Please explain amplifier output impedance

Newbee,

I don't really know what amplifier output impedance curves really look like, and was just using an imaginary "flat" curve for my illustration. Capacitive or inductive behavior would of course change that.

Do you know what the output impedance curve on your amplifier looks like?

Duke

Thanks again Duke, that helps.

I have noticed the variable output impedance control on the Wolcott amplifiers. How cool is that?!

Duke, No I don't and I don't have the means to measure it.

Some years ago when it was reviewed in 'phile JA commented that its output impedence 'rose' to 3.5 ohms in the bass region. I noticed this particularily because I had some electrostats which had a impedence droop to 3.5 ohms in the bass region. In use I 'think' they complimented each other as I had a very flat in room response (except for a 32hz room node induced rise of 6db) with the combo and no other major frequency abberations.

Facinating stuff.... :-)

Tvad,

If you accept solid state amplifier technology and you do not desire to tweak the sound and wish for a tight controlled bass and wish to simplify it to a damping factor then I would say 80 is adequate and perhaps an ideal number.... i.e. for an 8 ohm load the amp should have an output impedance of of around 0.1 ohms. There is very little to be gained with even lower impedance and probably not audible anyway unless the speaker impedance drops very low.

BTW: This discussion applies to equipment input impedance too.....ideally you want a high input impedance (nominally around 10K Ohm) on all equipment prior to your speakers or headphones. This reduces the effect of interconnects and coupling of equipment in your system to almost negligible levels.