College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Electrical Engineering
College - Author 2
College of Engineering
Department - Author 2
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 2
BS in Electrical Engineering
Date
12-2017
Primary Advisor
David Braun, College of Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
Many high impedance headphones underperform their full potential when directly connected to the audio source. Amplifiers boost the audio signal and provide the headphones with sufficient power to ensure their maximum performance. The invention of transistors caused vacuum tube implementation to decline, leaving many audiophiles unsatisfied with the transistor’s sound signature. Vacuum tubes and transistors both amplify signals, however the distinct “tube sound” has vanished.
We have designed and created a product where the user selectively switches between solid-state transistor and tube amplification to compare the sound signatures of each amplification method. The ability to switch between the solid-state and tube amplifiers creates the ability to achieve a more customized sound for individual songs and improve the user’s listening experience. This requires the design of two separate amplifiers and circuitry to switch back and forth between amplification methods without pausing the music or unplugging any device.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/eesp/409