Class D amps shine for portable audio

摘要

Fueled by the incredible growth in portable battery-powered audio products, the venerable Class D amplifier has taken the audio development world by storm. Though a decades-old format, the Class D amp is widely considered to be the ultimate in efficiency for audio amplifier design. The question designers must ask is whether to buy a single-chip Class D amp or build one using discrete devices. Integrated amplifiers simplify or eliminate most of the systems trade-offs that engineers face, but discrete implementations give more control over amplifier performance.