Chakra Power

The Chakra amplifier design uses an array of large transistors as ‘boosters’ around a single chip integrated circuit. When the output current is less than a few amps all the power output comes from the single chip circuitry, maximising the speed and linear properties of this design. At higher output currents, the transistors provide the majority of the output current, leaving the integrated circuit to operate well within its capability and able to correct any error instantaneously.

The design is very compact, reducing the circuit area and length of the signal path and is also highly efficient, producing much less heat than traditional designs.

Linn Power Amplifier Chakra white paper

CHAKRA is a linear (continuous time) amplifier technology with a switch mode (discrete time) power supply. There are now several products on the market based on switch mode amplifier technology, commonly referred to as ‘Digital’ or ‘Class D’ amplifiers. This attempt to associate the well-known attributes of digital systems with these products is, however, at best a slightly misleading premise.

A traditional amplifier audio circuit features a continuously variable (linear) output stage generating the required output by dissipating as heat the difference between the power supply voltage and the required output voltage. A Class D amplifier uses very high-speed switches to send the entire voltage of the power supply, with minimal power loss, as a sequence of pulses to the output, where a filter averages the pulses before the loudspeaker terminals. The frequency, density and duty cycle of these pulses determine the average output voltage. This is precisely how a switch mode power supply works, except that instead of generating the system power supply, the Class D amplifier circuit is generating the final audio output.

Like SMPS, the concept of Class D amplifier audio circuit technology is not demanding; indeed Class D amplifiers have been around for 30 years, but have failed to penetrate the specialist high-fidelity sound equipment market, primarily because they lack the subtlety of well executed linear amplifier technology. However, with the ever-more widespread adoption of multichannel systems, there is pressure on the industry to develop lighter, smaller and cheaper power amplification platforms which in turn has sparked renewed interest and research effort in Class D technology. The prospect of combining Linn’s Switch Mode Power Supply technology with advanced Class D audio circuitry is an appealing one, but can only be considered when the technology is mature enough to offer a performance advantage - in other words, when it meets the standards Linn customers expect from our company.

Some Linn products included in this class are:

Majik Power Amplifiers

Akurate Power Amplifiers

Klimax Power Amplifiers