Merits:
1. It is very simple to shift the operating point anywhere in the active region by just changing the base resistor (RB).
2. A very small number of components are needed.
Demerits:
- The collector current does not stay constant with difference in temperature or power supply voltage. Hence the operating point is unstable.
- Variations in Vbewill change IBand so cause REto change. In turn this will alter the gain of the stage.
- When the transistor is changed with other one, considerable change in the value of β can be supposed. Because of this change the operating point will shift.
- For small-signal transistors (for example not power transistors) with comparatively high values of β (that is, between 100 and 200), this configuration will be prone to thermal runaway. Particularly, the stability factor which is a measure of the change in collector current with changes in reverse saturation current is almost β+1. To make sure absolute stability of the amplifier, a stability factor of less than 25 is chosen and so small-signal transistors comprises large stability factors.