TDA2030A Power Amplifier

[Matthewong]

Recently I've built a TDA 2030A power amplifier. The sound quality is very good, solid bass, good mid and good high. But I'm facing a problem, it can't go loud enough. When I try to turn up the volume, the sound get distorted. Maybe the power isn't enough. Does anyone has an idea how to make it more powerful, other than bridge?

 

[Netlist]

Well, the TDA2030A seems to deliver 18W in 4ohm, so if your speakers are not very sensitive I guess you'll have to DIY yourself a more powerful amp. (Other than bridging )

Apart from a gainclone you might consider a nice classA amp like the ones build over at the Passlabs forum.

/Hugo

 

[Readme.txt]

Are you running a single or split supply? I have built a single supply TDA2030 amplifier module. I noticed that at +12V and lower supply voltage the module distorted if I turned the volume up. At higher voltages the amp was sounding nice even at high volumes!

 

[Matthewong]

I used split voltage and use a transformer with 12v-0v-12v, when it converted to DC, it becoming +16v - 0v - -16v. Is it enough for TDA2030A?

 

[Matthewong]

Btw, does any I.C with more power than the TDA2030A, I mean I.C with five pins like the TDA 2030A?

 

[forr]

A guy on a french forum just said the same. The TAD2030 is one of the best IC power amps. Event better than the 3880. Just lacking a bit of power.

~~~~~~ Forr

§§§

 

[DC Dave]

Btw, does any I.C with more power than the TDA2030A, I mean I.C with five pins like the TDA 2030A?

The lm1875 has the same pinout as the 2030A. And it can handle +-30 volts into an 8ohm load, compared to +-22 for the 2030A. Won't give you much more power but it would be easy to swap in to compare.

 

[Nasse]

I have seen circuits that utilise 2030 and the output power is helped with two power transistors, class B but the chip supplies the oomph at low volume settings, something like this http://www.kemo-electronic.com/pdf/b086/b086.pdf

But dunno if it ruins sound quality and maybe it is just better use 3886 or 3785, or more efficient speaker. Maybe you could add a subwoofer with powerful amp to your system and get some stress off the mains speakers and more total loudness

 

[mik]

You can always use it like audio driver with power transistors for more power.

 

[megajocke]

I built a 2-channel amp with TDA2030. It was a bit unstable and would oscillate but only with heavy loads or high volume. It sounded very, very bad. Rerouting the wiring fixed it.

Have you built it on a PCB or did you use wires? Any photos?

 

[aramosfet]

I have built a 4 channel power amplifier using TDA2030A

I have used a the same circuit as in the datasheet using singlesupply(figure 15 in the datasheet),I have also replaced the zobel network(a 1ohm resistor and 220mfd cap at the output) i guess that doesn't make any difference it seems to work fine .


For some reason i ignored the output protection diodes initially it worked fine but later it start oscillating and now
its not working,when i connect the supply(32V) IT draws a large current about1.2A and there is no output.

Are the output protection diodes really important?

 

[lensman]

Be careful with the TDA2030 - if I recall correctly, there is more than one version and they range from around 10W rms to 18W or more.

If you need more power there is a TDA2040 and (if you can find it) TDA2050. Both come in standard 5-pin TO-220 pentawatt packages and have better distortion figures than the 2030.

 

[Matthewong]

Yesterday I was having a listening session with some of my friends and I'm using the TDA2030A power amp to drive Sonus Faber Cremona, Cremona Auditor and Grand Piano. The result was very positive. They all said the power amp have very good sound stage, sweet , solid bass, detail, and a lot of positive comment. One weaknes is it can't drives the speaker loud enough. This is the only negative comment from my friends. One of my friend using a Conrad-Johnson amplifier and Dynaudio loudspeaker and he said that my power amplifier is very good, even can match with the Conrad-Johnson he is using. He likes it very much. ( They all don't know that my power amp is using only I.C to drive the speaker).

 

[Matthewong]

Today I've found the TDA2050A I.C. Just now I was looking to the TDA2050A website and found that it has the same pin layout as the TDA2030A. Later I'll try to change the TDA2050A I.C and see whether will improve the sound or not.

 

[lensman]

Aramosfet - I just re-read your post regarding the zobel network and oscillation. Shouldn't the capacitor value read 220nF, rather than mfd?

 

[Wynand]

you're gonna need a bigger transformer to go louder otherwise it'll just clip at the suplly rails(NOT GOOD), I'm running two TDA2050's from a 15-0-15 transformer, rectified to +-22 volts but I regulated the voltage to +-19 volts, I haven't been able to drive the amp to max since I dont have big enough speakers but it is LOUD.

I want to try a 17-0-17 volt Transformer unregulated next but It's no use without big/good enough speakers.

 

[aramosfet]

lensman - yea it is 220nf (i typed it wrongly)
i had replaced the zobel network with a 1microfarad cap

 

[richie00boy]

Why did you use 1uF instead of 220nF? Bigger capacitance is not always better! The value is specially tuned on the zobel network. This is probably what caused your oscillation to break out and now this has damaged the chip.

 

[Matthewong]

Actually you do like this won't damaged your chip, but it will cut out the high frequency noise, the lager the value, the more high frequency will be cut. But remeber, don't use too large of the value for the capacitor, it will not only cut the noise, it also cut the good high frequency if the value of the capacitor is too large.

 

[richie00boy]

No, that's a filter. A zobel network is a completely different thing and is to do with the stability of the amp and phase/load manipulation.