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What’s the Difference Between a Preamplifier, Integrated Amplifier, Power Amp and Receiver?
Understand the basic audio components of a Hi-Fi stereo system so you know what to look for when shopping for audiophile equipment.
Amplifier. Amp. Preamp. Integrated amp. Phono stage. Tube amplifier. Mono-block. Active speaker. Control amp. Receiver. Solid-state amplifier. Step-up transformer. Powered speaker. Power amp. Phono preamp.
If you’re new to high-end audio and looking to build out a system inspired by some of the components you’ve see on Instagram, or something owned by one of your audiophile friends, you are going to need to think about amplification, and you are guaranteed to come across some of the terms from the previous paragraph during your research. But what do they mean?
Those are a long list of component types but when it comes down to it, you’re basically looking at three things:
- Connecting your sources and selecting which one is playing,
- Modifying sound quality (volume, balance, and treble, midrange, and bass), and
- Sending an electronic signal to your speakers strong enough to drive them and make music.
Different kinds of amplifiers do one or more of these three things.
Preamplifier
Preamps (also called control amps) are for connecting and selecting sources or inputs like turntables, CD players, tape players/recorders, tuners and other “auxiliary” (AUX) devices, and managing sound characteristics such as volume, treble, bass and balance. They control your inputs and sound, and output a signal to a power amplifier.
This article originally appeared at ecoustics.com and an intro has been published here with permission.
Read the full article: https://www.ecoustics.com/ask-an-expert/wtf-audio-components/
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