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- Path: sparky!uunet!pipex!bnr.co.uk!uknet!gdt!bsmail!smee
- From: smee@bristol.ac.uk (Paul Smee)
- Newsgroups: rec.audio
- Subject: Re: Define "Headroom"
- Message-ID: <1992Dec30.170723.27814@bristol.ac.uk>
- Date: 30 Dec 92 17:07:23 GMT
- References: <1992Dec29.134904.350@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM>
- Reply-To: P.Smee@bristol.ac.uk (Paul Smee)
- Organization: University of Bristol
- Lines: 17
-
- In article <1992Dec29.134904.350@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM> chris@lightnin.Columbia.NCR.COM writes:
- >
- > Can someone enlighten me as to what is meant by "Headroom"? Technical
- >descriptions as well as figurative descriptions would be helpful.
-
- Refers to the ability of an amplifier to put out much more than its
- rated (RMS) power output for short periods of time. This allows the
- amp to cope with short transients in the music, which want to be louder
- than its continuous power rating should allow it to achieve. It's
- commonly implemented by using large 'reservoir' capacitors in the power
- supply, and 'dumping' the stored power onto the power rails of the amp
- to provide the push for the transient. Of course, it then can't handle
- another loud transient until the reservoir has refilled.
-
- --
- Paul Smee, Computing Service, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UD, UK
- P.Smee@bristol.ac.uk - ..!uunet!uknet!bsmail!p.smee - Tel +44 272 303132
-