- Class T amplifier
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Two Tripath chipset Class T stereo amplifier modules. TA2024 6+6W to the left, TA2020 20+20W to the right
Blaupunkt PA2150 T-Amp, "Powered by Tripath"
"Tripath inside", original Sonneteer Bard(3) amplifierA Class T amplifier is an audio amplifier IC design. Rather than being a separate "class" of amplifier, Class T is a registered trademark for Tripath's amplifier technologies.
It is an implementation of Class D amplifiers, but is claimed to improve the control scheme to create more efficient and higher quality audio amplification. One of the amplifiers, the TA2020, was named one of the twenty-five chips that 'shook the world" by the IEEE Spectrum magazine.[1]
The control signals in Class T amplifiers may be computed using digital signal processing or fully analog techniques. Currently available implementations use a loop similar to a higher order Delta-Sigma (ΔΣ) (or sigma-delta) modulator, with an internal digital clock to control the sampled comparator. The two key aspects of this topology are that (1), feedback is taken directly from the switching node rather than the filtered output, and (2), the higher order loop provides much higher loop gain at high audio frequencies than would be possible in a conventional single pole amplifier.
Despite Tripath's claimed increased performance at a price similar to class D technology, financial difficulties caused Tripath to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 8 February 2007.
Products and applications
Tripath used to sell the amplifiers as chips, or as chipsets, to be integrated into products by other companies in several countries. For example:
- Sony, Panasonic and Blaupunkt use them in several car stereos and integrated home cinema systems
- Apple Computer used them in their Power Mac G4 Cube, Power Mac G4 (Digital audio), eMac and iMac (Flat Panel) computers
- Audio Research, an audio electronics company, formerly an exclusive tube circuit specialist, produced a Tripath based audiophile amplifier.
- Sonneteer a British hifi company,analogue amplifier and technology specialists, manufactured the Bronte amplifier (1999), based around a Tripath, Class T, module.
References
Sonneteer With the Sonneteer Bronte amplifier were amongst the earliest adopters and the first to present it to Audiophiles.
External links
- US Patent for ClassT amplifier
- Connexelectronic complete class T amplifier modules
- Audio Research amplifiers based on Tripath chips
- Winsome Labs offers kit and assembled Tripath amplifiers with higher power
- Sonneteer Bronte amplifier history based around early Tripath Module.
Categories:- Audio amplifiers
- Electronic amplifiers
- Switching amplifiers
- Electronics stubs
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