What Are Common Types of Amplifiers?

An amplifier, or amp, is a type of device that is implemented within electronics for the means of bolstering signal power. As a two-port electric circuit, the amplifier utilizes electric power provided by a power supply in order to increase a signal’s amplitude at the output terminals. The amount of amplification that may be achieved by an amplifier is referred to as its gain, that of which is the ratio of the output voltage, current, or power to the input. In this blog, we will discuss the most common amplifier types, allowing you to understand their uses and functionalities.

As amplifiers can come in multiple variations, they are often distinguished from one another by their amplified signal type and the function they perform. Depending on the properties of an amplifier’s output, the component may be considered a voltage amplifier, current amplifier, or power amplifier. Voltage amplifiers are the most common variation for electronic devices, and they are capable of increasing output signal voltages. With current amplifiers, the amplitude is increased, resulting in a larger output current waveform as compared to the input. Lastly, power amplifiers are intended to increase the power of a signal, and either the voltage or current may increase while the other decreases.

Amplifiers can also further be classified by the signal type that they amplify, and numerous variations exist to accommodate different needs and applications. Audio frequency amplifiers are common to many devices, and they are used for increasing audio frequencies in a range of 20 Hz to 100 kHz. Such amplifiers may be found within loud speakers, and many modern versions take advantage of transistors and solid state technologies for increased performance. Video amplifiers are similar, often used in order to increase the quality of video signals so that they may be displayed with high resolution. Such amplifier types may be implemented within numerous forms of video systems, including those such as DVD players, computer monitors, television receivers, and more.

Radio frequency amplifiers are often employed within devices for the means of bolstering low-frequency radio signals and they are regularly controlled by a tuned circuit. RF amplifiers are capable of operating with low amounts of noise, thus they are commonly implemented at the early stages of the receiver. Intermediate frequency amplifiers are used for television, radio, and radar, and they are meant for heavily increasing the voltage of a signal before it is demodulated. Beyond such examples, a number of other amplifiers may be employed within a system for various means, including common amplifier components such as transistor amplifiers, buffer amplifiers, wideband amplifiers, ultrasonic amplifiers, and other types.

Many modern amplifiers operate through the technique of negative feedback, allowing for such devices to improve their bandwidth, distortion, and control gain. By feeding back part of the output for the means of adding it to the input on the opposite phase, the overall gain of the system is reduced. This procedure can be very advantageous for operations as any distortion or noise is subtracted from the input as well. Based on this method of operations, negative feedback amplifiers may reduce errors to irrelevance given that they have sufficient gain.

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