The Amplifier reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004
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Amplifier

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An amplifier is a device which changes a small movement into a larger movement. However, in general the most common and useful amplifiers actually use a small amount of energy to control a larger amount of energy. Furthermore it is of significant advantage if the amplified output is in a linear relationship with that of the input. This relationship is known as the gain of the amplifier.
See also: low noise amplifier.

The most common type of amplifier is the electronic amplifier, commonly used in radio and television transmitters and receivers, hi-fi units, microcomputers and other electronic digital equipment, and guitar and other instrument amplifiers.

Another type of amplifier is the fluidic amplifier, based on the fluidic triode.