Mosfet vs transistor series#

So they require a larger transformer (or other power supply), large heatsinks, usually fans, etc. At worst, well over half the input power simply becomes heat that must be dissipated, so the efficiency can be well under 50%. In general, they are larger, hotter, heavier, and less efficient. The best class-D is as good or better than the top audiophile Class-A, class-AB, Class-H etc amplifiers.Ī Mosfet used in the linear mode as a traditional 'class AB' power amp is, well, an analog amplifier. Typically Class-D will be smaller, lighter, and more efficient than an equivalent standard 'analog' power amplifier, whether the analog amp uses mosfets or bipolar transistors, or tubes. A digital amp, say Line6 pod, is an amplifier that turns the input from the instrument into a digital signal and does all of the effects and tone shaping digitally (in a computer basically) and then turns it back into an analog signal at the output of the amp. The digital power supply is again smaller and more efficient. On a side note, digital power supplies and all-ditigal amps are different too. That's the basics, hope it was somewhat understandable. Class A and AB amps are easier to design, and to most people sound better (always subjective), and usually don't have noise and RF issues like class D amps can. The benefit is much higher efficiency so the power supply can be smaller and the heat generated is less, which theoretically will translate in smaller and/or cheaper amps, such as the EA and Clarus models (smaller but *not* cheaper).

Mosfet vs transistor series#

A class D amp, also known as a digital amp, turns the sine wave in put to a series of pulses whose width correspond to the amplitude of the pulse then the pulses are amplified and run through a low pass filter to get rid of all the nasty edges and turn it into a sine wave only bigger. A and AB are analog amps - sine wave in = sine wave out only bigger.

The class is they way the transistors/tubes used to generate the power.Ĭlass D is a different animal altogether. they are usually run in a class A or class AB types of amplifiers. The other types of devices that do the same thing are tubes and bipolar transistors. MOSFETs are a type of transistor - the device that generates the power to the speaker.