MOTM

Larry writes:
I think (someone correct me if I am wrong) that buffer is
generically used as a term to describe a unity gain amp.

This is one way to put - as it took me a long time to 
understand 'buffering', (way back in the dark ages) I offer my 1 
cent: its probably good to also look at it as a way to impedance 
match.  "Impedance" just being "resistance" of AC signals -  as 
buffering is everywhere in synth design - its just a way to get a 
signal out of one circuit and into another, with minimal signal loss 
or having the I/O impedance of one circuit, affect the other...

This is why op-amps are so great for audio - very hi input impedance 
and very low output impedance (in most cases).  This is how you 
couple circuits together without signal loss or s/n issues.

This is a quick and dirty explanation.  Personally, I feel that 
anyone doing synth design, or even the occasional mod, should really 
get to know how opamps work, its not hard, and will provide you with 
a lifetime of knowhow, to design all your own stuff!

Rog
(can ya tell I got some spare time this morning?)

Thanks for the responses!  I get it now.  Buffering refers to 
matching inputs and ouputs electrically.  Make sense...

--- In motm@yahoogroups.com, "Roger Rossen" <mididood@a...> wrote:
> Larry writes:
> I think (someone correct me if I am wrong) that buffer is
> generically used as a term to describe a unity gain amp.
> 
> This is one way to put - as it took me a long time to 
> understand 'buffering', (way back in the dark ages) I offer my 1 
> cent: its probably good to also look at it as a way to impedance 
> match.  "Impedance" just being "resistance" of AC signals -  as 
> buffering is everywhere in synth design - its just a way to get a 
> signal out of one circuit and into another, with minimal signal 
loss 
> or having the I/O impedance of one circuit, affect the other...
> 
> This is why op-amps are so great for audio - very hi input 
impedance 
> and very low output impedance (in most cases).  This is how you 
> couple circuits together without signal loss or s/n issues.
> 
> This is a quick and dirty explanation.  Personally, I feel that 
> anyone doing synth design, or even the occasional mod, should 
really 
> get to know how opamps work, its not hard, and will provide you 
with 

> a lifetime of knowhow, to design all your own stuff!
> 
> Rog
> (can ya tell I got some spare time this morning?)