800W

1500W

170W

2000w

100w

100W Quad Car Amplifier

This quad nal amplifier is actually intended to be used in a car, but it can naturally also be used
for a variety of other medium-power applications. The TDA7375A can be successfully used in all
situations in which a reasonable amount of audio power is desired and only a relatively low supply
voltage is available. This IC is the successor to the TDA7374B, which forms the heart of the active
loudspeaker system described earlier this year. Such a quad IC amplifier is naturally an excellent
choice for this application, especially since the individual amplifiers can be connected in pairs in the
bridge conguration, which allows them to provide approximately four times as much power.

The new IC can handle a peak voltage of 50 V (10 V more than the TDA7374B), but what is more
important is that it is also truly intended to be used for single-ended operation. It includes all
imaginable types of protection in order to avoid the premature demise of the four amplifiers, and in
fact it is ideally suitable for a no-nonsense mini surround-sound system. For more information
about the TDA7375A, we refer you to its data sheet, which can be found at www.st.com. The circuit
shown here has four trimpots for individually setting the output levels of the amplifiers.

In addition, all inputs have RC networks (R1/C1, etc.) to block possible RF interference. The
function of R6 is to separate the grounds of the input and output stages, in order to avoid possible
ground loops that might arise with the use of multiple modules. A 5-W type is used for this resistor,
in order to prevent it from going up in smoke if the ground connection of the power supply comes
loose. C10 decouples the internal voltage divider, which biases the internal amplifier stages to half
of the supply voltage. RC network R5/C9 provides a delayed, plop-free switch-on.

C15 and C16 are local bypass capacitors for the

supply voltage. The power supply ripple rejection of the TDA7375A is approximately 50 dB. If you
want to use only a transformer, bridge rectifier and smoothing capacitor for the power supply, the
minimum requirement is a transformer rated at 12 V / 30 VA in combination with a 10,000-F
electrolytic capacitor (remember that the maximum allowable supply voltage is 18 V). One of the
few drawbacks of this quad amplier is that two of the channels are inverted with respect to the
other two. For this reason, the polarity of each loudspeaker terminal is marked on the circuit board
layout (e.g., +LS1 and LS4) to indicate which terminal of the loudspeaker should be connected
where.

Radial electrolytic capacitors rated at 3300F/16V

and having a diameter of only 12 mm are used for the output capacitors, which allows the circuit
board to remain relatively compact. Our preferred type of electrolytic capacitor is a member of the
Rubycon ZL series, which can handle no less than 3.4 A of ripple current. The maximum current
consumption of the circuit with all four channels driven to the clipping level (with 4- loads) is
approximately 2.1 A. The TDA7375A can also be used with 2- loads. However, in this case the
internal temperature rises considerably, since the Multiwatt 15V package has a rather large thermal
impedance of 1.8 C/W.
In the interest of the service life of the IC, it is thus a good idea to use a somewhat larger heat sink.
A 4 A/T fuse has been selected in consideration of possible 2- operation. If you limit the load to 4
, the fuse value can be reduced to 2 A/T. The output terminals of the ampliers can be found on
the circuit board next to the associated electrolytic capacitors. The related ground connections for
LS1 and LS2 are located next to the LS1 and LS2 terminals, but the ground connections for LS3
and LS4 are located on the left, next to the IC, since this gives the best current paths on the circuit
board and the least distortion. Vertical car connectors (spade terminals) are used for the power
supply connections.

Resistors:
R1-R4 = 100

R5 = 10k

R6 = 01, 5W

P1-P4 = 10 k preset

Capacitors:
C1,C3,C5,C7 = 15nF
C2,C4,C6,C8 = 220nF

C9 = 10F 63V radial

C10 = 47F 25V radial

C11-C14 = 3300F 16V

C15 = 100nF

C16 = 1000F 25V radial, max. diameter 13mm

Semiconductors:
IC1 = TDA7375A (ST)
Miscellaneous:
F1 = fuse, 4A/T (time lag), with PCB mount holder 2 fast-on (spade) terminal, male, vertical,
solder type (2-pin version)
Measurement results
Supply voltage = 14.4 V

Quiescent current = 100 mA

Pmax. (0.1% THD) = 4 x 5.3 W/ 4

Input sensitivity = (5.2 W/4 ) 0.5 V

THD+N (B = 80 kHz, 1 kHz 1W/4 ) = < 0.04 % Bandwidth = 28 Hz to 55 kHz

source : elektor magazine

20W

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www.audiodesignguide.com

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m

100w Hi-End Hybrid Amplifier

started on March 12 st , 2010

INTRODUCTION
This amplifier born to create a reference in the hybrids using the best
design and no compromise components.
Any solid state amplifier is composed by two sections: voltage and

current amplifier.
All the hybrid amplifier use as voltage amplifier vacuum tubes and
transistor or mosfet in the current amplifier.
The vacuum tubes are not good to drive low impedance without
transformers but have a good linearity also for large voltage swing.
VOLTAGE AMPLIFIER
To get a good output distortion decay in any condition I have decided to
use a single tube in this stage.
I have searched a tube with a very good linearity for large swing and low
anodic resistance to drive the output stage without problems.
This tube should have an amplification factor greater than 40 to connect
this amplifier directly to the CD player or phono pre-ampl.
To get 100w on 8ohm we need:
P=V * I and I = V / R => P = V * V / R => V = sqrt (P * R ) =
28Vrms
so if we want a sensibility of 0.5Vrms we need
Amplfier factor tube = 28 / 0.5 = 56

Many of these tubes have a plate

resistance about 2Kohm but only the
D3A and 6C45 have an amplification
factor greater than 50.

6C45 specifications:
filament voltage: 6.3V
filament current: 440mA

D3A specifications in triode connection: Max plate voltage: 150v <<<<< it is lower
than D3a
filament voltage: 6.3V
Max plate dissipation: 7.8w
filament current: 315mA
Max cathode current: 52mA
Plate resistance: 1.2Kohm
Max plate voltage: 200v
Amplification factor: 52 16 <<<<<

Max plate dissipation: 4.2w

Max cathode current: 33mA
Plate resistance: 1.9Kohm
Amplification factor: : 77
Max resistance in grid circuit: 0.5Mohm

selection is necessary
Max resistance in grid circuit: 0.15Mohm
Inter electrode capacitance:
input: 112 pF
output: 1.90.3 pF
transfer: 4.5pF

In this amplifier it is possible to use the Russian 6C45 (instead of D3a)

without many changes (disconnect only 2 pin on the socket) but in this
case will be necessary 1Vrms in input (instead of 0.5Vrms) to drive this
amplifier.
To use the 6C45 it is necessary limit the power supply voltage of the
driver reducing the relative secondary of the transformer because this
tube have a max anode voltage of 150V.
There are 4 types of single ended configuration
Anode/Plate resistor
This is the more simple and cheap
configuration but it give a very
good sound with a little high
distortion value.
The max output with a good
distortion spectrum decay is
22.8Vrms 1.78% thd
- 1KHz FFT
- frequency response

Anode/Plate choke
In this case all the power supply
voltage is on the anode and the
choke duplicate the voltage swing.
It give a very good sound with a
very low distortion value but it need
a good and expensive choke
specific for this use with low
parasite capacitors.
The max output with a good
distortion spectrum decay is
44Vrms at 0.81% and 22.3Vrms
with only 0.24% thd.
As visible in the frequency

response plot it is necessary a

large cathode capacitor to reduce
the low frequency resonance
generated by the choke.
- 22.3Vrms 1KHz FFT
- 44Vrms 1KHz FFT
- frequency response with Ck 440,
1000 and 1440uF
Output transformer
As the plate choke configuration
also in this case all the power
supply voltage is on the anode and
the inductance of the transformer
duplicate the voltage swing.
It give a very good sound with a
very low distortion value but it is
necessary a good and expensive
inter-stage transformer.
This transformer is responsible of
the sound and it should have low
parasite capacitors to get a good
high frequency band and large
primary inductance to get good
bass frequency.
Using an inter-stage with a primary
inductance of 45H, like my
new Headphone Amp. we will get
20Hz at -3dB.
The transformer should have also
a low primary resistance, near to
1/10 of internal resistance of tube
to lose low voltage.
Constant current generator
This configuration is completely
different from the hybrid mufollower tested and not used in
my 2A3 PSE cheap.
Here the solid state current
generator is fixed and it is open for
the signal so will not influence the
sound.
To get the max output swing the
anode is at half of power supply
voltage like for the anodic resistor
configuration.
The cost of this solution is near to

zero and the result are good.

The max output voltage with a
good distortion spectrum decay is
44Vrms at 0.5% and 23Vrms with
only 0.26% thd like the choke.
Here no resonance are present
and the frequency is always flat.
- 23Vrms 1KHz FFT
- 44Vrms 1KHz FFT
- frequency response

This driver stage use a cathode bias so it is necessary a very good audio
capacitor in parallel to the cathode resistor 100ohm.
The value of this capacitor is the result of many test because its
influences the low frequency response (lower value can create a positive
peak in the low frequency area for a resonance).
I have used 3 x 220uF 6.3v Sanyo OS-Con in parallel to have the 660uF
value but you can insert a single 680uF.
A valid alternative to the OS-Con are the old Black-Gate N/NX/STD or
new ELNA Silmic II.
Improved constant current
generator
As the previous there is a fixed
solid state current generator.
I have use the Kand Audio
modules to implement this current
generator (12$ each).
- 35Vrms 1KHz FFT
- frequency response

CURRENT AMPLIFIER
The most simple design to create a current amplifier is the darlington with
3 stages.
This solution have good performances and it give few problems in fact
this is used in many amplifiers.
If we want increase the slew-rate performances and reduce the open loop
distortion is possible to use a design like the Audio Research
D100 or Audio Research D-400.
In the D-400 to prevent the limitation of this design, as explain very well in
the article Building better buffer from Electronics World Nov. 1992, the
Audio Research have put on emitter of first stage a dynamic current
generators with high feedback error correction.
Using this design the slew rate is very high and the distortion very low, as
visible in the following plot obtain with a Spice simulation using Winspice.

If the design is not extreme like the D-400 it is possible avoid the dynamic
current generators in fact others amplifier like the Audio Research
D100 use static current generators.
The Pioneer A-09 use a simpler method to implement a dynamic current
generators but this circuit can lost stability.
My choice for this project is a current amplifier inspired to the Audio
Research D100 output stage.
In the current amplifiers using the darlington is necessary use a vbe
multipliers as thermal effects compensation but in this design is not
necessary if all the transistors are fixed on the same heatsink.
The LM308 op-amp. is used as an integrator to eliminate the dc offset on
output and there is no manual regulation to do.

 Eagle files

Follows some data obtain with the Winspice simulations where is

visible the best combination in red with the output stage on
perfect class AB bias.
spice list
Current driver on
MJE transistor

Current output
on NJW
transistor

Thd value on 40Vp on

8ohm load

Thd value on 40Vp on Thd value on

4ohm load
8ohm load

0.29A

0.18A

0.035%

0.076%

0.014%

0.22A

0.19A

0.033%

1.8%

0.016%

0.25A

0.19A

0.032%

0.55%

0.015%

0.29A

1A

0.15%

0.25%

0.04%

0.29A

2A

0.014%

0.38%

0.01%

The simulation output at 40Vp on 8ohm load has been saved in

the following images (red current combination).

Follows the first measurements of the output stage on 8ohm

load with only one pair of output transistors and bias current set
to 0.110V / 0.47ohm on each.

Follows the first measurements of the output stage on 8ohm

load with all the pair of output transistors and bias current set to
0.070V / 0.47ohm on each.

POWER SUPPLY
To get the max sonic performances the my choice is a slow turn
on power supply for the filaments using a common LM317 and a
virtual battery operation power supply for the anodic with a
power mosfet.

 Eagle schematic file

Eagle board file

The power supply for the solid stage output stage is

composed by a custom toroidal transformer
created on my specification by Italtras.
electromagnetic flux 80% than normal
33-0-33 6A
9-0
2A
200-0 0.3A
FWB1 rectifier module with Schottky Full Wave
Bridge Rectifier got byAvondale Audio

4 x 22000uF 63v Jensen electrolytic mod. 022670

(dimension 50x65 mm)

PROTECTION
I have used this 50A Turn-on Delay, Loudspeaker Protection Module
DIY got on Parts Kits DIY Ebay shop changing only one capacitor from
47uF to 470uF to have a longer startup delay.

MEASUREMENTS

Both stages at 28Vrms (100W) at 1KHz and 100Hz.

Follows the measurements at 12Vrms (18W) on 8ohm

Follows the frequency response.

PHOTOS

PROTECTION + SOFT START + PUSH BUTTON (It will not

be used!)
Any serious solid state amplifier need a protection circuit because a fault
on output transistors can destroy the loudspeaker.
I have integrated in the same circuit a soft-start to eliminate shock on
electric environment during switch on, a push button to get a beautiful
look and the protection on dc output.

I have found 2 little problems in the pcb so there are some

corrections (in red).

 Eagle files

2W

power supply circuit diagram for download

power.zip