Input Impedance Measurement


The only technical data for my NAD 2600 amps lists their input impedance as "more than 20K ohms." NAD did not know more. I need a more exact number for setting up my crossover. Can this be measured by an amateur? If so, what's the procedure? Thanks!
jdhames

Showing 3 responses by bob_bundus

To get some idea of that value you could measure straight in DC resistance with a VOM, but be sure that power is turned off or you'll DC your amp & speakers.
You probably don't have an impedance bridge, but if you do have access to a 1kHz audio oscillator (set for ~1 volt output) & a high-impedance (1 meg-ohm or better) AC voltmeter then you can trial & error measure the voltage drop across an external series resistor into the amp's input stage. Start with the 20K value they gave you & go incrementally higher / lower until you find the value where voltage drop across the external resistor = voltage drop across the amp's input. That is your AC input impedance.
952 ohms for your parallel network above; a 5% error. May or may not be significant for the particular application.
Hi Li thanks for the compliment; I could have suggested that method, which is similar to the way I sometimes measure speaker impedance curves. I just didn't want to attempt teaching ohm's law on-thread. Your approach is certainly valid & in fact a quicker avenue. Good work Mon!