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What does it mean digital amp?

#21
KJung ... when several on here were picking up that Yamaha BBT-500H a while back, if I remember that was one of the earlier Class D 'Digitals' onto the scene ... all the readouts on that were 'digital' displays if I remember correctly ... is the "digital' term being used here different? thank you
 
#22
tjh said:
KJung ... when several on here were picking up that Yamaha BBT-500H a while back, if I remember that was one of the earlier Class D 'Digitals' onto the scene ... all the readouts on that were 'digital' displays if I remember correctly ... is the "digital' term being used here different? thank you
Click to expand...

Yes... that 'digital' is similar IMO to the RH450 front end, and really is digital... i.e. a preamp that uses computer chips and is programmable, etc. I think that Yamaha actually had some modeling built in, if I remember correctly.

Most of the time, when a company or retailer advertises a 'digital' amp, they mean very small, very light, very cool running due to class D power amp and/or SMPS.
 
#23
KJung said:
Yes... that 'digital' is similar IMO to the RH450 front end, and really is digital... i.e. a preamp that uses computer chips and is programmable, etc. I think that Yamaha actually had some modeling built in, if I remember correctly.

Most of the time, when a company or retailer advertises a 'digital' amp, they mean very small, very light, very cool running due to class D power amp and/or SMPS.
Click to expand...

I thought the RH450 only used digital components for the interface... does it actually use digital chips for signal processing instead of linear chips?
 
#24
anubis16 said:
I thought the RH450 only used digital components for the interface... does it actually use digital chips for signal processing instead of linear chips?
Click to expand...

Yes, it appears there is a fair amount of DSP involved.

Another thing... class D amps fall into the gray area between analog and digital. It's really a non-linear analog application but the PWM technique is a technique that can be used to represent analog data in a digital format (with additional steps) and some class D techniques use digital control and even DSP (in advanced applications) to manage the feedback loop by delaying the signal long enough (maybe 1 mSec) to allow for calculations to prevent overload of the amp. This technique is called "look-ahead" limiting but of course since you can't look ahead in time so you delay the signal you wish to process.
 
#25
KJung said:
Yes... that 'digital' is similar IMO to the RH450 front end, and really is digital... i.e. a preamp that uses computer chips and is programmable, etc. I think that Yamaha actually had some modeling built in, if I remember correctly
Click to expand...

Yup ... I have my Yammie head tucked away in the closet, and I always use what is provided at church, but there was a bunch of modeling going on with that head ... probaby 6-8 amp models at least, without dragging it out ...
 
#26
in order for a power amp to be digital, you'd need a D/A converter that could not only infer control voltage but actually receive amperage from mere ones and zeros coming over some lightpipe... if you can make me one of those, give me a call because i want to be the first to thank you for giving the world limitless, clean, free energy. ;)
 
#29
anubis16 said:
I thought the RH450 only used digital components for the interface... does it actually use digital chips for signal processing instead of linear chips?
Click to expand...

Per Agedhorse's comment, the front end of the RH450 is quite different than most amps. I was included in what was called a 'tweaker' test, where TC sent to a few of us the computer software that is used to voice the amp (i.e., the software they used to turn the RH450 into the Staccato). Through a midi interface that was installed in the test units that were sent with the software, you could vary hi and lo pass filters, all the compressor settings (ratio, attack, etc.), the Q of the four bands of EQ along with any preboost or cuts and frequency centers, the nature of the shelving slopes, etc., etc. Pretty cool idea, and surprisingly warm, smooth, and well, for lack of a better term, 'analog' sounding:D

And, like the Genz stuff, there is a LOT going on with that power amp limiting.... very dynamic when really pushed.
 
#30
And I said:
in order for a power amp to be digital, you'd need a D/A converter that could not only infer control voltage but actually receive amperage from mere ones and zeros coming over some lightpipe... if you can make me one of those, give me a call because i want to be the first to thank you for giving the world limitless, clean, free energy. ;)
Click to expand...

Only in a loose sort of way.

The audio signal on a class D amp is converted into ones and zeros via pulse WIDTH modulation. The difference between this and pulse CODE modulation is that the one's and zeros vary in width per time slice in PWM, and in a series of uniformly wide serial ones and zeros on a PCM signal.

PWM is handy where an analong non-linear process is going to happen (like the level shifting in a class D amp) PCM is handy where a mathamatical process is going to take place such as DSP.

It really is a gray area. 2 different representations for 2 different processes.
 
#32
seamonkey said:
Agreed - smaller, less heat, higher reliability, but more so as they can also be easier to regulate and make universal power supplies.
Click to expand...

This is one of the killer features of a SMPS. You can have a single power supply design that can be used all over the world. Manufactures love that.

Ever wonder why your cell phone charger can work anywhere with only a physical plug adapter? SMPS.
 
#33
Handyman said:
This is one of the killer features of a SMPS. You can have a single power supply design that can be used all over the world. Manufactures love that.
Click to expand...

Not only manufacturers, but international touring users benefit greatly too.
 

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