Audio Amplifiers Are Shrinking Fast
Newest types of mini amplifier kits show the ongoing trend of miniaturization of consumer products such as cell phones or computers. Products are shrinking at a rapid tempo. At the same time, vendors are packing in more and more features. The majority of audio amplifiers would be tube amps in the past. Even though a large number of fanatics still is fond of tube amplifiers, they have been substituted by solid state amps for the most part.
While traditionally there would be separate pre amp and power amp stages, today’s solid-state amp combine everything into a neat box no larger than the size of a VCR. A new generation of super-miniature amplifiers, such as the Amphony Model 200 microFidelity amp, has become possible due to new developments in audio technology regarding power efficiency. Even though these mini amps deliver up to 50 Watts – plenty to drive a speaker to high volume, they are no bigger than a deck of cards.
Past audio amplifiers with “Class-A” and “Class-AB” architectures have comparatively low power efficiency. Analog audio amplifiers will only convert between 20% to 30% of the consumed energy into audio while the remaining portion is radiated as heat. This requires that depending on the supported output power, analog audio amps have to offer extensive cooling which is achieved by using heat sinks. These heat sinks do not permit these amplifiers to be made very small.
The “Class-D” topology of digital amplifiers offers higher efficiency than analog amps. The efficiency normally ranges between 80% and 95%. This enables digital amps to be miniaturized. “Class-D” amplifiers employ a switching output stage. This stage introduces nonlinearities which causes audio distortion. This problem has had an impact on the triumph of digital amplifiers.
More recent “Class-T” and newer “Class-D” amplifier product versions, such as Amphony’s Model 200, incorporate a feedback mechanism where the output of the amplifier is fed back to the input. This feedback enables the amplifier to compensate for nonlinearities of the output switching stage and thus lower audio distortion to similar levels of analog amplifiers whilst preserving the audio efficiency of digital amplifiers.
These new generation miniature audio amplifiers are suited for a variety of new applications where previous audio amplifiers have failed. These applications include installations, such as in-ceiling installations, with minimal space or connecting speakers to a cable box or DVD/MP3 player where minimal space is important.