Interference
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With this thread I would like to introduce an amplifier measurement that has been popularised by F. Montanucci on the Italian magazine AudioReview (and previously, I believe, on Suono).
It is defined as "caratteristica di carico limite" (CCL) that could be translated as "limit load characteristic" or "limit load curve". It consists of testing the maximum amplifier output on different load impedances between 2 and 16 Ohm. This is tested both for "peak power" ("regime impulsivo") and "continous power" ("regime continuo").
Below you can find two examples (source).
The more vertical the curve, the better the capability of the amplifier to provide a load-independent voltage.
I find this measurement very revealing, if not fundamental when comparing amplifiers of similar SINAD. The declared specifications of power vs impedance are often lacking or inconsistent. I would love to see this kind of measurement in Amir's reviews, but I understand it is not easy to set up in a consistent manner.
I would like to hear from you folks your opinion on this kind of testing.
Best.
P.S.: I would like to add that Montanucci has been also regularly conducting transient intermodulation measurements (see article above) with a protocol similar to the one proposed by Otala, although the corresponding plots are not much readable from a quantitative point of view.
It is defined as "caratteristica di carico limite" (CCL) that could be translated as "limit load characteristic" or "limit load curve". It consists of testing the maximum amplifier output on different load impedances between 2 and 16 Ohm. This is tested both for "peak power" ("regime impulsivo") and "continous power" ("regime continuo").
Below you can find two examples (source).
The more vertical the curve, the better the capability of the amplifier to provide a load-independent voltage.
I find this measurement very revealing, if not fundamental when comparing amplifiers of similar SINAD. The declared specifications of power vs impedance are often lacking or inconsistent. I would love to see this kind of measurement in Amir's reviews, but I understand it is not easy to set up in a consistent manner.
I would like to hear from you folks your opinion on this kind of testing.
Best.
P.S.: I would like to add that Montanucci has been also regularly conducting transient intermodulation measurements (see article above) with a protocol similar to the one proposed by Otala, although the corresponding plots are not much readable from a quantitative point of view.