Eelvõimendit

Eelvõimendit, commonly translated as preamplifier or preamp, is an electronic amplifier that converts a weak electrical signal into one that is stronger and sufficient to utilize in further processing. Pre-amplifiers are typically used in applications where the original signal is too weak to be processed directly by downstream equipment. They are often found in audio systems, such as in turntables, microphones, and musical instrument pickups, where they boost the very low-level signals produced by these sources to a level that can be handled by a main amplifier or mixer.

The primary function of an eelvõimendit is to increase the amplitude of a signal without significantly degrading its quality, particularly its signal-to-noise ratio. This is crucial because any noise introduced at this early stage will be amplified along with the desired signal, potentially becoming more noticeable and detrimental to the overall sound or data quality. Different types of preamplifiers exist, designed for specific applications. For instance, a phono preamplifier is specifically designed to amplify the tiny signals from a turntable cartridge, often applying equalization as well. A microphone preamplifier boosts the signal from a microphone to line level. In some cases, a preamplifier may also perform impedance matching, ensuring that the output of the source device is compatible with the input of the next stage.