Likewise, amplifiers also have RMS and Peak Power specifications but these refer to power output instead of handling. The former tells how much power (in watts) a speaker can handle safely on a continuous basis while the latter sets the absolute maximum threshold for what it can handle. Power-handling in speakers is measured by two specifications: RMS and Peak Power. If it exceeds their threshold for power-handling, then they can overheat and their internals may get fried. However (and here’s the important part) your speakers need to be able to handle the amount of power that is outputted by the amplifier. Hence, if you want to be able to blast your music regularly, you’d need quite a powerful amplifier. Power OutputĪmplifiers increase the volume of speakers and subwoofers by directing more power into them. Hence, there is none remaining to be converted to heat energy. This means that when you flip the off switch, the output transistors do not retain any electricity at all. The Class B chain contains biasing diodes which are designed to help get rid of distortion that you typically get with those kinds of circuits.Ĭlass D amplifiers are the most efficient (90 – 95%) simply because when they’re off, they’re genuinely off.

Hence, you get the signal purity of Class A but with the power efficiency of Class B. The biggest drawback of Class B amplifiers is that they produce some signal distortion.Ĭlass A/B amplifiers are a hybrid of Class A and Class B, combining the circuits of both. This means less electricity wastage and thereby the efficiency is much higher (70%). The biggest benefit of having a Class A amplifier is that they offer the best signal purity.Ĭlass B circuits are designed in such a way that they only conduct electricity about half the time. This continuous conduction leads to a lot of heat being generated as well, so you could cause a Class A amplifier to overheat if you use it for prolonged periods of time. As you might expect, not all of this electricity will be used by your speakers, leading to a lot of wastage.

This is because they contain simple circuits that cause the unit to conduct 100% of the time. Here’s a simple overview of the differences in efficiency among different amplifier classes:Ĭlass A amplifiers are the least efficient of all. In this context, efficiency indicates how much Alternating Current (AC) an amplifier is able to output while using up the least amount of Direct Current (DC). The main difference between them lies in how efficient their circuits are. Most amplifiers belong to one of four main classes, which are A, B, A/B and D. Amps The 5 Best Car Amps For Powerful Bass And Sound Quality.

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