F5 power amplifier

EUVL said:
Had I not been still waiting for Fairchild MOSFETs, I would have built one without caps as per Circlomanen's circuit in post #1286. But maybe someone who spices regularly would care to do a quick sim, just to prove me wrong.
... which was just what I did before I posted my findings initially. Without the 22R and caps (and without source-to-source gain resistor) it is a buffer with no voltage gain. With those 22R, the voltage gain is 1+100R/22R=5.5 (and in my variant it is 1+22R/3.75R=6.9)

- Klaus
 
juma said:
Yes, ground seems a logical place for them, but I wanted to keep them referenced to JFETs' sources so they can swing together ;)
Now those R's are needed only when the inputs are left open or are cap-coupled. In terms of input impedance it would actually be better to go to GND, otherwise they get "reverse bootstrapped" as described in a previous post.

- Klaus
 
> With those 22R, the voltage gain is 1+100R/22R=5.5

Which is what I would expect. So you are saying that I can just take out those caps and the circuit works, probably with a much lower value of JFET drain resistor.
But I wonder what difference in bandwidth and distortion does the 2200uF caps make on their own ?


Patrick
 
EUVL said:
So you are saying that I can just take out those caps and the circuit works, probably with a much lower value of JFET drain resistor.
Basically yes, with proper adjustment of values and ratios of all of the resistors.

But, some new insights on the circlotron here (I had a gut feeling), there is a significant common mode problem at higher freqs (bias gets heavily modulated with higher odd order components), more or less regardless of topology details (that is, value of the GND load resistors and wether or not cap coupling or gain is used). This specific circlotron circuit is more tricky than it seems at first sight...

- Klaus
 
Using circlomanens circuit....
 

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.... I get this response for the drain currents at 20kHz (and no speaker load, exept for those "bypasses" of (100R+100R)//(122R+122R). With 8R load it gets even nastier...

Distortion is accordingly high. BTW I tried cascoding the JFETs and buffering the MOSFET gate drive to lessen some capacitive effects, but to no avail. I'm quite puzzled about that behaviour.

- Klaus
 

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hi,

i just saw F5 design. wow, very less parts and its easy for me to build.

i have few questions.

Q1 and Q2= can i use IRF9610?
Q3 and Q4 = can i use IRFP240?

is there at output have to place any resister like aleph-3?

how much heat dissipation will be on 50w output? let say i am using 8ohms speaker.

how about the cap for power supply?

thank you
michael
 
TH1 TH2

Nelson Pass said:
And the value is not critical at that. I also use 3.3K, because I have
a bag of them.

In regards to TH1 and TH2. I would like to use them. I got some wimpy little thermistors from Digikey.
http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/indexd12209.html
Pretty concerned that these will melt from more than just temp. Do these thermistors see current? I thought I remembered seeing something about TH1 and TH2 needing to carry 10amps, but maybe this is from the power supply. Cant remember and have not seen that reference again. If someone could give me a bit of help I would appreciate it.
Had my FETs backwards. :xeye: just found that mistake. Going through P2P again to recheck.
Thanks
Uriah
 
space2000 said:
hi,

i just saw F5 design. wow, very less parts and its easy for me to build.

i have few questions.

Q1 and Q2= can i use IRF9610?
Q3 and Q4 = can i use IRFP240?

is there at output have to place any resister like aleph-3?

how much heat dissipation will be on 50w output? let say i am using 8ohms speaker.

how about the cap for power supply?

thank you
michael

Michael, go to http://www.firstwatt.com/downloads/F5-om_sm-080527.pdf and you will have your answers. Last page is PS.
I used the 12,000uf caps from Steve at ApexJr and they are working great. Only $1.99 each. I used 12.
Uriah
 
Official Court Jester
Joined 2003
Paid Member
Re: TH1 TH2

udailey said:


In regards to TH1 and TH2. I would like to use them. I got some wimpy little thermistors from Digikey.
http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/indexd12209.html
Pretty concerned that these will melt from more than just temp. Do these thermistors see current? I thought I remembered seeing something about TH1 and TH2 needing to carry 10amps, but maybe this is from the power supply. Cant remember and have not seen that reference again. If someone could give me a bit of help I would appreciate it.
Had my FETs backwards. :xeye: just found that mistake. Going through P2P again to recheck.
Thanks
Uriah

:clown:

if these two little buggers ever see some substantial current , then something is definitely wrong ......

just use them and do not worry ; did ya see same critters in Papa's amp ? they are probably same looking .

:D