The difference between HIFI power amplifier and home AV power amplifier

                  The difference between HIFI power amplifier and home AV power amplifier

The power amplifier, which acts as the signal amplification function in the audio equipment, has a very important position in the entire audio system. Whether the speaker can release a powerful, natural and realistic sound effect depends on the quality of the speaker itself, and the power amplifier plays a pivotal role. . Various power amplifier manufacturers have launched different models of power amplifier products suitable for different listening environments. In the eyes of many ordinary users, the power amplifier is to promote the work of the speakers, no matter which one you choose, there is no difference.

In fact, there are different models and categories of power amplifiers, which are suitable for different listening environments and purposes. The most common power amplifier classifications among audio-visual enthusiasts are home theater AV power amplifiers and high-fidelity HIFI power amplifiers. What is the difference between these two types of amplifiers?

A home theater AV power amplifier is an amplifier that integrates audio and video signal processing. A means audio and sound, and V means video and images. This type of power amplifier is specially used in home theaters, mainly to express the atmosphere of the surround sound field.

HIFI is the abbreviation of English Hight-Fidelity, translated as high-fidelity, which mainly shows the original flavor of audio equipment in the sound playback process, and requires the sound signal to be amplified and processed without distortion to ensure the original appearance of the sound source , is a power amplifier category dedicated to music appreciation.

Home theater AV power amplifiers and high-fidelity HIFI power amplifiers, because of their different focuses, determine their differences in many aspects.

The first is that the technical indicators are different. The technical indicators of high-fidelity Hi-Fi power amplifiers mainly include output power, harmonic distortion, signal-to-noise ratio, frequency range, rated impedance and damping coefficient, etc., especially emphasizing harmonic distortion and signal-to-noise ratio; while AV power amplifiers also have these Technical indicators, but more emphasis on channel isolation, delay time range, various sound field modes (DSP system, home THX system, Dolby AC-3 system) and other index parameters, in addition, the AV power amplifier has more indicators related to the video part .

Secondly, the required sound field atmosphere is different. Hi-Fi power amplifiers are mostly designed with high fidelity in the way of sound reproduction, and pay attention to amplifying the signal from the signal source in an authentic way. It is mainly used to appreciate music, human voice, etc., and pursue the real effect of sound. The main design purpose of the AV power amplifier is to create a sound field, emphasizing the sense of direction of the sound and simulating the atmosphere of the listening environment.

Home theater AV amplifiers and high-fidelity HIFI amplifiers are also different in the number of audio channels. Hi-Fi power amplifiers generally have two channels when playing sound, that is, amplify the signals of the left and right channels, and drive the left and right two sets of speakers to form a stereo sound field. The AV power amplifier has 4-9 channels to drive multiple speakers to form a surround sound field, for example: Dolby AC-3 requires 5.1 channels (left, center, right, left surround, right surround, subwoofer).

AV power amplifiers and HIFI power amplifiers are also quite different in terms of circuit design. The high-fidelity Hi-Fi power amplifier circuit is relatively simple, and the signal processing program is less, it is only the combination of the amplifier circuit and the switching and adjustment circuit. AV power amplifiers have more decoding circuits, delays, reverberation circuits, etc. than Hi-Fi power amplifiers, and are also responsible for amplifying multi-channel signals, so they have a high degree of integration, complex circuits, and many signal processing programs, and the AV power amplifiers are more complicated in terms of circuit composition. There are video circuits.

Home theater AV power amplifiers and high-fidelity HIFI power amplifiers have different requirements in many aspects, so can home theater AV power amplifiers and high-fidelity HIFI power amplifiers be universal? The answer is no. There are so many differences between home theater AV power amplifiers and high-fidelity HIFI power amplifiers, because they are products designed for different audio-visual requirements. If a home theater AV power amplifier is used instead of a high-fidelity HIFI power amplifier, the AV power amplifier will appear to lack confidence when playing a large-signal sound source, and cannot meet the high-fidelity requirements of the HIFI power amplifier. Conversely, if HIFI power amplifiers are used instead of AV power amplifiers, there will be no ideal scene feeling in creating the surround sound field atmosphere of the film.