Why "minimalism" is not popular ?

[ginetto61]

Hi to Everyone !
I have one generic questions on circuit design that is: why minimalist circuits are not very popular ?
For minimalism read low active devices count.
Apart from the Nelson Pass school I see circuits with lots of active devices, even for a simple line preamp so to speak
Are they intrinsically limited ?
Having less components, aren't they easier to fine-tune ?
Thank you very much indeed
Kind regards,
gino

[lanchile]

I think in the diy road minimalist circuits are very popular, just check the "chip-amp" section. it can not be simpler!!! I have seen many amps designs that the goal is "minimalist", but if it has fewer parts...those parts "should" be high quality and tight tolerance. I like and love when I see an amplifier using not too many parts. The simple...the better for me

[ginetto61]

Originally Posted by lanchile

I think in the diy road minimalist circuits are very popular, just check the "chip-amp" section.
it can not be simpler!!!

Hi ! actually the construction cannot be simpler but I was referring to minimalism in the design
An opamp is everything but a simple circuit
Some opamps have even 100 transistors on the same chip
So the circuit is not minimalist
I meant circuits made with few single active devices

I have seen many amps designs that the goal is "minimalist", but if it has fewer parts...those parts "should" be high quality and tight tolerance. I like and love when I see an amplifier using not too many parts. The simple...the better for me

This I understand and agree.
If the components are few the selection must be accurate.
Honestly, tube designs are more on this philosophy
For instance if we take a single ended tube amp it can be done even with only two active devices.
I sometimes see service manuals of solid state amps ... ok that the bjts are cheap but their number is even embarrassing
It can very well be that for solid state minimalism is not the optimum choice
Otherwise I would expect many more examples around.

Regards,
gino

[Boscoe]

Because generally (done well) more complicated amplifiers having far better performance.

[lanchile]

Originally Posted by ginetto61

Hi ! actually the construction cannot be simpler but I was referring to minimalism in the design
An opamp is everything but a simple circuit
Some opamps have even 100 transistors on the same chip
So the circuit is not minimalist
I meant circuits made with few single active devices



This I understand and agree.
If the components are few the selection must be accurate.
Honestly, tube designs are more on this philosophy
For instance if we take a single ended tube amp it can be done even with only two active devices.
I sometimes see service manuals of solid state amps ... ok that the bjts are cheap but their number is even embarrassing
It can very well be that for solid state minimalism is not the optimum choice
Otherwise I would expect many more examples around.

Regards,
gino

Well check all amps class A from NELSON PASS. they are in the minimalism list for sure!
and it is not so true that more complicated amplifiers have far better performance!

[DF96]

There is a rule of thumb which says that for any BJT, 1mV peak of signal voltage causes 1% of second harmonic distortion (5mV gives 5% etc.). That means that most simple circuits simply can't work if you want the output to be anything like an amplified version of the input. Minimalism is an engineering dead end.

Of course, there may be merit in not making a circuit more complex than it needs to be but that is a different question.

[ginetto61]

If I am not wrong also the Blowtorch preamp design is in some ways minimalist
Only one amplification stage ?
From the interest caused by it I would have expected and hoped a new era in design
I remember a simple schema even mocked without any real basis
Maybe it was too simple

[tommy1000]

I think this page have some of the answers:
index

[lanchile]

DIY Class-A 2SK1058 MOSFET Amplifier Project

[ginetto61]

Originally Posted by tommy1000

I think this page have some of the answers:
index

Please let me explain what I intend for minimalism
I meant designs with low devices count
Let's take a line preamp
I have seen line preamps with one mosfet and other with 20 active devices per channel.
Quite a difference. And incidentally that one with one mosfet was the better sounding by a good margin.
This should mean something.
Or not ?
Is it reasonable to use 20 transistors for a line stage ?
Regards,
g