equin (1)

Of the many amplifier designs published in Elektor, the best known are perhaps the Equa and the Edwin. The Edwin amplifier enjoys great popularity because of its simplicity and the certainty that it will work first time. Anybody who can hold a soldering iron steady can build a satisfactory Edwin. The Equa amplifier is a more sophisticated design, more `critical` if you like. It requires more care and a degree of insight from those who would build it. The final result is however a power-amplifier of exceedingly high quality. The obvious following design target was a power amplifier that would perform as well as the Equa - but was as uncritical to build as the Edwin. The first part of this two-part article presents the theoretical background to the Equin amplifier, the second part will cover the practical aspects.