[h=Headphone Amplifiers]%2[/h]
[h=The Wire SE-SE]%3[/h]
The smallest and simplest headphone amplifier in The Wire series is the SE-SE which stand for "Single Ended to Single Ended".
This little amplifier is a stereo headphone amp that accepts single ended inputs (eg. RCA) and provides a single ended output for use with traditional 3-pin headset jacks.
It uses a single LME49990 op-amp per channel with an LME49610 buffer nested within it's feedback loop. This arrangement provides all the desirable sonic characteristics of the LME49990 with enough current output to drive almost any headphone to very high output levels.
The cost of an SE-SE PCB is $15 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 47mm x 30mm and the typical populated height is 16mm.
There is no need for additional heatsinking.
Suggested rail voltage is +/-12VDC unless higher output voltage is specifically required. A power supply that can supply a regulated +/-12VDC is required, and The Wire PSU V2 is recommended as the power supply for this amplifier.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aQn35Fg64Dy8mMsta52Bp7FS7oMuBclmJQchOx2q88U/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2bjdXempqRG1lMFE/view?usp=sharing
Build instructions can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_Build_Wiki
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-15.html#post3699973
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire BAL-BAL]%3[/h]
The bigger brother to the SE-SE is the BAL-BAL headphone amplifier which stand for "Balanced to Balanced".
The BAL-BAL is a stereo headphone amp that accepts balanced or single ended inputs (eg. XLR or RCA) and provides balanced outputs for use with headphones modified to use either 4-pin XLR, 4-pin Lemo, dual 3-pin XLR or any other balanced connection arrangement which does not connect any of the outputs to GND.
Alternatively, the BAL-BAL can be used with SE output by taking the output from either phase and tying it back to the power supply GND. This, however, is not ideal from a noise, distortion, crosstalk or DC offset perspective. It's best to use the BAL-BAL with proper balanced headphones.
The BAL-BAL uses a single OPA1632 differential op-amp per channel which drives a pair of LME49610 buffers in a bridge configuration. This provides nearly twice the voltage swing of the SE-SE, and eliminates the crosstalk caused by the common ground arrangements used in 3-pin headphone systems.
It should be noted that almost any pair of headphones can be easily modified for balanced connections using either new cables, or simply by changing the connector depending on the arrangement of the existing wiring. An in-line 4-pin connector can be used to maintain backwards compatibility with standard 3-pin headphone connectors.
There is an excellent article on balanced headphone cables here:
http://robrobinette.com/BalancedCable.htm
The cost of a BAL-BAL PCB is $17 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 60mm x 42.5mm and the typical populated height is 24mm.
There is no need for additional heatsinking as long as the on-board heatsinks are mounted, and there is sufficient ventilation.
Suggested rail voltage is +/-12VDC unless higher output voltage is specifically required. A power supply that can supply a regulated +/-12VDC is required, and The Wire PSU V2 is recommended as the power supply for this amplifier.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IhJHgE0ZEIU9ngN1oJOnKDoA9Mf2Z6FarbT5v5EIJks/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2YTkzM0otRWRSc3c&authuser=0
Build instructions can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_Build_Wiki
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-15.html#post3699986
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire BAL-SE (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
This was the original headphone amplifier that started it all back in 2010! It was called the BAL-SE because it accepted balanced inputs and provided standard 3-pin single ended output.
The connectors were all on-board which is no longer the case for the new revisions of the boards.
It uses a trio of LME49990 op-amps per channel to perform balanced to single-ended conversion with an LME49600 buffer nested within the feedback loop of the final op-amp. This arrangement allowed for balanced sources to work well with single ended headphones.
The cost of a BAL-SE PCB used to be $10 USD but it is no longer available.
All relevant information about the BAL-SE can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head...nce-headphone-amplifier-pcbs.html#post2401426
[h=Power Amplifiers]%2[/h]
[h=The Wire LPUHP V1 (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
The Wire LPUHP is a small monoblock low power amplifier producing 16W RMS into an 8 ohm load with incredibly high performance. The term LPUHP stands for "Low Power Ultra High Performance". The V1 version had the power transformer and power supply regulators (LM317/337) on board.
I came up with the concept when I was short an amplifier, and decided to try and use the BAL-BAL headphone amplifier to drive a tweeter. It worked surprisingly well but started to go into current clipping at only moderate output levels. It got me thinking... what if I used more buffers in parallel to increase the output current capability?
I worked out that the maximum output from an LME49990 was about 11VRMS and if I wanted to drive an 8 ohm load at that voltage, I needed about 1.4A of current. Each LME49600 buffer is good for a little over 175mA, so I put 8 buffers in parallel and ordered a small run of boards. The first time I listened to it, I was floored by how good it sounded, and how low the output noise was. Measurements the next day confirmed that performance was better than anything I'd ever measured before, with un-measurable distortion and incredibly low noise.
The cost of an LPUHP PCB used to be $20 USD but they are no longer available. The LPUHP V2 board is still available. See the LPUHP V2 section for more details.
Specifications:
BOM can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/soli...ce-lpuhp-16w-power-amplifier.html#post2852763
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2MTZBMHJwbjNFNEE/view?usp=sharing
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/soli...ce-lpuhp-16w-power-amplifier.html#post2852722
[h=The Wire LPUHP V2]%3[/h]
The LPUHP V2 is a revised and improved version of the original LPUHP. It's the same basic amplifier stage, but it uses a four layer board, and the transformer has been moved off-board to allow for lower noise, and for the user to select the desired transformer power rating.
Regulators have also been improved to higher current and lower noise LT1185 parts. Heatsinking is now done through the PCB rather than on the surface of the buffers for improved thermal performance.
The LPUHP can be built to accept either a balanced input, or a single ended input depending on what parts are populated. Common configurations for input type and gain are covered in the 4 BOM variations provided.
The cost of an LPUHP PCB is $28 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 120mm x 65mm and the typical populated height is 39mm although this can be reduced with small heatsinks and lower profile capacitors.
Suggested rail voltage is +/-18VDC and the suggested transformer size is anywhere from 25VA to 100VA with dual 15VAC secondaries. The only parts required external to the PCB are the transformer, and the input and output connectors.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oaQkZFZpLwAtFsGh1whefesCdU5_dyuXtTvcBmFcPZg&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2TnQ0Wjd2UUFMcDQ&authuser=0
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-15.html#post3700321
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire HPUHP]%3[/h]
[h=The Wire LME Lateral FET Amp]%3[/h]
The LME Lateral FET Amplifier is the highest power amplifier available in The Wire lineup. It uses an LME49830 driver IC to drive a pair of complimentary lateral mosfets, in this case the ALF16P20N and the ALF16N20N. It can be comfortably used at power levels up to about 200W into 8 ohms, and it can also be biased anywhere from about 100mA for class AB or up to well over 1A for class A operation. Each board contains a single channel, so two boards will be required for stereo operation.
There is no thermal bias compensation required, and no emitter resistors needed thanks to the lateral mosfets.
Voltage rails can range anywhere from about +/-15VDC up to a maximum of about 85VDC before the heatsink for the LME49830 starts to get uncomfortably hot. Pushing much beyond this voltage would also call for higher voltage output devices.
If at all possible, the LME49830 should have separate low power and higher voltage regulated supplies. These should sit roughly 5-10V above the output stage rails. If this is not possible, the entire amplifier can also be run off a single bipolar supply.
The cost of an LME Lateral Fet Amp PCB is $17 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 65mm x 42mm and the typical populated height is 50mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
Assembly guide and BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2NVEwS1pwNVV0OG8&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2c0dEbldWTk1DMlU&authuser=0
Class AB Worksheet can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2UDdNOV9xSU5xcGc&authuser=0
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-17.html#post3701262
Distortion vs. bias current can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/soli...lme49830-lateral-mosfets-107.html#post3016816
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=Line Level]%2[/h]
[h=NTD1 V1 I/V stage (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
[h=NTD1 V2 I/V stage (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
[h=NTD1 V3 I/V stage ]%3[/h]
The NTD1 V3 is the third version in a long running series of continually improving layouts for this remarkable and simple circuit.
The V3 PCB aims to provide an easier way of heatsinking all the critical components, and will allow for easier assembly and better thermal performance. It also allows the use of surface mount fets which I have found to be better than the through hole parts used previously.
All heat generating components are surface mounted to the PCB, and heat is transferred though thousands of vias to the lower copper layer of the PCB. There it is transferred to a heatsink through a thermal interface pad.
The overall circuit remains generally unchanged, and this PCB will support all of the Buffalo DAC variants.
Some other noteworthy changes include the replacement of the large poly capacitors with smaller surface mount polymer types. These capacitors have been tested extensively, and do not impact THD or the sound quality. What they do is provide very high values of capacitance in a very small package, reducing the risk of generating any voltage across the cap even with very low impedance loads. This in turn improves LF response, and reduces distortion. If you must use large polypropylene caps, then they can easily be placed between the PCB and the output XLR connectors after jumpering the on-board SMD caps.
This new layout, combined with the significantly improved PSU and improved SMD mosfet performance has reduced the noise floor by roughly 6dB and THD by another 3dB. It has also eliminated all remaining correlated line frequency harmonics, some of which extended well past 1kHz on previous versions.
Overall, the NTD1 V3 is easier to build, easier to mount to a heatsink, can be built for a very low cost, and provides unmatched performance among I/V converters.
The cost of an NTD1 V3 PCB is $20 USD
Users will also need to purchase the NTD1 PSU or provide their own low noise +/-30-40VDC supply
Specifications:
The PCB measures 140mm x 100mm and the typical populated height is 25mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DxuH-uLnSJQLqrFkDRhx_CUXO7WJfKhPMSm7-t8heI8&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2ZGtYdHhFWFlISU0&authuser=0
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire Balanced Phono Preamp]%3[/h]
I’ve been meaning to build a reference level phono stage for quite some time, but after a few false starts with differential parallel JFET input stages, I’ve finally found a topology that I’m very happy with.
The end result is a 3-stage fully differential phono preamp based on the LME49990 with passive RIAA networks nested between the first and second, and second and third stages. Each stage’s gain can be set independently, and in my case, with the Denon DL-103, I chose roughly 59dB of total gain by setting each stage at about 26.5dB.
The RIAA passive stages were selected specifically for accuracy allowing very tight tolerance parts to be used without excessive cost. All resistors are 0.1% or 0.05% and all caps are 1% film parts. Further matching can be done easily by hand with an accurate LCR meter if desired, but this would be overkill.
Since every good phono preamp needs an equally good and very quiet supply, I opted to include a bipolar +/-10V supply based on the incredibly low noise LT3042. All you need to run this board is a 10VA dual 12V secondary transformer, and some connectors.
Output noise is very low, in spite of the high gain, and distortion performance is fantastic. RIAA accuracy is second to none, and if you feel adventurous, you can even run the whole system DC coupled by bypassing the output coupling caps. In this setup, each phase will have about 500mV of DC offset referenced to GND, but the differential DC offset is less than 1mV. Many differential input power amplifiers and preamps are more than happy with this.
I have added a few empty cartridge loading options on the front end, so this preamp will be equally happy with MM or MC cartridges. All you need to do is select the gain you want, select the loading you want, and you’re off to the races.
It needs to be noted that this is a true fully differential preamp which means you need to connect it properly to your phono cartridge or turntable. Every good cartridge is by nature just a pair of floating coils, and each coil connects across the differential input of the phono preamp. The GND reference is provided by the shell GND connection, and this should be connected to the GND terminal at each input. Ideally you want fully shielded twisted pairs for each coil all the way from the headshell to the input of the amp. This is easiest to achieve if the preamp itself is mounted on or very near the turntable. Not everyone can (or is willing to) take the time and effort to do this, but I promise it’s well worthwhile and greatly decreases coupled noise between the cartridge and the preamp.
It should also be noted that this is a more advanced build due to the fine pitch on the legs of the LT3042 regulator. It’s an MSOP package which takes some care to solder correctly by hand. You will need some flux and solder braid (wick) to be successful, and you will need to carefully check your work with an ohmmeter before power up.
The cost of a Fully Balanced Phono Preamp PCB is $30 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 100mm x 100mm and the typical populated height is 35mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15VYkR6_CdehohAVvT46695JhdgjX2lDDAyGrcP-r6mk/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2WGJqVDF4LXFLdkk/view?usp=sharing
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire DCX2496 Upgraded I/O PCB]%3[/h]
This PCB was designed specifically to replace the stock I/O PCB in the Berhinger DCX2496. This low-cost upgrade board provides the following improvements:
1. Replaces all the output stages with a single OPA1632 differential op-amp per output.
2. Sets output gain to be 2VRMS at 0dBFS to reduce noise and excessive output levels.
3. Maintaines mute functionality to reduce start-up and shut-down clicks and pops.
4. Replaces the two main input stages with a single OPA1632 differential op-amp to drive the analog inputs to the ADC.
5. Fully DC coupled inputs and outputs. No caps in the signal path. No DC offset.
6. Provides two optional ultra-low noise regulators on board to further filter the supplies for the op-amps. These can be bypassed if desired.
7. Provides an ultra-low noise voltage reference for the analog inputs to the ADC using an LME49990 opamp.
8. Replaces the third analog input with a dedicated AES/EBU digital input and eliminates the MIC input circuit and relay. No more switching cables!
9. Drop-in replacement that doesn’t require any chassis modification.
10. Removes support for RS232 and LINK Ethernet connections.
11. Shortens and direct routes power and output ribbon cables for lower noise.
The overall performance increase is immense, and full before and after measurements can be found on the development thread linked to below.
This PCB is very easy to build, even for beginners, providing the TPS regulators are not populated. Populating the regulators provides minimal benefits, and they are extremely difficult to solder. A simple bypass resistor is used to connect directly to the existing DCX power supply rails.
The existing ribbon cables can be re-used by installing a new in-line connector, which is included in the BOM.
The cost of a DCX2496 Upgraded I/O PCB is $30 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 267mm x 50mm and the typical populated height is 25mm.
The original development thread can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digi...ng-improvement-stock-dcx2496.html#post3525222
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MQRhCw7I1m40OHsMuGUrfayuOq9F-w7-50K-4YOgQkE/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2SzAyZlBjNnBOazg/view?usp=sharing
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=Power Supplies]%2[/h]
[h=The Wire PSU (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
The PSU V1 was a size reduced version of the original PSU that shipped with the original BAL-SE version of The Wire.
This supply used the same general schematic as the original PSU which employed an LM317 and LM337 regulator to create an adjustable bipolar power supply which was capable to almost any output voltage and up to 1A of output current.
This simple supply was later replaced by the PSU V2 which aimed to keep the same current output capabilities and size, but with dramatically reduce noise and better PSRR.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2YkhManFNMHl0eG8&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2ZkRjZFprQk56WDA&authuser=0
Build instructions can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_Build_Wiki
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head...-headphone-amplifier-pcbs-90.html#post2790611
[h=The Wire PSU V2]%3[/h]
The Wire PSU V2 is the main supply intended to provide well regulated and very low noise power rails to all variants of the headphone amplifiers, including the BAL-BAL and SE-SE. It uses a pair of TPS7A3301 negative regulators and a transformer with isolated dual secondaries to provide a nominal +/- 12VDC with up to 1A of output current per rail.
These regulators were chosen primarily for their low noise, high output current, and easy to solder 7-lead TO-220 through hole style package.
Output voltage is fully adjustable from +/-1.2V up to +/-33V. Maximum input voltage to the regs is 35VDC. Higher voltages will require the use of higher voltage rated capacitors, and the caps listed in the BOM are all 25V parts. This supply can be used anywhere a high current low noise supply is needed.
The cost of a PSU PCB is $15 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 90mm x 32mm and the typical populated height is 40mm.
Heatsinks are included on the PCB, but the dissipation limits of the regulators and the PCB must be respected. Don't expect to draw 1A of current with a 20V drop across the regs. Keeping regulator dissipation under 3W is strongly recommended.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1u5S3KM8ntRMhE2JIS4m1v0j8p-Df2G2qOsKrCrd0GCY&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2Z3N4WWh4MU93SW8&authuser=0
Build instructions can be found here (Follow the instructions for the old LM317/337 version):
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_Build_Wiki
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-15.html#post3699950
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire NTD1 PSU]%3[/h]
The NTD1 PSU is a bespoke high voltage ultra low noise supply designed to power the NTD1. It has four floating rails, each of which can provide up to 39VDC at 200mA. These rails are tied together to create two bipolar +/- 38VDC supplies to feed each channel of the NTD1.
Since the NTD1 requires between 35V-45V rails to be at its best, the ADP7146 high voltage ultra low noise regulators were chosen. The maximum input voltage on this part is 40VDC, so a pre-regulation stage was added to allow the regs to be operated safely with exactly 40VDC at the input, which allows for optimal performance with up to 38VDC of output. The input voltage range of the preregulator stage is anywhere from about 42VDC to 50VDC.
Heatsinking is accomplished in the same manner as the NTD1 V3 in that the entire board is simply mounted directly on a heatsink using a thermal interface pad.
Although this supply is intended to power the NTD1, it can also be used in any other application requiring higher voltage output and very low noise. Both regulating stages are fully adjustable with a single resistor change, and the output voltage can be set anywhere from 2.7VDC up to 39.5VDC.
The cost of an NTD1 PSU PCB is $20 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 150mm x 100mm and the typical populated height is 25mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NlmVzlrqDlmcYsFNG7cJrGvChL_2aE4W8IJgPMz_KuI&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2ckFfdUZ4TFRTRkk&authuser=0
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire High Power Linear Regulator PSU]%3[/h]
This has been one of my favorite go-to boards of late. I have no less than 5 of these in service at the moment! This is a large, all-in-one fully regulated linear power supply intended to provide incredibly low noise and high power rails to pretty much any power amplifier. Output noise measures at 15uVRMS and output impedance is in the order of 3mΩ.
The supply itself is actually two fully independent rails each with a full wave rectifier on-board, and a bank of up to 60,000uF (35V) of very low ESR capacitors. This bank feeds a quad of parallel LT3081 regulators each mounted on large 10W heatsinks. These regulators then feed a second large bank of up to 60,000uF which is where the final DC output is taken from. Large planes are used to connect all the caps, and the output impedance of the supply itself is incredibly low with exceptional regulation, even under very heavy load.
Because of the dual rail configuration, this is a very versatile supply and can be wired up in a number of different ways depending on the voltage and current required. Here are a few different configurations that can be achieved with a single PCB:
- Two fully independent supplies anywhere from 2V to 34V with between 6-8A of output current.
- A single bipolar supply providing +/-2V to +/-34V and 6-8A of output current per rail.
- Wired in parallel, the supply can provide anywhere from 2-34V with 12-16A of output current.
- Wired in series, the supply can provide between 4 and 68V of output and 6-8A of current.
This covers the vast majority of amplifiers most people build. Some arrangements will require two boards, like a bipolar 68V supply for example, or a bipolar 34V supply with 12-16A of output current per rail. You’ll find, however, that these are surprisingly cheap to build considering the advantages they provide.
Using these boards properly does require some thought and consideration. Planning your voltages carefully will help keep regulator dissipation to a minimum and improve overall system performance. The worst case dropout of the regulators is 1.5V, so you want to aim to have about 2V of total overhead at full power draw from the unregulated voltage to the regulated one. Higher voltage drops at lower output current are fine, as long as regulator dissipation is respected and kept below about 50W per rail.
I have used these supplies on the Pass F5, the Pass VFET amps (V1) and my own LME amp and LM3886 composite amp. In all cases it provides an enormous improvement in noise floor at the output of the amplifier. Improvements are often in the order of 20dB or more depending on the existing unregulated supply.
All that is need other than this supply is a dual secondary transformer (preferably one with good regulation) and whatever amplifier you plan to power.
The cost of a High Power Linear Regulator PCB is $30 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 174mm x 132mm and the typical populated height is 40mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors and smaller heatsinks.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y9CU97qKWJLkKrLfV0MDvNElSDn-QttGwxH4QBUuiuY/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2M0dId28zS25PdlE/view?usp=sharing
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire LT3042 Parallel Reg PSU]%3[/h]
If you’re looking for a “no holds barred” performance at any cost power supply, then look no further than this. We’ve got a quad of the world’s lower noise regulators operating in parallel to increase current delivery and reduce noise by a factor of two.
This regulator is based on the application note shown on page 25 of the LT3042 datasheet. It’s capable of providing 800mA of continuous current and the output voltage can be set anywhere from 1.8V to 20V by adjusting a single resistor per rail. I can easily draw 1A from my supply continuously, but your mileage may vary.
I’m using this to power the BAL-BAL headphone amp I use daily, but there are any number of uses for this circuit. Each board contains two fully independent supply rails that can be configured any way you like. If you need a 5V and 3.3V rail for a DAC, then this will work perfectly. It can also be used as a bipolar supply (up to +/- 20V) or you can parallel the supplies for 1.6A of output current and even lower noise. Finally the supplies could be run in series if you’re in need of a 40V ultra low noise supply.
The board itself is quite small, so it’s easy to put wherever you might need it. It’s a complete power supply with a pair of full wave rectifiers, so all you need to add is the appropriate dual secondary power transformer of your choosing.
The top of the board has intentionally been left open to allow an adhesive backed heatsink to be stuck to the PCB itself to improve thermal performance. All the regulators will dump heat into this upper copper layer through vias, so higher dissipation applications will benefit from a heatsink.
I will provide a warning that this is what I would consider an advanced build, and should probably not be taken on by a beginner. The LT3042 only comes in 0.5mm pitch MSOP packages, and requires a reasonable amount of skill to solder. You will get solder bridges, and they will need to be removed with copper braid and flux. The caps are also in close proximity, and working carefully is critical. The thing to remember though is that this can certainly be done by hand with normal soldering iron and pretty typical tools.
The cost of an LT3042 Parallel Regulator PCB is $20 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 74mm x 26mm and the typical populated height is 40mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ustyi52_q0oE4QMQlICsLZd158lxTGThQHlDVw67kyw/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2azlfdzBTckd2R0U/view?usp=sharing
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire SE-SE]%3[/h]
The smallest and simplest headphone amplifier in The Wire series is the SE-SE which stand for "Single Ended to Single Ended".
This little amplifier is a stereo headphone amp that accepts single ended inputs (eg. RCA) and provides a single ended output for use with traditional 3-pin headset jacks.
It uses a single LME49990 op-amp per channel with an LME49610 buffer nested within it's feedback loop. This arrangement provides all the desirable sonic characteristics of the LME49990 with enough current output to drive almost any headphone to very high output levels.
The cost of an SE-SE PCB is $15 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 47mm x 30mm and the typical populated height is 16mm.
There is no need for additional heatsinking.
Suggested rail voltage is +/-12VDC unless higher output voltage is specifically required. A power supply that can supply a regulated +/-12VDC is required, and The Wire PSU V2 is recommended as the power supply for this amplifier.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1aQn35Fg64Dy8mMsta52Bp7FS7oMuBclmJQchOx2q88U/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2bjdXempqRG1lMFE/view?usp=sharing
Build instructions can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_Build_Wiki
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-15.html#post3699973
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire BAL-BAL]%3[/h]
The bigger brother to the SE-SE is the BAL-BAL headphone amplifier which stand for "Balanced to Balanced".
The BAL-BAL is a stereo headphone amp that accepts balanced or single ended inputs (eg. XLR or RCA) and provides balanced outputs for use with headphones modified to use either 4-pin XLR, 4-pin Lemo, dual 3-pin XLR or any other balanced connection arrangement which does not connect any of the outputs to GND.
Alternatively, the BAL-BAL can be used with SE output by taking the output from either phase and tying it back to the power supply GND. This, however, is not ideal from a noise, distortion, crosstalk or DC offset perspective. It's best to use the BAL-BAL with proper balanced headphones.
The BAL-BAL uses a single OPA1632 differential op-amp per channel which drives a pair of LME49610 buffers in a bridge configuration. This provides nearly twice the voltage swing of the SE-SE, and eliminates the crosstalk caused by the common ground arrangements used in 3-pin headphone systems.
It should be noted that almost any pair of headphones can be easily modified for balanced connections using either new cables, or simply by changing the connector depending on the arrangement of the existing wiring. An in-line 4-pin connector can be used to maintain backwards compatibility with standard 3-pin headphone connectors.
There is an excellent article on balanced headphone cables here:
http://robrobinette.com/BalancedCable.htm
The cost of a BAL-BAL PCB is $17 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 60mm x 42.5mm and the typical populated height is 24mm.
There is no need for additional heatsinking as long as the on-board heatsinks are mounted, and there is sufficient ventilation.
Suggested rail voltage is +/-12VDC unless higher output voltage is specifically required. A power supply that can supply a regulated +/-12VDC is required, and The Wire PSU V2 is recommended as the power supply for this amplifier.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IhJHgE0ZEIU9ngN1oJOnKDoA9Mf2Z6FarbT5v5EIJks/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2YTkzM0otRWRSc3c&authuser=0
Build instructions can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_Build_Wiki
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-15.html#post3699986
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire BAL-SE (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
This was the original headphone amplifier that started it all back in 2010! It was called the BAL-SE because it accepted balanced inputs and provided standard 3-pin single ended output.
The connectors were all on-board which is no longer the case for the new revisions of the boards.
It uses a trio of LME49990 op-amps per channel to perform balanced to single-ended conversion with an LME49600 buffer nested within the feedback loop of the final op-amp. This arrangement allowed for balanced sources to work well with single ended headphones.
The cost of a BAL-SE PCB used to be $10 USD but it is no longer available.
All relevant information about the BAL-SE can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head...nce-headphone-amplifier-pcbs.html#post2401426
[h=Power Amplifiers]%2[/h]
[h=The Wire LPUHP V1 (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
The Wire LPUHP is a small monoblock low power amplifier producing 16W RMS into an 8 ohm load with incredibly high performance. The term LPUHP stands for "Low Power Ultra High Performance". The V1 version had the power transformer and power supply regulators (LM317/337) on board.
I came up with the concept when I was short an amplifier, and decided to try and use the BAL-BAL headphone amplifier to drive a tweeter. It worked surprisingly well but started to go into current clipping at only moderate output levels. It got me thinking... what if I used more buffers in parallel to increase the output current capability?
I worked out that the maximum output from an LME49990 was about 11VRMS and if I wanted to drive an 8 ohm load at that voltage, I needed about 1.4A of current. Each LME49600 buffer is good for a little over 175mA, so I put 8 buffers in parallel and ordered a small run of boards. The first time I listened to it, I was floored by how good it sounded, and how low the output noise was. Measurements the next day confirmed that performance was better than anything I'd ever measured before, with un-measurable distortion and incredibly low noise.
The cost of an LPUHP PCB used to be $20 USD but they are no longer available. The LPUHP V2 board is still available. See the LPUHP V2 section for more details.
Specifications:
BOM can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/soli...ce-lpuhp-16w-power-amplifier.html#post2852763
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2MTZBMHJwbjNFNEE/view?usp=sharing
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/soli...ce-lpuhp-16w-power-amplifier.html#post2852722
[h=The Wire LPUHP V2]%3[/h]
The LPUHP V2 is a revised and improved version of the original LPUHP. It's the same basic amplifier stage, but it uses a four layer board, and the transformer has been moved off-board to allow for lower noise, and for the user to select the desired transformer power rating.
Regulators have also been improved to higher current and lower noise LT1185 parts. Heatsinking is now done through the PCB rather than on the surface of the buffers for improved thermal performance.
The LPUHP can be built to accept either a balanced input, or a single ended input depending on what parts are populated. Common configurations for input type and gain are covered in the 4 BOM variations provided.
The cost of an LPUHP PCB is $28 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 120mm x 65mm and the typical populated height is 39mm although this can be reduced with small heatsinks and lower profile capacitors.
Suggested rail voltage is +/-18VDC and the suggested transformer size is anywhere from 25VA to 100VA with dual 15VAC secondaries. The only parts required external to the PCB are the transformer, and the input and output connectors.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1oaQkZFZpLwAtFsGh1whefesCdU5_dyuXtTvcBmFcPZg&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2TnQ0Wjd2UUFMcDQ&authuser=0
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-15.html#post3700321
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire HPUHP]%3[/h]
[h=The Wire LME Lateral FET Amp]%3[/h]
The LME Lateral FET Amplifier is the highest power amplifier available in The Wire lineup. It uses an LME49830 driver IC to drive a pair of complimentary lateral mosfets, in this case the ALF16P20N and the ALF16N20N. It can be comfortably used at power levels up to about 200W into 8 ohms, and it can also be biased anywhere from about 100mA for class AB or up to well over 1A for class A operation. Each board contains a single channel, so two boards will be required for stereo operation.
There is no thermal bias compensation required, and no emitter resistors needed thanks to the lateral mosfets.
Voltage rails can range anywhere from about +/-15VDC up to a maximum of about 85VDC before the heatsink for the LME49830 starts to get uncomfortably hot. Pushing much beyond this voltage would also call for higher voltage output devices.
If at all possible, the LME49830 should have separate low power and higher voltage regulated supplies. These should sit roughly 5-10V above the output stage rails. If this is not possible, the entire amplifier can also be run off a single bipolar supply.
The cost of an LME Lateral Fet Amp PCB is $17 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 65mm x 42mm and the typical populated height is 50mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
Assembly guide and BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2NVEwS1pwNVV0OG8&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2c0dEbldWTk1DMlU&authuser=0
Class AB Worksheet can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2UDdNOV9xSU5xcGc&authuser=0
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-17.html#post3701262
Distortion vs. bias current can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/soli...lme49830-lateral-mosfets-107.html#post3016816
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=Line Level]%2[/h]
[h=NTD1 V1 I/V stage (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
[h=NTD1 V2 I/V stage (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
[h=NTD1 V3 I/V stage ]%3[/h]
The NTD1 V3 is the third version in a long running series of continually improving layouts for this remarkable and simple circuit.
The V3 PCB aims to provide an easier way of heatsinking all the critical components, and will allow for easier assembly and better thermal performance. It also allows the use of surface mount fets which I have found to be better than the through hole parts used previously.
All heat generating components are surface mounted to the PCB, and heat is transferred though thousands of vias to the lower copper layer of the PCB. There it is transferred to a heatsink through a thermal interface pad.
The overall circuit remains generally unchanged, and this PCB will support all of the Buffalo DAC variants.
Some other noteworthy changes include the replacement of the large poly capacitors with smaller surface mount polymer types. These capacitors have been tested extensively, and do not impact THD or the sound quality. What they do is provide very high values of capacitance in a very small package, reducing the risk of generating any voltage across the cap even with very low impedance loads. This in turn improves LF response, and reduces distortion. If you must use large polypropylene caps, then they can easily be placed between the PCB and the output XLR connectors after jumpering the on-board SMD caps.
This new layout, combined with the significantly improved PSU and improved SMD mosfet performance has reduced the noise floor by roughly 6dB and THD by another 3dB. It has also eliminated all remaining correlated line frequency harmonics, some of which extended well past 1kHz on previous versions.
Overall, the NTD1 V3 is easier to build, easier to mount to a heatsink, can be built for a very low cost, and provides unmatched performance among I/V converters.
The cost of an NTD1 V3 PCB is $20 USD
Users will also need to purchase the NTD1 PSU or provide their own low noise +/-30-40VDC supply
Specifications:
The PCB measures 140mm x 100mm and the typical populated height is 25mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DxuH-uLnSJQLqrFkDRhx_CUXO7WJfKhPMSm7-t8heI8&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2ZGtYdHhFWFlISU0&authuser=0
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire Balanced Phono Preamp]%3[/h]
I’ve been meaning to build a reference level phono stage for quite some time, but after a few false starts with differential parallel JFET input stages, I’ve finally found a topology that I’m very happy with.
The end result is a 3-stage fully differential phono preamp based on the LME49990 with passive RIAA networks nested between the first and second, and second and third stages. Each stage’s gain can be set independently, and in my case, with the Denon DL-103, I chose roughly 59dB of total gain by setting each stage at about 26.5dB.
The RIAA passive stages were selected specifically for accuracy allowing very tight tolerance parts to be used without excessive cost. All resistors are 0.1% or 0.05% and all caps are 1% film parts. Further matching can be done easily by hand with an accurate LCR meter if desired, but this would be overkill.
Since every good phono preamp needs an equally good and very quiet supply, I opted to include a bipolar +/-10V supply based on the incredibly low noise LT3042. All you need to run this board is a 10VA dual 12V secondary transformer, and some connectors.
Output noise is very low, in spite of the high gain, and distortion performance is fantastic. RIAA accuracy is second to none, and if you feel adventurous, you can even run the whole system DC coupled by bypassing the output coupling caps. In this setup, each phase will have about 500mV of DC offset referenced to GND, but the differential DC offset is less than 1mV. Many differential input power amplifiers and preamps are more than happy with this.
I have added a few empty cartridge loading options on the front end, so this preamp will be equally happy with MM or MC cartridges. All you need to do is select the gain you want, select the loading you want, and you’re off to the races.
It needs to be noted that this is a true fully differential preamp which means you need to connect it properly to your phono cartridge or turntable. Every good cartridge is by nature just a pair of floating coils, and each coil connects across the differential input of the phono preamp. The GND reference is provided by the shell GND connection, and this should be connected to the GND terminal at each input. Ideally you want fully shielded twisted pairs for each coil all the way from the headshell to the input of the amp. This is easiest to achieve if the preamp itself is mounted on or very near the turntable. Not everyone can (or is willing to) take the time and effort to do this, but I promise it’s well worthwhile and greatly decreases coupled noise between the cartridge and the preamp.
It should also be noted that this is a more advanced build due to the fine pitch on the legs of the LT3042 regulator. It’s an MSOP package which takes some care to solder correctly by hand. You will need some flux and solder braid (wick) to be successful, and you will need to carefully check your work with an ohmmeter before power up.
The cost of a Fully Balanced Phono Preamp PCB is $30 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 100mm x 100mm and the typical populated height is 35mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15VYkR6_CdehohAVvT46695JhdgjX2lDDAyGrcP-r6mk/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2WGJqVDF4LXFLdkk/view?usp=sharing
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire DCX2496 Upgraded I/O PCB]%3[/h]
This PCB was designed specifically to replace the stock I/O PCB in the Berhinger DCX2496. This low-cost upgrade board provides the following improvements:
1. Replaces all the output stages with a single OPA1632 differential op-amp per output.
2. Sets output gain to be 2VRMS at 0dBFS to reduce noise and excessive output levels.
3. Maintaines mute functionality to reduce start-up and shut-down clicks and pops.
4. Replaces the two main input stages with a single OPA1632 differential op-amp to drive the analog inputs to the ADC.
5. Fully DC coupled inputs and outputs. No caps in the signal path. No DC offset.
6. Provides two optional ultra-low noise regulators on board to further filter the supplies for the op-amps. These can be bypassed if desired.
7. Provides an ultra-low noise voltage reference for the analog inputs to the ADC using an LME49990 opamp.
8. Replaces the third analog input with a dedicated AES/EBU digital input and eliminates the MIC input circuit and relay. No more switching cables!
9. Drop-in replacement that doesn’t require any chassis modification.
10. Removes support for RS232 and LINK Ethernet connections.
11. Shortens and direct routes power and output ribbon cables for lower noise.
The overall performance increase is immense, and full before and after measurements can be found on the development thread linked to below.
This PCB is very easy to build, even for beginners, providing the TPS regulators are not populated. Populating the regulators provides minimal benefits, and they are extremely difficult to solder. A simple bypass resistor is used to connect directly to the existing DCX power supply rails.
The existing ribbon cables can be re-used by installing a new in-line connector, which is included in the BOM.
The cost of a DCX2496 Upgraded I/O PCB is $30 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 267mm x 50mm and the typical populated height is 25mm.
The original development thread can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digi...ng-improvement-stock-dcx2496.html#post3525222
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MQRhCw7I1m40OHsMuGUrfayuOq9F-w7-50K-4YOgQkE/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2SzAyZlBjNnBOazg/view?usp=sharing
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=Power Supplies]%2[/h]
[h=The Wire PSU (DISCONTINUED)]%3[/h]
The PSU V1 was a size reduced version of the original PSU that shipped with the original BAL-SE version of The Wire.
This supply used the same general schematic as the original PSU which employed an LM317 and LM337 regulator to create an adjustable bipolar power supply which was capable to almost any output voltage and up to 1A of output current.
This simple supply was later replaced by the PSU V2 which aimed to keep the same current output capabilities and size, but with dramatically reduce noise and better PSRR.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2YkhManFNMHl0eG8&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2ZkRjZFprQk56WDA&authuser=0
Build instructions can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_Build_Wiki
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head...-headphone-amplifier-pcbs-90.html#post2790611
[h=The Wire PSU V2]%3[/h]
The Wire PSU V2 is the main supply intended to provide well regulated and very low noise power rails to all variants of the headphone amplifiers, including the BAL-BAL and SE-SE. It uses a pair of TPS7A3301 negative regulators and a transformer with isolated dual secondaries to provide a nominal +/- 12VDC with up to 1A of output current per rail.
These regulators were chosen primarily for their low noise, high output current, and easy to solder 7-lead TO-220 through hole style package.
Output voltage is fully adjustable from +/-1.2V up to +/-33V. Maximum input voltage to the regs is 35VDC. Higher voltages will require the use of higher voltage rated capacitors, and the caps listed in the BOM are all 25V parts. This supply can be used anywhere a high current low noise supply is needed.
The cost of a PSU PCB is $15 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 90mm x 32mm and the typical populated height is 40mm.
Heatsinks are included on the PCB, but the dissipation limits of the regulators and the PCB must be respected. Don't expect to draw 1A of current with a 20V drop across the regs. Keeping regulator dissipation under 3W is strongly recommended.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1u5S3KM8ntRMhE2JIS4m1v0j8p-Df2G2qOsKrCrd0GCY&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2Z3N4WWh4MU93SW8&authuser=0
Build instructions can be found here (Follow the instructions for the old LM317/337 version):
http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_Build_Wiki
Measurements can be found here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vend...-here-bal-bal-se-se-lpuhp-15.html#post3699950
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire NTD1 PSU]%3[/h]
The NTD1 PSU is a bespoke high voltage ultra low noise supply designed to power the NTD1. It has four floating rails, each of which can provide up to 39VDC at 200mA. These rails are tied together to create two bipolar +/- 38VDC supplies to feed each channel of the NTD1.
Since the NTD1 requires between 35V-45V rails to be at its best, the ADP7146 high voltage ultra low noise regulators were chosen. The maximum input voltage on this part is 40VDC, so a pre-regulation stage was added to allow the regs to be operated safely with exactly 40VDC at the input, which allows for optimal performance with up to 38VDC of output. The input voltage range of the preregulator stage is anywhere from about 42VDC to 50VDC.
Heatsinking is accomplished in the same manner as the NTD1 V3 in that the entire board is simply mounted directly on a heatsink using a thermal interface pad.
Although this supply is intended to power the NTD1, it can also be used in any other application requiring higher voltage output and very low noise. Both regulating stages are fully adjustable with a single resistor change, and the output voltage can be set anywhere from 2.7VDC up to 39.5VDC.
The cost of an NTD1 PSU PCB is $20 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 150mm x 100mm and the typical populated height is 25mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
BOM can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1NlmVzlrqDlmcYsFNG7cJrGvChL_2aE4W8IJgPMz_KuI&authuser=0
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3MLwB9mdXl2ckFfdUZ4TFRTRkk&authuser=0
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire High Power Linear Regulator PSU]%3[/h]
This has been one of my favorite go-to boards of late. I have no less than 5 of these in service at the moment! This is a large, all-in-one fully regulated linear power supply intended to provide incredibly low noise and high power rails to pretty much any power amplifier. Output noise measures at 15uVRMS and output impedance is in the order of 3mΩ.
The supply itself is actually two fully independent rails each with a full wave rectifier on-board, and a bank of up to 60,000uF (35V) of very low ESR capacitors. This bank feeds a quad of parallel LT3081 regulators each mounted on large 10W heatsinks. These regulators then feed a second large bank of up to 60,000uF which is where the final DC output is taken from. Large planes are used to connect all the caps, and the output impedance of the supply itself is incredibly low with exceptional regulation, even under very heavy load.
Because of the dual rail configuration, this is a very versatile supply and can be wired up in a number of different ways depending on the voltage and current required. Here are a few different configurations that can be achieved with a single PCB:
- Two fully independent supplies anywhere from 2V to 34V with between 6-8A of output current.
- A single bipolar supply providing +/-2V to +/-34V and 6-8A of output current per rail.
- Wired in parallel, the supply can provide anywhere from 2-34V with 12-16A of output current.
- Wired in series, the supply can provide between 4 and 68V of output and 6-8A of current.
This covers the vast majority of amplifiers most people build. Some arrangements will require two boards, like a bipolar 68V supply for example, or a bipolar 34V supply with 12-16A of output current per rail. You’ll find, however, that these are surprisingly cheap to build considering the advantages they provide.
Using these boards properly does require some thought and consideration. Planning your voltages carefully will help keep regulator dissipation to a minimum and improve overall system performance. The worst case dropout of the regulators is 1.5V, so you want to aim to have about 2V of total overhead at full power draw from the unregulated voltage to the regulated one. Higher voltage drops at lower output current are fine, as long as regulator dissipation is respected and kept below about 50W per rail.
I have used these supplies on the Pass F5, the Pass VFET amps (V1) and my own LME amp and LM3886 composite amp. In all cases it provides an enormous improvement in noise floor at the output of the amplifier. Improvements are often in the order of 20dB or more depending on the existing unregulated supply.
All that is need other than this supply is a dual secondary transformer (preferably one with good regulation) and whatever amplifier you plan to power.
The cost of a High Power Linear Regulator PCB is $30 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 174mm x 132mm and the typical populated height is 40mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors and smaller heatsinks.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y9CU97qKWJLkKrLfV0MDvNElSDn-QttGwxH4QBUuiuY/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2M0dId28zS25PdlE/view?usp=sharing
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
[h=The Wire LT3042 Parallel Reg PSU]%3[/h]
If you’re looking for a “no holds barred” performance at any cost power supply, then look no further than this. We’ve got a quad of the world’s lower noise regulators operating in parallel to increase current delivery and reduce noise by a factor of two.
This regulator is based on the application note shown on page 25 of the LT3042 datasheet. It’s capable of providing 800mA of continuous current and the output voltage can be set anywhere from 1.8V to 20V by adjusting a single resistor per rail. I can easily draw 1A from my supply continuously, but your mileage may vary.
I’m using this to power the BAL-BAL headphone amp I use daily, but there are any number of uses for this circuit. Each board contains two fully independent supply rails that can be configured any way you like. If you need a 5V and 3.3V rail for a DAC, then this will work perfectly. It can also be used as a bipolar supply (up to +/- 20V) or you can parallel the supplies for 1.6A of output current and even lower noise. Finally the supplies could be run in series if you’re in need of a 40V ultra low noise supply.
The board itself is quite small, so it’s easy to put wherever you might need it. It’s a complete power supply with a pair of full wave rectifiers, so all you need to add is the appropriate dual secondary power transformer of your choosing.
The top of the board has intentionally been left open to allow an adhesive backed heatsink to be stuck to the PCB itself to improve thermal performance. All the regulators will dump heat into this upper copper layer through vias, so higher dissipation applications will benefit from a heatsink.
I will provide a warning that this is what I would consider an advanced build, and should probably not be taken on by a beginner. The LT3042 only comes in 0.5mm pitch MSOP packages, and requires a reasonable amount of skill to solder. You will get solder bridges, and they will need to be removed with copper braid and flux. The caps are also in close proximity, and working carefully is critical. The thing to remember though is that this can certainly be done by hand with normal soldering iron and pretty typical tools.
The cost of an LT3042 Parallel Regulator PCB is $20 USD
Specifications:
The PCB measures 74mm x 26mm and the typical populated height is 40mm although this can be reduced with lower profile capacitors.
BOM can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ustyi52_q0oE4QMQlICsLZd158lxTGThQHlDVw67kyw/edit?usp=sharing
Schematic can be found here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MLwB9mdXl2azlfdzBTckd2R0U/view?usp=sharing
You can place an order for this board by putting your name and order on the following spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bRIlMzzoHpJYvS8kQ_fVN-UgCuzX58TXHaJvsF43iLg/edit?usp=sharing
Hi Chris,
Images should be working now... it was indeed a Google Drive sharing issue. I was able to see them in Chrome, but not with IE. Now I can see them in both browsers.
Can you let me know if they're working for you now?
Cheers,
Owen
This is still a work in progress, and there is still a lot to be done! I'll get around to the power supplies later today hopefully.
The supplies should be able to power anything you'd like, but you need to respect the power limitations. The PSU V2 is good for 1A at +/-32V max (within thermal constraints), the MPUHP is designed for +/- 18V at 3A but can also be modified for higher output voltage. Power in that case is limited by the 50VA transformer. The NTD1 PSU is good for up to 39V output at 200mA.
Cheers,
Owen
Hi Guys!
Thanks for proofing this for me while I go. Using this format is very prone to errors, so it's good to have you guys give it a sanity check
SyncTronX:
I originally put the table data into "tableizer" to get the proper HTML code to make the table, but that didn't work with the Wiki for some reason.
I did like the way the displayed table looked though, so I grabbed a screen shot and posted it as a picture
Here's the website:
TABLEIZER! | Spreadsheets to HTML Tables Tool
As for getting the images to work, I just had to share the actual google drive folder the pictures were in, in addition to sharing the pictures themselves.
I used this to map to to the drive location:
GDrives - URL shortener, custom alias for Google Drive Site Publishing web hosting
Cheers,
Owen
Thanks for proofing this for me while I go. Using this format is very prone to errors, so it's good to have you guys give it a sanity check
SyncTronX:
I originally put the table data into "tableizer" to get the proper HTML code to make the table, but that didn't work with the Wiki for some reason.
I did like the way the displayed table looked though, so I grabbed a screen shot and posted it as a picture
Here's the website:
TABLEIZER! | Spreadsheets to HTML Tables Tool
As for getting the images to work, I just had to share the actual google drive folder the pictures were in, in addition to sharing the pictures themselves.
I used this to map to to the drive location:
GDrives - URL shortener, custom alias for Google Drive Site Publishing web hosting
Cheers,
Owen
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