Re: Randy Sloans book (High Power Amplifier Design) I have read it a few times but have not seen the Self book (I have read a few of his articles). Sloans book is a good introduction to most all issues in classic power amplifier design but is reported to cover the same ground as Self. It appears to be more organized than it is and I am continually digging out my tattered copy of Horowitz and Hill to remind myself how many of the basic circuit elements Sloane throws about really work. His explanations of dominant pole capicators and amplifier stability are rather confusing to say the least. I hope Self does a better job.
BTW, Sloan is also dogmatic in his own way claiming that only Class B amps make any sense. Ironically he does include a small section on Class A biasing schemes and includes a supposed 'high-performance' Class A design. He is also a strong proponent of the wide-band frequency response/low distortion is everything school. I personally agree with these guys in that it is much much harder (nay impossible) to design a high performance amplifier without using feedback. In no other field of electronics would this even be discussed seriously.
BTW, Sloan is also dogmatic in his own way claiming that only Class B amps make any sense. Ironically he does include a small section on Class A biasing schemes and includes a supposed 'high-performance' Class A design. He is also a strong proponent of the wide-band frequency response/low distortion is everything school. I personally agree with these guys in that it is much much harder (nay impossible) to design a high performance amplifier without using feedback. In no other field of electronics would this even be discussed seriously.