can someone please explain dampng factor in relation to amps thank you
- Thread starter kpasa
- Start date
martin clark
pinko bodger
It's a figure of merit, but a bit disingenuous - at what frequency is the measurement being made? The convention i s1Khz, but an amplifier's output impedance varies slightly over the audio range, and a loudspeaker's rather more wildly.
Typically the DF figure used to imply that an amp having a 'good' damping factor will exert better control over bass drivers in the troublesome first couple of octaves. Reality is nowhere near this simple. For example, many tube amps are designed with a DF of about 1 - because this will give best power output efficiency via the output (coupling) transformer, at the risk of a slightly uneven frequency response from the speaker - on paper at least.
In a solid-state amp, such a number would be thought truly dismal - somewhere about 100 would be more normal. Of course, take the time to listen to a few amps back-to-back and you quickly find DF is not a great way of describing subjective bass quality, only the roughest of guides.
Typically the DF figure used to imply that an amp having a 'good' damping factor will exert better control over bass drivers in the troublesome first couple of octaves. Reality is nowhere near this simple. For example, many tube amps are designed with a DF of about 1 - because this will give best power output efficiency via the output (coupling) transformer, at the risk of a slightly uneven frequency response from the speaker - on paper at least.
In a solid-state amp, such a number would be thought truly dismal - somewhere about 100 would be more normal. Of course, take the time to listen to a few amps back-to-back and you quickly find DF is not a great way of describing subjective bass quality, only the roughest of guides.