High-Performance Amplifier Design—Bridged (Part 2)
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The Priority of the Loudspeaker-Room
I believe that it is possible to attain the highest quality sound at a fraction of the cost of a typical high-end system. The key is knowing what the priority is. Once we have the priority straight, we can focus most of our resources on those that will make the largest impact on the overall listening experience. The two most significant factors in shaping the overall listening experience are the loudspeaker and its interaction with the room. These two are the areas of greatest return on investment.
High-Performance Amplifier Design—IC (Part 1)
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Assumptions in Audio Design
High-end audio is both stimulating and confusing because of the diverse assumptions about the goals of sound reproduction and the process by which one achieves those goals. I start with a set of assumptions about how to optimize an audio system for the most faithful reproduction of music. Other designers start from different sets of assumptions. These fundamental assumptions shape the design process and how the whole system is conceived.
My fundamental assumption is that an optimal solution requires a holistic approach—an artful integration of analysis and listening in view of the whole system. It is both art and science, in which I try to keep the following triad in mind: (a) whole system, (b) measurement & analysis, (c) extended listening.
Bi-wiring and Bi-Amplification
One of the overlooked issues in the design of audio systems is the crossover hidden inside the loudspeaker box. The crossover has the job of splitting the signal into the low-frequency and the high-frequency components (e.g. in a 2-way system). It is deceptively simple, consisting of a handful of passive components. Yet, it has the exceedingly difficult job of carrying high current and high voltage signals—about 1,000 times higher current and 20 times higher voltage compared to the line-level stage. In addition, outside its passband, its impedance increases substantially, preventing the amplifier from controlling the loudspeaker directly and contributing to intermodulation distortion.