Amplifiers and Speakers Tufts University – ME 93 October 8, 2015
What is a speaker? http://animagraffs.com/loudspeaker/ http://www.physics.org/article-questions.asp?id=54
What is a speaker? A transducer converting electrical energy to acoustic energy just like an inverted dynamic mic https://wadesweatt.wordpress.com/2009/06/ http://www.lautsprechershop.de/index_hifi_en.htm?http://www.lautsprechershop.de/hifi/aka_tief_en.htm
When is a speaker a mic? A transducer converting electrical energy to acoustic energy just like an inverted dynamic mic https://wadesweatt.wordpress.com/2009/06/ http://www.lautsprechershop.de/index_hifi_en.htm?http://www.lautsprechershop.de/hifi/aka_tief_en.htm
Signal Level Mic Level Preamp Line Level Power amp Speaker Level 5-50 mV Preamp Line Level 50 mV – 2V Power amp Speaker Level 50-100V
Signal Level - Voltage
What about Watts? P = E * I E I = R Watts measure Power (P) Volts measure Voltage (E) Amps measure Current (I) Ohms measure Impedance (R) P = E * I E R I = A microphone with a RMS voltage of: 0.05 Volts and an impedance of: 200 Ohms draws a current of: 0.0025 Amps exerts an average power around: 0.0000125 Watts
Signal Level - Watts
The Passive Speaker Cabinet 1 or more speakers Crossover Most be paired with an external amplifier Dampening The Cabinet Grille Port http://www.musictech.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/ns10-cutaway.jpg
Passive Crossovers Amplifier
Active Crossovers Amplifier Amplifier Amplifier
The Active Speaker Cabinet 1 or more speakers Active crossover Has it’s own amplifier(s) Dampening The Cabinet Grille Port http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/KEF_X300A_Wireless_5.png
Speaker Specifications Frequency Response Power rating dBSPL = 1 watt of power @ 1 meter away Impedance Directionality and dispersion coverage angle Weight/Form Factor Rigging components
Amplifier Specifications Frequency Response Power Rating Dependent on impedance of the load Bridging Slew Rate Damping Factor Higher is better! THD Stereo 8 Ohms, both channels driven……….240 W/ch Stereo 4 Ohms, both channels driven……….400 W/ch Mono 8 Ohms, Bridged………………..……800 W/ch http://www.crownaudio.com/media/pdf/amps/damping_factor.pdf
Impedance & Power 1 Znet = Multiple loudspeakers will generally be connected in parallel How do we calculate the impedance? 1 Znet = 1 Z1 1 Z2 1 Zn + +
Impedance & Power Only link speakers with the same impedance divide Z by # of speakers or just keep dividing by 2 (conservative)
Parameters Passive Speakers Driver Attenuators Amplifiers Input Sensitivity Bridging Filters
Best Practices Tweeters don’t like clipping Woofers don’t like DC/over-excursion Matching amplifers and speakers Turn the amplifiers up so you don’t have to turn the mixer up
Next Steps Speaker manufacturers close by EAW Bose Genelec