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A DSP amplifier is a digital amplifier with built-in Digital Signal Processing, allowing you to adjust EQ, crossover, delay, and protection settings directly on the unit. A traditional amplifier, like Auway's FP20000Q, focuses purely on raw power and signal purity, relying on external processors for tuning. Choose a DSP amplifier for convenience and all-in-one control; choose a traditional amplifier if you need maximum power with an unaltered signal path for external tuning.
Choosing the right amplifier can make or break your sound system's performance, whether you're running a small bar, a touring rig, or a 10,000-seat stadium. Two categories dominate the professional audio market today: DSP amplifiers and traditional (non-DSP) amplifiers. Both types amplify audio signals, but they differ significantly in how much control they give you over the sound and how they fit into a broader system design.
This guide breaks down what separates a DSP amplifier from a traditional amplifier, when each one makes sense, and how to decide which fits your venue, budget, and workflow. We'll also look at real-world examples, including Auway's DP-10000, DP-A13-45 DSP Amplifier Board, and the FP20000Q, a high-power PA amplifier built without onboard processing.
A DSP amplifier integrates a Digital Signal Processor directly into the amplifier's circuitry. This chip handles tasks that would otherwise require a separate rack-mounted processor, including equalization, crossover settings, time alignment, dynamic limiting, and protection circuits.
Auway's DP-10000 is a good example. It's built on the same core power specifications as the FP10000Q (4x1350W @8Ω stereo, 4x2150W @4Ω stereo), but adds a built-in DSP that lets engineers adjust EQ, crossover points, delay, and gain directly from the amplifier's front panel display. This means less rack space, fewer cables, and faster setup on-site.
Amplifier boards like the DP-A13-45 DSP Amplifier Board take this further by embedding DSP control into a 3-channel Class D amplifier module designed for active speakers. With 2x500W + 1500W @8Ω output and a USB-to-485 interface for remote tuning, it's built for manufacturers and integrators who need intelligent processing baked into the speaker itself, not bolted on afterward.
A traditional amplifier does one job extremely well: it takes an input signal and amplifies it with as little alteration as possible. There's no onboard processing, no menus, and no digital tuning interface.
The FP20000Q, Auway's flagship high-power PA amplifier, is a clear example of this design philosophy. It delivers 4x4400W @4Ω (2x13000W @4Ω bridged) in a rugged 2U chassis, but it intentionally leaves out DSP. Instead, it's built for audio engineers who already run external DSP units (from brands like DiGiCo or Allen & Heath) and want a completely unaltered signal path feeding into their amplifier. According to Auway's product documentation, this approach avoids "signal coloration," which matters most in large-scale touring and stadium deployments where tuning precision is handled upstream.
Feature | DSP Amplifier (e.g., DP-10000) | Traditional Amplifier (e.g., FP20000Q) |
|---|---|---|
Built-in sound processing | Yes — EQ, crossover, delay, gain | No — pure amplification only |
Setup complexity | Lower — all-in-one control | Higher — requires external DSP |
Signal path | Processed internally | Unaltered, direct signal |
Best for | Touring, installs, quick setup | Stadiums, festivals, engineer-tuned systems |
Rack space needed | Less (no separate DSP unit) | More (external processor required) |
Power output example | 4x1350W @8Ω, 4x2150W @4Ω | 4x2350W @8Ω, 4x4400W @4Ω |
Ideal user | Venues without a dedicated audio engineer | Professional engineers using third-party DSPs |
Choose a DSP amplifier if convenience, portability, and streamlined setup matter more than squeezing out the last few hundred watts of headroom.
Houses of worship, restaurants, and school auditoriums rarely have a dedicated audio engineer on-site. A DSP amplifier lets whoever's running sound that night make quick EQ or crossover adjustments without needing a separate processor or specialized training.
Because the processing lives inside the amplifier, you eliminate an entire piece of gear (and its power cable, signal cables, and rack space) from your setup. For touring crews packing trucks tightly, this adds up fast.
The DP-10000's front-panel display gives real-time feedback on settings and signal levels, which is especially useful in low-light environments like nightclubs or outdoor evening events.
Choose a traditional amplifier if you're already running a professional DSP workflow and need maximum power without compromise.
Audio engineers who've already dialed in their preferred DSP (whether that's a console-based processor or a dedicated outboard unit) don't want a second processing stage altering their carefully tuned signal. The FP20000Q's no-DSP design exists specifically for this use case.
Because the circuitry isn't shared with processing hardware, traditional amplifiers like the FP20000Q can push higher output — up to 4x4400W @4Ω — making them a better fit for 10,000+ capacity venues, festival main PA systems, and subwoofer arrays.
With military-grade components, a steel 2U chassis, and four-fan temperature-controlled cooling, the FP20000Q is designed to survive repeated load-in and load-out cycles across a touring season.
Neither type is objectively better; the right choice depends on who's operating the system and what kind of venue you're running.
Choose a DSP amplifier if you don't have a dedicated engineer, need fast setup, or want fewer boxes in your rack. The DP-10000 or a DSP Amplifier Board like the DP-A13-45 fits small venues, active speaker manufacturers, and multi-zone installs well.
Choose a traditional amplifier if you already run external DSP and need maximum power with zero signal coloration. The FP20000Q suits stadiums, festivals, and touring productions where engineers demand full control over tuning.
Many professional setups actually use both: DSP amplifiers or boards for smaller zones and monitor systems, paired with high-power traditional amplifiers for main PA and subwoofer arrays.
Not necessarily. Loudness depends on wattage output, not whether DSP is built in. Some traditional amplifiers, like the FP20000Q, actually output more raw power per channel than DSP-equipped models because the circuitry isn't shared with processing hardware.
Yes. Traditional amplifiers like the FP20000Q are designed to work with external DSP units, so you can add processing capability at the console or rack level without needing to replace the amplifier itself.
It varies by manufacturer and power rating. DSP amplifiers can cost less overall once you factor in that they eliminate the need for a separate outboard processor, even though the amplifier itself may carry a premium for the built-in chip.
A DSP amplifier, like the DP-10000, is a standalone rack-mount unit. A DSP Amplifier Board, like the DP-A13-45, is a compact module designed to be built directly into an active speaker cabinet, typically used by speaker manufacturers and system integrators.
Touring engineers often prefer traditional, high-power amplifiers like the FP20000Q for main PA and subwoofers because they pair with the engineer's existing DSP workflow. DSP amplifiers are more common for monitor wedges or secondary zones where a dedicated engineer isn't tuning each channel.
