Boneyard Tools

Op-Amp Gain Calculator

Enter the input resistor Rin and feedback resistor Rf, then choose the topology to find the closed-loop voltage gain and the gain in decibels. An inverting amplifier gives a negative gain of minus Rf over Rin, while a non-inverting amplifier gives 1 plus Rf over Rin.

How to use the op-amp gain calculator

  1. Enter the input resistor Rin in ohms (or kilohms).
  2. Enter the feedback resistor Rf in ohms (or kilohms).
  3. Choose inverting or non-inverting.
  4. Read the voltage gain and the gain in decibels.

Examples

Inverting, Rin 1k and Rf 10k

Rin = 1000 ohm, Rf = 10000 ohm, inverting
gain = -10, 20.00 dB

Non-inverting, same resistors

Rin = 1000 ohm, Rf = 10000 ohm, non-inverting
gain = 11, 20.83 dB

Frequently asked questions

What is the inverting amplifier gain formula?

Gain equals minus the feedback resistor over the input resistor, gain = -Rf / Rin. With Rin = 1k and Rf = 10k the gain is -10.

What is the non-inverting amplifier gain formula?

Gain equals 1 plus the feedback resistor over the input resistor, gain = 1 + Rf / Rin. The output is always at least unity gain.

Why is the inverting gain negative?

The output is 180 degrees out of phase with the input, so the gain carries a minus sign. The magnitude is still Rf over Rin.

How is gain converted to decibels?

Gain in decibels is 20 times the base-10 logarithm of the gain magnitude. A gain of 10 is 20 dB and a gain of 11 is about 20.83 dB.

Does this assume an ideal op-amp?

Yes. It uses the ideal closed-loop formulas and ignores finite open-loop gain, bandwidth and input offsets, which is accurate for most low-frequency designs.

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