best audio amplifier book??

You can't just learn audio amplifiers in isolation.

'The Art of Electronics' by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill is widely regarded as the best general electronics handbook for graduate students. If you don't have this book, you should buy it before you buy any audio books.

w
 
Not hijacking just trying to add to this thread. I just wanted to say that I'm a beginner when it comes to electronics and I took everyone's advice and just ordered "The Art of Electronics" by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill.

I hope the jargon used inside isn't above me as I have never really studied electronics in the past.

-Pete
 

GK

Disabled Account
Joined 2006
Warning: avoid the Rainer zur Linde "Build your own Audio Valve Amplifiers".


It's mostly a collection of very mediocre designs published by Elektor, chock full of ridiculous design errors and typos.

My biggest waste of 40 bucks on a book since John Kekes pedantic piffle on moral wisdom.

Cheers,
Glen
 
Member
Joined 2008
Paid Member
stereo.pete said:
Not hijacking just trying to add to this thread. I just wanted to say that I'm a beginner when it comes to electronics and I took everyone's advice and just ordered "The Art of Electronics" by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill.

I hope the jargon used inside isn't above me as I have never really studied electronics in the past.

-Pete

No, "The Art" is a great book, certainly one of the best, but if you're studying everything on your own for some of the very basics on electrons and resistance and stuff I think I'd still put in a good word for books like the old Rider publication Basic Electricity
The material is not quite so condensed and so for a complete beginner (or not) is better reading for buses, trains, cafes etc. I also really like the old military text thing of asking a few questions at the end of each section to remind you what you were just reading and that you actually did learn something.
 
Second the comments on Horowitz & Hill. If you're just starting out, it's a great intro and I still refer to it from time to time when some area isn't familiar to me. There's no one book that's sufficient to design anything, amps included. The well stocked bookshelf should have H&H, Boylstead's textbook on circuits, at at least one of the various Terman electronics books- some are more geared to RF, but his fundamentals on inductance and the like are second to none, a modern book on filters, maybe on switching power supplies, and then some more philosophical works like the Jim Williams and Bob Pease books. Don't forget Walt Jung's op-amp book either!
 
I just ordered "The Art of Electronics" for 13 bucks used, online!

I ordered the "High performance audio amplifier cookbook" first, but it's definitely out of my league without a much more solid electronics background. Thanks for the tip, guys!

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I was so excited about ordering a new book that I had to tell someone, and I think you guys are probably the only ones who will appreciate my eagerness :D
 
You can't just learn audio amplifiers in isolation.

'The Art of Electronics' by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill is widely regarded as the best general electronics handbook for graduate students. If you don't have this book, you should buy it before you buy any audio books.

w

It seems most audio electronics books are written without assuming knowledge of electronics. Hence they have rudimentary introductions to components and circuit principles.

Starting with a general text book in the absence of a course may not be helpful because a novice won't know what he needs to find out. I think it's better to start at the application and work backwards as the need arises.

As a good supplement to the books already mentioned, I recomment JLH's "Valve and transistor audio amplifiers". As a historical introduction, it provides valuable context.
 
It seems most audio electronics books are written without assuming knowledge of electronics. Hence they have rudimentary introductions to components and circuit principles.

Starting with a general text book in the absence of a course may not be helpful because a novice won't know what he needs to find out. I think it's better to start at the application and work backwards as the need arises.

As a good supplement to the books already mentioned, I recomment JLH's "Valve and transistor audio amplifiers". As a historical introduction, it provides valuable context.
The first section I don't understand clearly.
 
The first section I don't understand clearly.
Just that the introductions to audio amplifier design that I've seen are written for readers who may not have prior understanding of electronics. A basic textbook on electronics shouldn't be necessary, although it may soon become desirable.

All assume some knowledge of maths and physics. A poet would probably need a kit.

There's no one answer to the original question because it really depends on the direction the OP's coming from. I came from a background in engineering but without much knowledge of electronics. I find it hard to imagine how anyone can understand amplifiers without prior knowledge of systems theory in general. Equally, a graduate electronics engineer will feel that a general textbook on electronics is a necessary part of learning.

I nearly wrote that there's lot's of roads to the same destination, but actually that's not the entire truth. We get to the same place but with different points of view. Consequently there is more than one amplifier design.
 
Disabled Account
Joined 2004
I find it hard to imagine how anyone can understand amplifiers without prior knowledge of systems theory in general.

You don't really need to understand amplifiers (supposing anyone understands what's REALLY going on) to build and enjoy one; likewise you don't really need to understand your wife to be happy with your marriage (best if you don't understand her at all).

You must understand what your boss says though.

Best way to learn is to build lots of amps (assuming your mind is able to spot the differences among them) and listen, listen and listen. Every writer is more or less biased. DIY audio is a personal thing. Schematics, you need schematics and a soldering iron.