Though this blog only focused on Classes A, B, AB and C amplifiers this response provides a comparison of Class C to class D amplifiers. Class C amplifier has the best efficiency of the four discussed and the poorest linearity with a highly distorted output wave that conducts for less than 180°. This make Class C amplifiers primarily suitable for high power, high-frequency applications, such as radio-frequency transmitters.
However, class D amplifiers moves away form linearity and would be considered no-linear digital switching amplifiers which uses pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to obtain efficiencies greater than 90% in comparison to 80% for class C or 50% for analog, they are widely used for every amplification requirement from cellphone speakers to high-end stereos. Class D amplifiers are suited for audio applications and are several orders of magnitude more efficient than traditional linear amplifiers. The high power efficiency of Class D amplifiers translates into less power consumption for a given output power but, more importantly, it reduces heatsink requirements drastically. The loading on the power transformer is also reduced by a substantial amount, allowing the use of a smaller transformer for the same power output. A drawback of Class D amplifiers concerns the challenging task of suppressing radiated and conducted interference from the switching circuitry.
Though this blog only focused on Classes A, B, AB and C amplifiers this response provides a comparison of Class C to class D amplifiers. Class C amplifier has the best efficiency of the four discussed and the poorest linearity with a highly distorted output wave that conducts for less than 180°. This make Class C amplifiers primarily suitable for high power, high-frequency applications, such as radio-frequency transmitters.
However, class D amplifiers moves away form linearity and would be considered no-linear digital switching amplifiers which uses pulse width modulation (PWM) technique to obtain efficiencies greater than 90% in comparison to 80% for class C or 50% for analog, they are widely used for every amplification requirement from cellphone speakers to high-end stereos. Class D amplifiers are suited for audio applications and are several orders of magnitude more efficient than traditional linear amplifiers. The high power efficiency of Class D amplifiers translates into less power consumption for a given output power but, more importantly, it reduces heatsink requirements drastically. The loading on the power transformer is also reduced by a substantial amount, allowing the use of a smaller transformer for the same power output. A drawback of Class D amplifiers concerns the challenging task of suppressing radiated and conducted interference from the switching circuitry.