Damping Factor Calculator

Formula

To calculate the damping factor:

\[ DF = \frac{Z}{R} \]

Where:

\(DF\) is the Damping Factor (unitless)
\(Z\) is the Impedance of the Speaker (ohms)
\(R\) is the Resistance of the Amplifier (ohms)

What is a Damping Factor?

The damping factor is a measure of an amplifier’s ability to control the back-and-forth motion of a loudspeaker’s cone. It is defined as the ratio of the amplifier’s output impedance to the speaker’s impedance. A higher damping factor indicates better control, which usually results in a tighter and more accurate bass response. It is an important parameter for audio enthusiasts and professionals when matching amplifiers with speakers.

Example Calculation 1

Let's assume the following values:

Impedance of the Speaker (\(Z\)) = 8 ohms
Resistance of the Amplifier (\(R\)) = 0.1 ohms

Using the formula:

\[ DF = \frac{8}{0.1} = 80 \]

The Damping Factor is 80.

Example Calculation 2

Let's assume the following values:

Impedance of the Speaker (\(Z\)) = 6 ohms
Resistance of the Amplifier (\(R\)) = 0.05 ohms

Using the formula:

\[ DF = \frac{6}{0.05} = 120 \]

The Damping Factor is 120.