Amp/Preamp Asylum

Would anyone know how to find the voltage outut of an amp?

180.200.182.114

digda_beat

Well, sure I could look at the specs, but they are rarely listed. I have a NAD c320 integrated amp, which I am thinking of using with my esl57's, so of course I want an amp that stays below 33v, but I haven't been able to find anything about this amp. I know that the old NAD 3020 is excellent with the quads, but I haven't been able to find out about this. As it is remote controlled it would be fabulous to use

Follow Ups:

RE: thanks for the excellent answers - digda_beat 05:40:49 07/03/14 (0)
very helpful!
RE: Would anyone know how to find the voltage outut of an amp? - Ugly 21:02:01 06/30/14 (0)
True rms voltmeter, oscilloscope, etc.
RE: Would anyone know how to find the voltage outut of an amp? - John Elison 07:12:05 06/30/14 (0)
You can easily calculate the maximum voltage output from any amplifier from its maximum power rating in accordance with Ohm's Law:

Power = voltage ² � impedance

Therefore:

voltage = square root of (power x impedance)

The specs that I found on your NAD c320 said it is a 40-wpc amplifier. Consequently, the maximum voltage would be:

voltage = square root(8 x 40) = 17.9-VRMS

It will never deliver more than 17.9-volts RMS regardless of speaker impedance. Even if power doubles at 4-ohms and doubles again at 2-ohms, it still will never deliver more than 17.9-volts.

The square root of (80 x 4) = the square root of (160 x 2) = 17.9-volts RMS

Good luck,
John Elison
RE: Would anyone know how to find the voltage outut of an amp? - b.l.zeebub 05:37:49 06/30/14 (0)
Voltage depends on the impedance seen by the amp at various frequencies.
You can work it out yourself using the online calculator linked to below, the specs of your amp and the impedance curve of your 57s.

NAD lists the c320s max dynamic power into 2 Ohm as 210W which equals 20.5V, 160W into 4 Ohm (25V) and 110W into 8 Ohm (29.6V).
RE: Would anyone know how to find the voltage outut of an amp? - triamp 01:42:16 06/30/14 (0)
"Voltage Output" alone is rather meaningless when applied to an amplifier.
The maximum voltage present at the speaker terminals with NOTHING CONNECTED (i.e., no speaker connected) will be, roughly speaking, the Vcc supplied by the power supply less voltage drops across the output stage junctions [or actually (+Vcc) + (abs(-Vcc)) for most designs]- for a tube amp the output voltage becomes a bit more complicated, but could be measured with a high-impedance voltmeter.
This voltage figure is meaningless, because no amplifier is used with NOTHING CONNECTED. The voltage under load (i.e., with a speaker connected) will depend on the instantaneous frequency of the signal being amplified and the impedance of the load at that frequency along with the current capability of the output stage.
Power = voltage x amps of current. The amount of current that will flow at a given voltage is determined by the impedance that is being driven - this is called OHMS LAW....

Edits: 06/30/14 06/30/14

Post a Followup:

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?

Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
	Remember my Moniker & Password (What's this?) Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:

Message:	(Posts are subject to Content Rules)

Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:	Automagically notify you when someone responds.

To view your new posting or follow-up, click on the RELOAD or REFRESH button on your browser.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

VH Audio