifier noise by short circuiting the amplifier input, setting the gain to maximum and listening to a speaker connected to the amplifier. The noise which you hear is generated by the amplifier itself. Be certain that the volume of the amplifiers is set to the same level. Otherwise you will not be able to objectively compare the level of static between different amplifiers. The general rule is: the lower the level of hiss that you hear the higher the noise performance. If you prefer an amp with a small level of hissing, you may look at the signal-to-noise ratio number of the data sheet. The majority of suppliers are going to show this number. Amplifiers with a large signal-to-noise ratio are going to output a low amount of static. There are numerous reasons why power amplifiers will add some form of noise or other unwanted signal. Transistors and resistors that are part of each modern amplifier by nature generate noise. As the amp overall noise performance is mostly determined by the performance of elements situated at the amplifier input, manufacturers are going to try to pick low-noise components while developing the amp input stage.

In order to help you evaluate the noise performance, amp manufacturers publish the signal-to-noise ratio in their amp spec sheets. Simply put, the larger the signal-to-noise ratio, the smaller the level of noise the amplifier generates. There are a number of reasons why power amplifiers will add some form of hiss or other unwanted signal. Transistors and resistors that are part of every modern amplifier by nature make noise. Given that the amplifier overall noise performance is mostly determined by the performance of components situated at the amp input, makers will attempt to pick low-noise components while developing the amplifier input stage.

Producers measure the signal-to-noise ratio by setting the amp such that the full output swing may be realized and by feeding a test tone to the amplifier which is normally 60 dB underneath the full scale of the amp. Next, the noise floor between 20 Hz and 20 kHz is calculated and the ratio to the full-scale signal calculated. The noise signal at other frequencies is removed by a bandpass filter throughout this measurement.

Frequently you will find the term "dBA" or "a-weighted" in your amp specification sheet. A weighting is a method of expressing the noise floor in a more subjective way. This method was designed with the knowledge that human hearing perceives noise at different frequencies differently. Human hearing is most sensitive to signals around 1 kHz. Then again, signals under 50 Hz and higher than 13 kHz are barely noticed. An A-weighted signal-to-noise ratio weighs the noise floor according to the human hearing and is generally larger than the unweighted signal-to-noise ratio.




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