Frequently Asked Question

What is the output headroom or voltage range of an amplifier and how is it determined?

Output headroom is how close to the power supply rails the output of an amplifier can swing, with a specified load. Non rail-to-rail amplifiers may require a few volts of headroom from the power supply rail to the output voltage. Even rail-to-rail amplifiers may require a few hundred millivolts. Please see Tutorial MT-035, Op Amp Inputs, Outputs, Single-Supply, and Rail-to-Rail Issues.