Features
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Concert. Professional amplifiers designed to work at concerts and other similar events. Their main external difference from
home models is rack mounting; for almost all concert models, the mounting size is indicated in the characteristics (see below). In terms of performance, the main difference is the high power, in some models exceeding 1000 watts per channel even at 8 ohm load. You can also note a rather restrained design — where such a technique is used, the appearance is far from being of paramount importance.
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Informational. Amplifiers designed for use in public address systems — at stations, airports, shopping centers, etc. One of the features of this application is that passive loudspeakers can be located at a great distance from the amplifier — tens or even hundreds of metres. The standard way to ensure signal transmission over such a distance is to use transformers at the output of the amplifier and at the inputs of the loudspeakers. Such a "transformer" connection can be carried out according to the standards 100/70 V and 50/25 V; in fact, the presence of at least one type of output is mandatory for power amplifiers and integrated amplifiers (see "Type") for this purpose. However, preamplifiers can also be produced for information. Also note that some data models support only one audio channel; and multi-channel often provide the ability to quickly turn
...on and off individual channels — this allows you to organize broadcasting in separate zones.
— Concert / informational. Devices that combine the capabilities of the two types of amplifiers mentioned in the name (for more details on each, see above). Almost all are rack-mounted (among purely informational models this is less common). They can also be single-channel, and there are quite a few such solutions.Number of channels
The maximum number of channels the amplifier can handle. The choice for this parameter depends primarily on the intended format of using the device.
Most modern amplifiers have
two channels for normal stereo sound, which is enough for listening to music or radio programs. There are also models designed for multi-channel "surround" sound, but they are much less common. This is due to the fact that such sound is most often used as an accompaniment to high-quality video — and therefore a home theater receiver is usually used for processing, rather than a separate audio amplifier.
Among the top-class models, there may be
single-channel amplifiers — they provide maximum opportunities for fine-tuning the sound, but you have to purchase several such devices, one per channel. Another specific variety is amplifiers designed to add a certain number of channels to those already available; the most popular of these options is
3-channel, capable of turning an existing stereo system into a multi-channel one.
Power per channel (8Ω)
The nominal sound power output by the amplifier per channel when operating with a load having a dynamic resistance (impedance) of 8 ohms. In our catalog, this parameter is indicated for the mode when all channels of the amplifier work under load (see "Number of channels"); in the presence of unused channels, the rated power may be slightly higher, but this mode cannot be called standard.
Rated power can be simply described as the highest output signal power at which the amplifier is able to work stably for a long time (at least an hour) without negative consequences. These are average figures, because in fact, the audio signal is by definition unstable, and individual level jumps can significantly exceed the rated power. However, it is she who is the main basis for assessing the overall loudness of the sound.
This indicator also determines which speakers can be connected to the amplifier: their rated power should not be lower than that of the amplifier.
According to the laws of electrodynamics, with different dynamic load resistance, the output power of the amplifier will also be different. In modern speakers, the standard values \u200b\u200bare 8, 6, 4 and 2 Ohms, and power levels are indicated for them.
Power per channel (6Ω)
The nominal sound power output by the amplifier per channel when a load with a dynamic resistance (impedance) of 6 ohms is connected to it. See Power per Channel (8Ω) for more information on power rating and its relationship to impedance.
Power per channel (4Ω)
The nominal sound power output by the amplifier per channel when a load with a dynamic resistance (impedance) of 4 ohms is connected to it. See Power per Channel (8Ω) for more information on power rating and its relationship to impedance.
Power per channel (100/70 V)
Rated amplifier power output per channel when connecting acoustics according to the 70/100 V standard.
This standard is used to communicate with high-impedance loudspeakers located at a great distance from the power amplifier — in particular, in public address systems and emergency announcements. Actually, most models with 70/100 V outputs refer to information or concert-information amplifiers (see "Intended use").
See "Power per channel (8Ω)" for details on power rating.
Signal to noise ratio
In itself, the signal-to-noise ratio is the ratio of the level of pure sound produced by the amplifier to the level of extraneous noise that occurs during its operation. This parameter is the main indicator of the overall sound quality — and very clear, because. its measurement takes into account almost all the noise that affects the sound in normal operating conditions. A level of 70 – 80 dB in modern amplifiers can be considered acceptable, 80 – 90 dB is not bad, and for advanced audiophile-class devices, a signal-to-noise ratio of at least 100 dB is considered mandatory.
If the specifications do not specify for which output the signal-to-noise ratio is indicated, it usually means its value for the linear input (see "RCA (par)"). This is quite enough to evaluate the quality of the device for this parameter. However, some manufacturers indicate it for other inputs — Main, Phono; see below for more on this.
Signal to noise ratio (Phono MM/MC)
signal-to-noise ratio when the amplifier is driven through the Phono input. This interface is for connecting turntables; its features are described in the “Inputs” section below, and for the meaning of any signal-to-noise ratio, see the corresponding section above.
Harmonic distortion
This indicator describes the amount of non-linear distortion introduced by the amplifier into the processed signal. Such distortions are not necessarily perceived as extraneous noise, but they degrade the quality of the sound anyway — for example, they can make it more deaf. It is almost impossible to avoid them, but it can be reduced to levels inaudible to the human ear.
As a result, the harmonic distortion factor (harmonics) is one of the main parameters describing the overall sound quality in Hi-Fi and Hi-End amplifiers. The lower it is, the clearer the sound. Hundredths of a percent are considered a good indicator for modern amplifiers, thousandths and below are excellent. The exceptions are tube and hybrid models, for which rather high harmonic coefficients are allowed; see "Element base" for more details.