Amplifier quality is characterized by a list of specifications that includes:

 Gain, the ratio between the magnitude of output and input signals
 Bandwidth, the width of the useful frequency range
 Efficiency, the ratio between the power of the output and total power consumption
 Linearity, the degree of proportionality between input and output
 Noise, a measure of undesired noise mixed into the output
 Output dynamic range, the ratio of the largest and the smallest useful output levels
 Slew rate, the maximum rate of change of the output
 Rise time, settling time, ringing and overshoot that characterize the step response
 Stability, the ability to avoid self-oscillation

Function[edit]
Other amplifiers may be classified by their function or output characteristics. These functional descriptions usually apply to
complete amplifier systems or sub-systems and rarely to individual stages.

 A servo amplifier indicates an integrated feedback loop to actively control the output at some desired level. A
DC servo indicates use at frequencies down to DC levels, where the rapid fluctuations of an audio or RF signal do not
occur. These are often used in mechanical actuators, or devices such as DC motors that must maintain a constant
speed or torque. An AC servo amp can do this for some ac motors.
 A linear amplifier responds to different frequency components independently, and does not generate harmonic
distortion or Intermodulation distortion. No amplifier can provide perfect linearity (even the most linear amplifier has
some nonlinearities, since the amplifying devices—transistors or vacuum tubes—follow nonlinear power laws such
as square-laws and rely on circuitry techniques to reduce those effects).
 A nonlinear amplifier generates significant distortion and so changes the harmonic content; there are situations where
this is useful. Amplifier circuits intentionally providing a non-linear transfer function include:
 a device like a Silicon Controlled Rectifier or a transistor used as a switch may be employed to turn either fully ON
or OFF a load such as a lamp based on a threshold in a continuously variable input.
 a non-linear amplifier in an analog computer or true RMS converter for example can provide a special transfer
function, such as logarithmic or square-law.
 a Class C RF amplifier may be chosen because it can be very efficient, but will be non-linear; following such an
amplifier with a "tank" tuned circuit can reduce unwanted harmonics (distortion) sufficiently to be useful
in transmitters, or some desired harmonic may be selected by setting the resonant frequency of the tuned circuit
to a higherfrequency rather than fundamental frequency in frequency multiplier circuits.
 Automatic gain control circuits require an amplifier's gain be controlled by the time-averaged amplitude so that the
output amplitude varies little when weak stations are being received. The non-linearities are assumed to be
arranged so the relatively small signal amplitude suffers from little distortion (cross-channel interference
orintermodulation) yet is still modulated by the relatively large gain-control DC voltage.
 AM detector circuits that use amplification such as Anode-bend detectors, Precision rectifiers and Infinite
impedance detectors (so excluding unamplified detectors such asCat's-whisker detectors), as well as peak
detector circuits, rely on changes in amplification based on the signal's instantaneous amplitude to derive a direct
current from analternating current input.
 Operational amplifier comparator and detector circuits.
 A wideband amplifier has a precise amplification factor over a wide frequency range, and is often used to boost signals
for relay in communications systems. A narrowbandamp amplifies a specific narrow range of frequencies, to the
exclusion of other frequencies.
 An RF amplifier amplifies signals in the radio frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum, and is often used to
increase the sensitivity of a receiver or the output power of a transmitter.[7]
 An audio amplifier amplifies audio frequencies. This category subdivides into small signal amplification, and power
amps that are optimised to driving speakers, sometimes with multiple amps grouped together as separate or bridgeable
channels to accommodate different audio reproduction requirements. Frequently used terms within audio amplifiers
include:
 Preamplifier (preamp), which may include a phono preamp with RIAA equalization, or tape head preamps
with CCIR equalisation filters. They may include filters or tone control circuitry.
 Power amplifier (normally drives loudspeakers), headphone amplifiers, and public address amplifiers.
 Stereo amplifiers imply two channels of output (left and right), though the term simply means "solid" sound
(referring to three-dimensional)—so quadraphonic stereo was used for amplifiers with four channels. 5.1 and 7.1
systems refer to Home theatre systems with 5 or 7 normal spacial channels, plus a subwoofer channel.
 Buffer amplifiers, which may include emitter followers, provide a high impedance input for a device (perhaps another
amplifier, or perhaps an energy-hungry load such as lights) that would otherwise draw too much current from the
source. Line drivers are a type of buffer that feeds long or interference-prone interconnect cables, possibly
withdifferential outputs through twisted pair cables.
 A special type of amplifier - originally used in analog computers - is widely used in measuring instruments for signal
processing, and many other uses. These are calledoperational amplifiers or op-amps. The "operational" name is
because this type of amplifier can be used in circuits that perform mathematical algorithmic functions, or "operations"
on input signals to obtain specific types of output signals. Modern op-amps are usually provided as integrated circuits,
rather than constructed from discrete components. A typical modern op-amp has differential inputs (one "inverting", one
"non-inverting") and one output. An idealised op-amp has the following characteristics:
 Infinite input impedance (so it does not load the circuitry at its input)
 Zero output impedance
 Infinite gain
 Zero propagation delay

The performance of an op-amp with these characteristics is entirely defined by the (usually passive) components that form a
negative feedback loop around it. The amplifier itself does not effect the output. All real-world op-amps fall short of the
idealised specification above—but some modern components have remarkable performance and come close in some
respects.

Amplifier types[edit]
Amplifiers are described according to their input and output properties.[2] They exhibit the property of gain, or multiplication
factor that relates the magnitude of the output signal to the input signal. The gain may be specified as the ratio of
output voltage to input voltage (voltage gain), output power to input power (power gain), or some combination of current,
voltage, and power. In many cases, with input and output in the same unit, gain is unitless (though often expressed
in decibels (dB)).

The four basic types of amplifiers are as follows: [1]

1. Voltage amplifier – This is the most common type of amplifier. An input voltage is amplified to a larger output
voltage. The amplifier's input impedance is high and theoutput impedance is low.
2. Current amplifier – This amplifier changes an input current to a larger output current. The amplifier's input
impedance is low and the output impedance is high.
3. Transconductance amplifier – This amplifier responds to a changing input voltage by delivering a related changing
output current.
4. Transresistance amplifier – This amplifier responds to a changing input current by delivering a related changing
output voltage. Other names for the device are transimpedance amplifier and current-to-voltage converter.
In practice the power gain of an amplifier will depend on the source and load impedances used as well as the inherent
voltage/current gain; while a radio frequency (RF) amplifier may have its impedances optimized for power transfer, audio
and instrumentation amplifiers are normally designed with their input and output impedances optimized for leastloading and
highest signal integrity. An amplifier that is said to have a gain of 20 dB might have a voltage gain of ten times and
an available power gain of much more than 20 dB (power ratio of 100), yet actually be delivering a much lower power gain if,
for example, the input is from a 600 ohm microphone and the output is connected to a 47 kilohm input socket for a power
amplifier.

In most cases an amplifier will be linear; that is, the gain is constant for any normal level of input and output signal. If the
gain is not linear, e.g., clipping of the signal, the output signal will be distorted. There are however cases where variable
gain is useful. Exponential gain amplifiers are used in certain signal processing applications. [1]

There are many differing types of electronic amplifiers used in areas such
as: radio and television transmitters and receivers, high-fidelity ("hi-fi") stereo equipment, microcomputers and other digital
equipment, and guitar and other instrument amplifiers. The essential components include active devices, such as vacuum
tubes or transistors. A brief introduction to the many types of electronic amplifiers follows.

Power amplifier[edit]
The term power amplifier is a relative term with respect to the amount of power delivered to the load and/or provided by the
power supply circuit. In general the power amplifier is the last 'amplifier' or actual circuit in a signal chain (the output stage)
and is the amplifier stage that requires attention to power efficiency. Efficiency considerations lead to the various classes of
power amplifier based on the biasing of the output transistors or tubes: see power amplifier classes.

Power amplifiers by application[edit]

 Audio power amplifiers