Balanced Phono-Amps An Extension to the 'The Sound of Silence' Editions

This book presents the design, analysis and testing of fully balanced RIAA phono amps and measurement tools. Here, the gap is filled between a semi-balanced engine (RIAA Phono-Amp Engine I) and a fully balanced engine, the RIAA Phono-Amp Engine II.

In 12 chapters (Part I) this extension to the two 'The Sound of Silence' editions covers the development, calculation, construction and measurement of the fully differential (= balanced) phono-amp solution 'RIAA Phono-Amp Engine II'.

Additionally, the balanced measurement amplifiers & measurement tools, the discussion on BJT gain stages, the 1/f noise calculation methods for BJTs, the calculation of fully-differential amplifiers, the numerous Mathcad worksheets, and the presentation of test and calibration records fill a further 10 chapters of Part II with essential knowhow that will equip the reader to develop his/her own phono-amp solution in the most balanced way - and of course, as low-noise as possible.

Engine II offers eight different amplifying paths from the Engine's input to its output - solid-state as well as valve driven. To expand the input possibilities via an additional external input, any kind of other linear input amplifiers can be connected. Further, a selection of six highly diverse external input amplifier examples are discussed - BJT, valve, transformer and JFET-driven variants.

Although the book primarily focuses on MC cartridge amplification, MM cartridge considerations are not neglected: two further chapters in Part II address methods for increasing the signal-to-noise ratios of MM phono-amps.