As a beginner how can I go on to design an IC based amplifier?

I don't know the functions of resistors, capacitors, inductors in a circuit
You can do NOTHING of what you wish UNLESS you learn that FIRST.

1) get an old Physics book, the Electromagnetism dedicated chapters, where you will learn: electron - volt - ampere - conductor - insulator - capacitor - transformer - potentiometer - battery - meter - voltage - current - power - etc.

Without those concepts you will not understand schematics or how assembled amps work.

With them, you will understand transistors - tubes - diodes, all active elements.
Also transducers such as speakers, microphones, Piezos, etc.
 
As an old electronics student, I would say start with direct current (DC) and alternating current flow (AC); direct current first. Then learn Ohm's Law. Next, learn what resistors do. Then capacitors and inductors. Finally move on to semiconductors; diodes first, then transistors.

Most amp circuits run on DC. If they have an AC power source, the current is rectified to DC. So take that and find out the difference between AC and DC. You need to understand those before you can learn anything else. Fire away with the questions and don't be shy. No such thing as a dumb question.

Alternating Current (AC) vs. Direct Current (DC) - learn.sparkfun.com Start about half way down the page with DC. Then move up the page to AC.

This might be better than the link above. https://www.n5dux.com/ham/files/pdf/Electronics for Dummies.pdf
 
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Don't start with a power amplifier, it's too likely to have real damage to parts or to you.
Home audio works on the AC line, and this is an important part of learning to build home audio equipment.

Your first comment contradicts the second. Yes it's wise to start from small signal circuits but both involves main ac line/transformers :rolleyes:
An electric shock can be life threatening so we must always be careful but we can't learn electronics without experiencing a shock :att'n: :D
Best Regards!
 
I think most of the complicated parts of an amplifier design can be taken out of the equation by using ICs. So as a beginner who doesn't know much electronics I figured this maybe a good point to start. I want to be able to design my own amplifiers using chips such TDA 7294, LM3886 or even some class D chips. I want to be able to look at a commercially available amplifier using such ICs and improve them by swapping parts or using same parts in a different arrangement. I don't know the functions of resistors, capacitors, inductors in a circuit other than that resistor hinders current flow and can be used for voltage dividers and that a capacitor stores charge and opposes change in voltage...basically textbook high school physics. So how can I actually do what I want to? I have flipped through the pages of Bob Cordell's 'Designing Audio Power Amplifiers' and it seemed too advanced and over overkill for my goal.

For simplicity sake a LM3886 or LM1875 is a Operational Amplifier.
High current op amp, since we are driving typically 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers.

So you just need to understand Op Amp topology's.

If you understand passive components resistors/capacitors etc

It is yes, A basic voltage divider, 2 resistors to set the gain of the op amp.

And since audio is a AC signal. Your looking at a AC coupled amplifier.
Basically adding capacitors to the inputs where AC is coming in.
And around the voltage divider which is setting the gain.
One side of the divider forms a low pass filter , the other side a high pass filter.
When you add the capacitors

So your capacitor values are selected to work within the audio frequency
or bandwidth we are interested in.

Since you seem to understand basic capacitor theory, and in this a case they are filters.
Are also used to AC couple a amplifier. Or basically block DC
and allow AC to pass.


Not much to Chip Amps.
You wont be able to " Improve" the performance of the chip amp.
The amplifier is pre designed and on the chip.

Your just applying power and setting the gain.
The power supply just needs the right voltage and current.
Then attach it to a heatsink which is large enough.

You can buy the most overpriced passives in the world.
A LM3886 will always sound like a LM3886.
What is more important is to use the correct voltage ratings
for the capacitors, correct polarity and correct value
for the filters they form.
Resistors need to be correct wattage rating.
that is it.
 
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You can start by looking at datasheets and application notes.

A class AB amp would be a good starter. TDA 7294 LM3886 etc etc
Class D can be a minefield for beginners. I did 3 pcb's before my first class d amp worked right. Good layout, grounding and close decoupling are vital.
That's interesting. I have some time on my hands and would like to build an amp (newby I'm afraid). I have three contenders amongst which is the TPA3255. I have a Sonos which is class D and I'm rather taken with it so a Class D was on my list. The application notes circuits for the TPA3255 aren't too daunting so it was leading the pack followed by the TDA7293. I take it the Class D was rather troublesome. What were the issues?
 
Every time I see the Ott book mentioned, I look it up on the used book sites, see prices near or above 3 digits, and think Nope. I got The Art Of Electronics 3rd AND the X chapters for that kind of money. I dare say you don't need the Ott book to do audio circuit design and layout, it's way overkill. The next (okay, first) time I do a modern GHz+ microprocessor motherboard design and layout, I'll be sure to read that book, as well as a few others, read thousands of pages of datasheets, AND I'll learn Altium.

The first book you should get (IMHO, of course) is "MAKE: Electronics." It sounds like you already know some of what's covered in this book, but I'd still recommend it. There are plenty of used copies under $10 online - click this link, then click "view all matches combined:"
https://www.bookfinder.com/search/?author=Platt&title=MAKE:+Electronics&lang=en&st=xl&ac=qr
Next might be The Art Of Electronics, currently in Third Edition, or maybe even get a second edition used. Either edition is a bit more fast-paced than the MAKE book, but it goes a long way through electronics.

For a chip you're thinking of using, get the data sheet and all available app notes from the manufacturer. TI's LM3886 is good, partly because it's a pretty good "chip amp" chip overall, but also the technical data TI provides for it is excellent. You may not understand it all now, but you will want to reread it and follow it as you learn. It's all right here:
https://www.ti.com/product/LM3886#tech-docs