Dynamic Performance of Peak-Limiting Amplifiers

Dynamic requirements for peak-limiting amplifiers are discussed briefly with respect to such factors as attack time, signal-to-thump ratio, gain-reduction characteristics, and recovery time. There is described a novel measurement technique and apparatus for the visual analysis of the dynamic performance of peaklimiting amplifiers. The dynamic characteristics of several typical commercial peak-limiting amplifiers are individually analyzed by a series of cathoderay oscillograms. These amplifiers exhibit various short-comings of a dynamic nature. As an example of the practical improvement which is obtainable, there is shown the dynamic performance of an experimental peak-limiting amplifier developed by the Columbia Broadcasting System.