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of the noise at 10 kHz, so this frequency has been chosen for the THD/amplitude tests below. This
frequency provides a demanding test for an audio power amplifier. In all these tests the
measurement bandwidth was 80 kHz. This filters out ultrasonic harmonics, but is essential to
reduce the noise bandwidth; it is also a standard setting on many distortion analysers.
Fig 10: THD vs. power out for Class A, Class B, and Class XD with constant-current crossover
displacement. Tested at 10 kHz to get enough distortion to measure; 0 dB is 30W into 8 Ohms.
Looking at the same amplifier operating in three different Classes of operation in fig 10, this shows
distortion against amplitude at 10 kHz, over the range 200mW - 20W is plotted in this covers the
power levels at which most listening is done. (0 dB is 30W into 8 Ohms) Trace B is the result for
the Class B operation; the THD percentage increases as the power is reduced, partly because of
the nature of crossover distortion, and partly because the constant noise level becomes
proportionally greater as level is reduced. Trace A shows the result for Class A operation which is
essentially distortion-free at 10 kHz, and simply shows the increasing relative noise level as power
reduces. Trace XD demonstrates how a constant-current crossover displacement amplifier has the
same superb linearity as Class A up to an output of -7 dB, but distortion then rises to the Class B