A home theater amplifier enhances the audio output coming from the built-in or external speakers significantly and contributes greatly towards improving your overall experience of watching a film or some other content. As home theaters are available in different configurations, not every amplifier proves to be compatible with the different audio setups that are there.
The classification of home theater amplifiers is done based on their power output, number of audio channels supported by them and other features they come equipped with. Your choice of an amplifier for your home theater system should be driven by what you expect out of it.
Here are some of the different types of amplifiers:
Pre-Amplifier
A pre-amplifier accepts a feeble audio signal and gets it ready in a way that it could find its way to the next step of amplification. If a network player has come equipped with a built-in preamp, you don’t need to procure an external pre-amplifier. Pre-amplifiers prove to be very helpful when it comes to opting from one source to another. Apart from that, it is also used extensively in audio and video processing.
Power Amplifier
It is not possible to get your speakers connected to a preamp directly. This is because majority of pre-amplifiers don’t come equipped with speaker connection terminals. To be able to supply the speakers with the power and signal they require, you would need to have a power amplifier. A power amplifier serves the function of absorbing the signal from the signal from the preamp and getting it amplified.
Integrated Amplifier
An integrated amplifier works towards integrating the power amplifier and the pre-amplifier into one unit. Once you install an integrated amplifier, the preamp will receive the input signal from different power sources and would be able to carry out a lot of other functions like controlling the volume and audio toning or balancing.
The power amplifier will serve the function of generating the power that is required by the speakers to produce an audio output. When you are looking for an integrated amplifier, you must ensure that it comes with all the connection terminals that are required to integrate your components.
Mono, Stereo and Surround Sound Amplifiers
A mono amplifier is one that features a single audio channel. It is largely used by home theater owners to link high-power subwoofers. Stereo amps, on the other hand, have two audio channels. One is on the right hand side and the other is on the left.
A stereo amplifier is best suited for rooms that are quite small or not very spacious. If a basic audio system is what you have been looking for, it would be wise to invest in a stereo amplifier. If you are looking for amplifiers that support multiple channels, you can get yourself a multichannel or surround sound amplifier.