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Professional Power Amp Design With all the power amp classifications, there may be terms you are unfamiliar with, so this document contains a brief description of Carvin's professional power amplifier designs and terminology. First, power amps have two basic components, a) the POWER SUPPLY which supplies the voltages and current to the amp, and b) the AMPLIFIER itself with inputs, outputs and level controls. It is the final output stage of the amplifier that determines its Class. However, before explaning the different amp classes, one needs to understand the differences between power supplies, since that is what powers the amp. The type of power supply has nothing to do with an amplifier's class; that is determined by the design of the amp itself. POWER SUPPLY 1) The first power supplies, starting in the 1930s, used IRON CORE transformers to raise or lower AC voltages, which were rectified (converted) into DC voltages for the amplifier. These iron core transformers were quite heavy, primarily due to the weight of the core. 2) Next came TOROIDS in the 1990s, which used iron cores also, but were more efficient because the primary (incoming) and secondary (output) wire were layered next to each other on an iron ring. This more efficient design resulting in saving weight versus iron core transformers. Typical Iron Core Transformer 3) The latest technology is the SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY. This too was available in the 90s, however, it was limited to smaller power applications. Today the advantage of a switching Typical Toroid Transformer supply is its light weight - nearly 90% reduction and better regulation for the amplifier. High frequencies of 100,000 Hz or greater no longer required the heavy iron core along with the many turns of copper wire, which added resistance, causing heat. However, while switching supply technology is a great breakthough to Switch Mode Transformer produce lightweight amps, many of these amps do not deliver their rated RMS power because of their design. Typical complaints can be there is not enough bottom-end. Even toroid power supplies (non-switching) had this problem too. Here's why:

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Professional Power Amp Design
With all the power amp classifications, there may be terms you are unfamiliar with, so this document contains a
brief description of Carvin's professional power amplifier designs and terminology. First, power amps have two
basic components, a) the
POWER SUPPLY
which supplies the voltages and current to the amp, and b) the
AMPLIFIER
itself with inputs, outputs and level controls. It is the final output stage of the amplifier that
determines its Class. However, before explaning the different amp classes, one needs to understand the
differences between power supplies, since that is what powers the amp. The type of power supply has nothing to
do with an amplifier's class; that is determined by the design of the amp itself.
POWER SUPPLY
1) The first power supplies, starting in the 1930s, used IRON CORE transformers to raise
or lower AC voltages, which were rectified (converted) into DC voltages for the
amplifier. These iron core transformers were quite heavy, primarily due to the weight of
the core.
2) Next came TOROIDS in the 1990s, which used iron cores
also, but were more efficient because the primary (incoming) and
secondary (output) wire were layered next to each other on an
iron ring. This more efficient design resulting in saving weight
versus iron core transformers.
3) The latest technology is the SWITCHING POWER SUPPLY.
This too was available in the 90s, however, it was limited to
smaller power applications. Today the advantage of a switching
supply is its light weight - nearly 90% reduction and better
regulation for the amplifier. High frequencies of 100,000 Hz or greater no longer required
the heavy iron core along with the many turns of copper wire, which added resistance,
causing heat. However, while switching supply technology is a great breakthough to
produce lightweight amps, many of these amps do not deliver their rated RMS power because of their design.
Typical complaints can be there is not enough bottom-end. Even toroid power supplies (non-switching) had this
problem too. Here's why:
Typical Iron Core Transformer
Typical Toroid Transformer
Switch Mode Transformer