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Thread: Do they make any ALL-DIGITAL amps or head units? |
    
Gold Member Username: Edster922
Abubala,
Ababala
The Occupation
Post Number: 1852
Registered: Mar-05
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| Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 12:56 pm: |
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As you can see from my review below, I've been very impressed with the ridiculously cheap Panny all-digital home receiver, so am wondering if there are any similar products in car audio right now.
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/160136.html
Would kill to have that unbelievable combo of compactness, economy, and amazing performance in my car...especially if found in a head unit! |
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Gold Member Username: Edster922
Abubala,
Ababala
The Occupation
Post Number: 1854
Registered: Mar-05
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| Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 01:18 pm: |
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well, just found out that Panny does, but only on their top shelf CQ9000 models with the fancy displays starting at $500 retail.
Anybody know of any other manufacturers with digital amps? |
Bronze Member Username: Spyder
Eglin AFB,
Florida
USA
Post Number: 67
Registered: Jun-05
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| Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 01:51 pm: |
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alpines new f1 stuff but don't qoute me on that one....i read something about it being all digital somewhere! |
Platinum Member Username: Glasswolf
Wisteria,
Lane
USA
Post Number: 10068
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 04:17 pm: |
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all digital would mean the head unit will be nothing but a transport and tuner, and the amplifiers themselves will have to contain the DAC portion of processing the signal. This is sort of impractical unless it's done on a large scale because it raises the cost of the product significantly.
The amplifier also won't be "all digital" anyway because even though the input stage is digital, the output stage still has to convert to an analog output since there aren't any digital speakers.
anyway this has been discussed before, if I recall.. Jon and I have talked about it a few times too. the F#1status units are optical digital signal path to the processor, but I don't believe their amplifiers are digital input, or the newer ones may be, but I'm not using alpine amps in my system, just the F1 head.. so I'd have to look and see. check alpine's F2status website
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Gold Member Username: Edster922
Abubala,
Ababala
The Occupation
Post Number: 1863
Registered: Mar-05
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| Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 04:52 pm: |
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Glasswolf, can you read Panasonic's writeup below and tell me what it means by "digital amp?" I am technically ignorant so I'll trust your interpretation of that page.
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelDetail?displayTab=O&st oreId=15001&catalogId=13401&itemId=88035&catGroupId=25028&modelNo=CQ-C9801U&surf Model=CQ-C9801U&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_f
GA
USA
Post Number: 4719
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 06:13 pm: |
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A digital amplifier does like it said, turns the transistors on and off, the reason it is referred to as digital is because it is similar to binary, 1 and 0 being on and off. Basically, a "digital" amplifier uses a high frequency signal to modulate the input signal. The amplifier basically compares the analog signal and replicates it by controlling the on and off time (referred to as duty cycle) of the transistors. It will continually turn the transistors on and off, and the resultant signal will run through a filter to smooth the waveform and filter out high frequency content. |
Gold Member Username: Edster922
Abubala,
Ababala
The Occupation
Post Number: 1868
Registered: Mar-05
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| Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 07:51 pm: |
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hmm, OK. Have either of you guys ever heard a digital amp? If so, what was it and what'd you think of it? I am just floored by this xr55 I have at home. |
Platinum Member Username: Glasswolf
Wisteria,
Lane
USA
Post Number: 10080
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 08:59 pm: |
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all class D and class T amplifiers are considered "digital" amps.
class D amps only work for subs due to the high distortion at or near peak output, and the speed of the transistors not being great enough to produce higher frequencies without sounding horrible.
basically any modern mono amplifier, and any 2 channel amp rated at over about 250 watts per channel is probably a class D or class T amplifier. You've probably heard a lot of them.
If you want to learn more about amplifiers, read this page 
http://www.wickedcases.com/caraudio/amplifiers.html
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