Small Signal Audio Design

by Douglas Self

Small Signal Audio Design is a unique guide to the design of high-quality circuitry for preamplifiers, mixing consoles, and a host of other signal-processing devices. Learn to use inexpensive and readily available parts to obtain state-of-the-art performance in all the vital parameters of noise, distortion, crosstalk and so on. Focusing mainly on preamplifiers and mixers this practical handbook gives you an extensive repertoire of circuits that can be put together to make almost any type of audio system. A resource packed full of valuable information, with virtually every page revealing nuggets of specialized knowledge never before published. Essential points of theory that bear on practical performance are lucidly and thoroughly explained, with the mathematics kept to an essential minimum. Douglas' background in design for manufacture ensures he keeps a wary eye on the cost of things. Includes a chapter on power-supplies, full of practical ways to keep both the ripple and the cost down, showing how to power everything. Douglas wears his learning lightly, and this book features the engaging prose style familiar to readers of his other books The Audio Power Amplifier Design Handbook and Self on Audio . You will learn why mercury cables are not a good idea, the pitfalls of plating gold on copper, and what quotes from Star Trek have to do with PCB design. *Provides an enormous amount of knowledge in one unique volume, making it an essential guide to design principles and practice in the wide are of small-signal audio *Includes numerous circuit blocks with all component values given so you can build on them and easily adapt them to your own requirements *Lavishly illustrated with diagrams and graphs, and full of practical measurements on real circuitry so you can be sure just how well it will perform Learn how

Genres: Nonfiction, Music, Engineering, Technical

576 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely valuable and builds impressively on the excellent 1st edition.

The perspective is that of the working professional audio equipment designer and Self's emphasis is on lowest cost for highest performance. Useful features are examined along with best practices for implementation. You could literally design a mixing console with the information in this book, and design it well. there are principles I have internalized from reading (and re-reading) this book which have informed my own work and become part of my skill set.

Douglas Self also has the rare ability to take technical writing and make it funny - that is quite a gift.

I am largely self- (Self- ?) taught in audio electronics and a book of this quality is worth its weight in Telefunken ECC83's.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and well organized with a focus on studio electronics, music reproduction and sound reinforceement. Has little about music creation (synthesizer circuitry for example). Strong on low-noise design techniques.

This is a book to read right through, and to refer back to frequently.