Hello,
My audio DIY hobby has pretty much always concentrated to speaker building, but I've began to be more and more interested to amplifier technology too. The problem is, I have very little skill and knowledge about amplifiers. I've built a millett headphone amplifier from clear instructions, but that's pretty much all.
So I'm asking: What are the best books for a total beginner to amplifier technology AND amplifier measurements? (power/distortion etc.) I don't know that much about electricity, so the book(s) should be as easy to read as possible for a beginner.
Thanks for any suggestions.
My audio DIY hobby has pretty much always concentrated to speaker building, but I've began to be more and more interested to amplifier technology too. The problem is, I have very little skill and knowledge about amplifiers. I've built a millett headphone amplifier from clear instructions, but that's pretty much all.
So I'm asking: What are the best books for a total beginner to amplifier technology AND amplifier measurements? (power/distortion etc.) I don't know that much about electricity, so the book(s) should be as easy to read as possible for a beginner.
Thanks for any suggestions.
look there
audio Amplifier Design - Google Books
and there
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/156402-one-watch-out-new-book.html
Google offers in some cases even read samples from any pages, so you can easy find out, what you understand.
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Thanks, I didn't know that. Still open for suggestions based on your personal experiences.
No
I would suggest a basic electronics book (Tooley - Electronic Circuits - fundamentals and applications or Horowitz and Hill, the Art of electronics. For example ) and a Self book
A perfect beginner book I've found (take it from a beginner) is the Tab Guide to Understanding Electricity and Electronics. The point that makes this book so suitable is that many of the examples and discussions are based around simple audio amplifier circuits, and many of the projects are ones suited to amplifier DIY'ers. A regulated bench power supply for example.
It's written by G. Randy Slone. (Love him or hate him.) He's not, in my opinion, a talented writer, but there's a lot of great BASIC information in that book to give a newbie a real jump-start.
http://www.amazon.com/Tab-Electronics-Guide-Understanding-Electricity/dp/0071360573
And I 3rd the recommendation for Art of Electronics. Very readable, though very expensive. Buy it used. Try eBay.
..Todd
It's written by G. Randy Slone. (Love him or hate him.) He's not, in my opinion, a talented writer, but there's a lot of great BASIC information in that book to give a newbie a real jump-start.
http://www.amazon.com/Tab-Electronics-Guide-Understanding-Electricity/dp/0071360573
And I 3rd the recommendation for Art of Electronics. Very readable, though very expensive. Buy it used. Try eBay.
..Todd
Thanks for all of you for your opinions.
I ended up ordering these three books:
Audio Power Amplifier Design Handbook by Douglas Self
This seems to be very focused to amplifier technology and got lots of recommendations.
High-power audio amplifier construction manual by Randy Slone
This looked very interesting and wasn't that expensive, so I bought this too.
And then I ordered a third book, written in finnish. The book is called "Analoginen Elektroniikka" which translates to (yes you guessed it right ) "Analogical Electronics". It's a 350 page book that concentrates to all the regular components, circuitry and mesurings. Electronics isn't that easy subject (at least fo me), so I thought maybe I could approach it more easily when it's written in my own language, even though I understand english quite well.
I didn't order the "Art of electronics" book because I found out that I can lend it through a friend of mine.
I personally ain't interested of pirated copys as I very much to prefer reading from a book rather than pc screen, but sure I understand if someone really hasn't the money to spend.
I ended up ordering these three books:
Audio Power Amplifier Design Handbook by Douglas Self
This seems to be very focused to amplifier technology and got lots of recommendations.
High-power audio amplifier construction manual by Randy Slone
This looked very interesting and wasn't that expensive, so I bought this too.
And then I ordered a third book, written in finnish. The book is called "Analoginen Elektroniikka" which translates to (yes you guessed it right
) "Analogical Electronics". It's a 350 page book that concentrates to all the regular components, circuitry and mesurings. Electronics isn't that easy subject (at least fo me), so I thought maybe I could approach it more easily when it's written in my own language, even though I understand english quite well.I didn't order the "Art of electronics" book because I found out that I can lend it through a friend of mine.
I personally ain't interested of pirated copys as I very much to prefer reading from a book rather than pc screen, but sure I understand if someone really hasn't the money to spend.
you might also want to look at the app notes on basic op amp theory from National Semiconductor. while not directly about power amps, you will see that most power amps are, in fact, giant discrete op amps, so the information in these app notes is relevant. the one on boosters is more closely related to power amps, but the other two have enough amp theory in them to make them worthwhile (especially AN-A)
http://www.national.com/an/AN/AN-A.pdf#page=1
http://www.national.com/an/AN/AN-272.pdf
http://www.national.com/an/AN/AN-4.pdf
http://www.national.com/an/AN/AN-A.pdf#page=1
http://www.national.com/an/AN/AN-272.pdf
http://www.national.com/an/AN/AN-4.pdf
As usual you need to read many books on the same subject to understand the field because very often different descriptions or views will bring you better understanding.
Self is a handbook with a lot of practical details but you will need more to have a good understanding.
I would suggest the reading of Leach: Introduction to electroacoustics and audio amplifier design. This is a very very well written summary. The 60 pages on power amplifier are a must for a beginner and for others too. Other papers on his website are interesting to read.
Application notes are a great reading.
To understand opamps and compensation nothing is better than the book from J.K. Roberge Operational amplifiers theory and practice. This book is out of print and can be found on ebay or on Roberge site. Great great book very accessible.
The best book explaining transistors from physics to circuits in depth without need of solid state physics is: Electronic principles from P.E. Gray and C.L. Searle. No special math required. Increadible good explanation of solid state operation of transistors without going to quantum physics, only with basic knowledge. Perfect to understand discrete transistors circuits.
These two books were courses in MIT, so simply explained that everybody can follow.
One important aspect of audio amplifiers is interference and layout.
There, the best book is Noise reduction techniques in electronic systems from Henry Ott: a must read again with basic background so very accessible: a must read.
If you want to go deeper in circuit design but easy to read after Gray's book, there is the classical : Analysis and design of analog integrated circuits from Gray Hurst Lewis Meyer. All the building blocks of modern analog design.
If you need to understand low noise design a gem is Netzer's tutorial in IEEE spectrum ( use google with low noise or noise in amplifiers)
If you want a job with LT or AD then read Analog design essentials from Willy Sansen
JPV
Self is a handbook with a lot of practical details but you will need more to have a good understanding.
I would suggest the reading of Leach: Introduction to electroacoustics and audio amplifier design. This is a very very well written summary. The 60 pages on power amplifier are a must for a beginner and for others too. Other papers on his website are interesting to read.
Application notes are a great reading.
To understand opamps and compensation nothing is better than the book from J.K. Roberge Operational amplifiers theory and practice. This book is out of print and can be found on ebay or on Roberge site. Great great book very accessible.
The best book explaining transistors from physics to circuits in depth without need of solid state physics is: Electronic principles from P.E. Gray and C.L. Searle. No special math required. Increadible good explanation of solid state operation of transistors without going to quantum physics, only with basic knowledge. Perfect to understand discrete transistors circuits.
These two books were courses in MIT, so simply explained that everybody can follow.
One important aspect of audio amplifiers is interference and layout.
There, the best book is Noise reduction techniques in electronic systems from Henry Ott: a must read again with basic background so very accessible: a must read.
If you want to go deeper in circuit design but easy to read after Gray's book, there is the classical : Analysis and design of analog integrated circuits from Gray Hurst Lewis Meyer. All the building blocks of modern analog design.
If you need to understand low noise design a gem is Netzer's tutorial in IEEE spectrum ( use google with low noise or noise in amplifiers)
If you want a job with LT or AD then read Analog design essentials from Willy Sansen
JPV
Hello
For op-amps there is very good free books and articles at those links;
ADI - Analog Dialogue | Op Amp Applications Handbook
And free books and texts from Walt Jung;
Services
Bye
Gaetan
For op-amps there is very good free books and articles at those links;
ADI - Analog Dialogue | Op Amp Applications Handbook
And free books and texts from Walt Jung;
Services
Bye
Gaetan
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Hello everyone!
As a 'heads up', I just found out that Douglas Self has a new book coming out in 2010 called 'Small Signal Audio Design' - it probably won't be about power amplifiers but I figured this was as good a place to post as any.
Yep, i'll buy it with a friend.
Design with operational Amplifiers and analog integrated circuits -sergio franco is nice for learning about feedback, as most audio amplifiers are opamps or use feedback (even those no-feedback designs almost always use local feedback). At a pendants veiw all circuits have feedback from virtue of the input and output existing with an air gap between them forming a capacitor. Without a good theoretical background one is in trouble!
Very interesting. Much things - already forgotten - are to find there
What about audio amplifier books from authors of this application notes?
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