2. amps-preamps
  3. 144153-45726

Impedance match

My understanding for impedance matching a preamp or upstream source having a volume control (e.g., a DAC with volume control) to a downstream amplifier is that an appropriate “impedance match” is for the amplifier to have an input impedance at least 20-fold to 50-fold greater that the output impedance of the upstream preamp or source output impedance. One dealer told me that the appropriate “impedance match” between to such components is exactly that—an identical match of the same impedances. 

So which is it?
128x128celander

Showing 2 responses by noble100

noble100's avatar
noble100
2,419 posts
 

    I always read and was taught by members here that the guideline was at least 10x but will work well together with anything greater, too.  Identical match is definitely not correct.
   
Tim
noble100's avatar
noble100
2,419 posts
 
georgehifi,

     Interesting experiment.  You used slightly different phrasing, but thanks for validating the general impedance matching guideline of the amp input impedance being at least 10x the output impedance of the preamp or source component (if the source is connected directly to the amp) or, in your phrasing,  an output /input ratio of 1:10.

Tim
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