Douglas Self

Douglas Self is a British electronics engineer and author with a particular interest in audio. He received a first class honours degree in engineering from Cambridge University, and then studied psychoacoustics at Sussex University.^[1] He is the author of six books on audio electronics, published by Focal Press.^[2] He has also contributed many articles to Wireless World magazine, some of which were compiled into a book along with articles by Peter Baxandall.^[3][4][5]

He is a member of the Audio Engineering Society and has taken out a number of audio-related patents, including for a "crossover displacement circuit".^[1][6]

He has worked with several major companies, including Cambridge Audio, TAG-McLaren Audio, and Soundcraft Electronics.^[7] Circuit Cellar website described him as a 'renowned audio specialist' when discussing a design he created for Elektor magazine.^[8] He developed the concept, accompanied with a practical design, of a "blameless" amplifier in which all the main sources of distortion for a pure Class B amplifier are reduced to negligible levels, to challenge the notion that such a topology is not suitable for Hi-Fi audio.^[3]

Self's books have been well received. His Audio Power Amplifier Design Handbook was recommended by Walt Jung and described as "famous" by audio website hifisonix.^[9][10] The second edition of his Small Signal Audio Design received a very positive review in Sound on Sound magazine.^[11]