Choke

An inductor used in a valve amplifier's power supply to smooth the direct current after rectification.

A choke is a coil of wire that resists changes in current, so it filters out the ripple left by the rectifier more effectively than a resistor while dropping less voltage. Amplifiers that use a choke alongside their filter capacitors tend to have a tighter low end and a more defined midrange under heavy load. It is one of the parts manufacturers sometimes remove to save cost, which is why players compare photographs of amplifier chassis to see whether a given model still has one.

Example: An amplifier whose power supply includes a heavy iron choke next to the transformer will hold its low end together under hard playing.

Choke

See also