Multi channel attenuator withPGA2311/PGA4311

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It seems that I'm far from being alone in the quest for multi channel attenuation of several independent amps, so my hope is that there is someone out there who would like to help others and me to build such a device.

My problem is that I know absolutely nothing about how to design such an attenuator and know even less about programming.

That hasn't stopped me though, from trying to find the most suitable solution to my needs.

I've got a pair of four-way speakers, actually it's a five-way system, but for the fifth one, a JBL075, I will keep the passive crossover (1uF cap), since I don't think my Behringer UltraDrives will be able to improve the sound by going active on the 075's.
So, I have a four-way system, which I'm about to designate one Hypex UcD module to each driver and therefore I need at least an eight-channel fully balanced attenuator to be hooked up between the UltraDrive and the eight independent amps.
I don't need to be able to adjust the channels separately, since the Behringers I have, can take care of any level differences.

From what I've seen so far, my gut feeling tells me the Ti PGA2311 and the PGA4311, might be the best solution.
If anyone thinks I've got it wrong, please let me know.

The PGA2311 is a two-channel chip and the PGA4311 is a four-channel chip.
http://www.electronicstalk.com/news/tex/tex247.html

Please correct me if I'm wrong again, but since I need 2*4 channel attenuation, I thought it might be smart to use four PGA4311 (because I need balanced in- and outs), two on each stereo-channel, if that's possible, that is and if it's necessary at all to double the chips for a balanced/symmetrical design.
I also thought that the PGA4311 would simplify the design and PCB layout somewhat.

So, if anyone would like to make some suggestions to the design, I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one being extremely grateful for any input. :)

/Roland
 
Roland,

no, you don not need four PGA4311 for 2*4 channels of differential ("balanced") attenuation. In fact, I do not think that you actually achieve a true differential interconnection that way (but I have to give this a second thought!) :rolleyes:

The PGA2311/4311 seems like mighty nice chips like most of the BB/TI stuff. You could use two PGA4311 (or four PGA2311) paired with INA134 differential receivers and DRV134 differential drivers (also BB/TI parts) for a more or less true differential design. (see this thread http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36397&perpage=10&highlight=&pagenumber=2 for a discussion of "balanced" vs "pseudo-balanced") The easiest way would then probably be to use a simple microcontroller like an Atmel AVR or Microchip PIC to control the PGA:s.

/Magnus
 
Hallo Franz!

Don't need to scroll down, since I have no problem reading German, since I'm born in Vienna! ;)

However, I've been looking at the Schuro kits before, but never found any balanced kits.
Besides, their kit is based on the PGA2310 and I would prefer to use the PGA4311. But perhaps I somehow missed it.

Hi Magnus!

That would be great, if it isn't necessary to use four PGA4311, to obtain 2*4 channel attenuation!

I read the thread you suggested and I can appreciate your deep and profound knowledge on the subject, and what you wrote made sence to me, although I haven't a clue about the bits and pieces that makes up a fully functional attenuator and I'm sure I wouldn't be able to put them together without some help and tutoring.

I have no problem soldering and reading schematics and part-lists and putting the things together mechanically, but I couldn't tell if a design with IC's, would work or not.

You said something about samples for evaluation from Texas, would that include the PGA4311 or was that for or the DRV134 only?

Grateful for anything that would help me build one of these attenuators.

-----------
BTW! You just got to love that dish::D
schkabodiboo sckaboo!
-----------

/Roland
 
Roland,

yes, TI offers free samples of the PGA4311. As most semiconductor manufacturers they do so for most of their products. (Exceptions usually include very expensive components, evaluation kits etc). You can see the free sample availability for each component under "Pricing/Packaging/Samples".

A typical all-differential attenuator signal chain with these components would be:

(1) INA134 as a differential to single-ended receiver. (Any good opamp could be used here instead).

(2) PGA4311 as the attenuator element (fed by the INA134). The attenuator is operated single-ended ("unbalanced").

(3) DRV134 as a single-ended to differential converter for driving the "balanced" cables to the amps

(4) Microcontroller for controlling the PGA:s, power supply.

For a 2*4 channel unit this would require two PGA4311, eight INA134 and eight DRV134. You could substitute the INA134:s with say two OPA4132 quad opamps and a bunch of precision resistors instead if you want. And not to be forgotten - the 16 XLR connectors at the rear! :D

While putting together a system like this is not very difficult it is quite time consuming. :rolleyes: In your case it would well be worth the effort though IMHO. Keeping crosstalk, noise and other artefacts to a minimum also requires some quality time with the spectrum analyser.

Buttum leene-a, yuoor ell-JBL system deserfes zee fery best ettenooetur!
(Produced with the
ENCHEFENIZER http://www.twinpines.nl/chef/English/)

;)

/Magnus
 
Hi Roland

Just thought you might find these chips interesting:
WM8816

They're very similar to the PGA chips you mentioned, but with no internal opamp, so you can choose whatever amp you like.

Also there are alternatives to the ina/drv134 chips:
That 1240
That 1420

They are also releasing a new 1200 series reciever, but they're not out yet.

I'm not saying these are better, i haven't tried any of them yet, but they seem to be at least as good as the ones mentioned earlier. Just thought i'd mention them to give you more options.
I've had a hard time sourcing the Drv/Pga parts in Sweden (Elfa has the Ina134), but these are all available from Profusion in the UK.

/Andreas
 
Those "That" circuits sure look interesting. Never heard of them before.

-> Roland. Sure there are only 8 outputs. But there are 8 inputs too...
:rolleyes: Or were you planning on fitting the attenuator inside the Behringer (is there enuf' room)?

Have you given the volume control implementation a thought? Just a knob on the attenuator, RS232-controlled by a computer or merged with a system remote control?

I did not give the TI sample page a try but most likely it is only temporarily down. Last time I ordered samples from them they processed the request within a few hours. Samples arrived by parcel service within a week. :D

/Magnus
 
Thank you nuppe!
I've been there and found that there are different models available. Should I look for the 1420 DIP or the SOIC? Then there was a 1430. What's the difference?

The 1240, I didn't find, but I found some 1200, 1203 and 1206.
Which should i look for?

On the WM8816, I did not see any balanced circuit. Is that a possibility?

Would you be capable of and willing to suggest a good design around the WM8816?


-Magnus
I still can't go to the PGA4311 "Request sample" page. Do you know if there is another way?

/Roland
 
Roland,

the 1200, 1203 and 1206 differ in their gain. (1200 = 0 dB, 1203 = -3 dB, 1206 = -6 dB). They all look great because they have a special topology that boosts common-mode impedance to closely mimic a transformer. The 1240 series is the standard solution (one opamp used in the "instrument amp" configuration). They also come with different gain settings.

Regarding the WM8816, no there is no balanced circuitry here. Neither is there for the PGA4311! They both operate in single-ended (unbalanced) mode. This is what you use the INA:s and DRV:s for. First you convert the differential (balanced) signal to single-ended (unbalanced), then the attenuator performs the necessary attenuation, then you convert the signal back to differential again.

So all in all, the WM8816 and the PGA4311 is pretty much the same thing. Basically, the only difference is that the WM8816 does not have any internal opamps necessary for proper operation. The PGA4311 also seems to have superior specs and the "soft step" function.

Bottom line is that you can use any combination of the above chips or even something else. The truth been told, I have not looked into digitally controlled attenuators for audio to any large degree. But the PGA4311 has such good specs that it would be pretty hard to beat with any discrete solution.

Now, PGA4311 sample problem... Go to the bottom of the tech page for the PGA4311 and click "Request samples". Now you have to log in as a TI user. Assuming that you are not yet registered at TI you have to fill in a registration form (shipping address, name and so on). Then there should be no problems requesting samples.
-Oh, assuming of course that you did not select "Afghanistan" and "Missile Guidance" as for the intended application. :rolleyes:

/Magnus
 
Aha, that's why it didn't work! I took the address of my condo in North Korea. :yikes:
Didn't think they'd mind my building laser guided missiles there. :xeye:

No seriously, I did log in after registering, but that didn't help much, although they even greet me with "hello Roland".

Aaahh, you mean that the inputs count as well? :blush:

Hmmm, RS232 and remote, sounds VERY cool:cool: In just a few days I will receive a new PC with Audigy 2 ZS sound card, with front panel and remote. Would that be possible to integrate with the attenuator? :yummy: :cool:

/Roland
 
Hmm, while most people tend to assume the contrary I am not a "computer guy". :Pumpkin: I do not know anything about the sound card you mentioned, but give me the spec's and I will have a look at it. But your Behringer UltraDrive is remote controlled with RS232 isn't it? So it would be kinda neet to have the entire system computer-controlled. As said before, this really isn't difficult , but it is time consuming.

I can't wait to see your amp rack full of pro gear and nests of XLR's and balanced interconnects! An EE's wet dream! :cloud9:

On a sidenote, what XLR's and interconnect cable do you use? I am extremely happy with the Neutrik XLR's and Gotham Cables GAC1-3 wire. Awesome pro build quality at a great price. (certified for broadcast use by the BBC ). They have a clever color coding system for the XLR's too. I think you might need it for your rack... :cool:

/M
 
Yes the UltraDrive has a RS232 as well as RJ45 Network TP cable connection and it can be controled via a computer. It also has MIDI connections, wordclock and what have you.

Unfortunately I don't have any specs on the Sound card from Creative. It has ASIO compatibility though (what ever that means), which I've heard is good, but that's about all I know.

Early on, I bought the xlr's from HiFiKit in Stockholm, but I discovered that the quality was not what I expected, so after that mistake, I've been bying the gold plated Neutrik xlr's from Elfa, which are much better and they give me the quality I expect.

The cables I have, are bought from HiFiKit, but perhaps I shoud buy something else.


/Roland
 
Well, don't get too excited about the cable thing... :rolleyes:
It is simply that I found the GAC-cable to be mechanically and electrically superior to most cables out there while they still come at a reasonable price. ELFA carries them, actually without the ordinary ELFA-rip-off premium pricing. And they come in different beautiful colors! :xeye:
 
Hi guys!

I'm glad you found the chips interesting.

I have no luck getting in to the product section on profusions site today, so i couldn't check which chips they had listed. If they have the 120x, they seem to be better, so no loss if the 1240's aren't there.

DIP are the standard through hole packages and SOIC are small surface mount types.

I'm sorry to say i'm no electronics wizard (yet...) so i can't help you with a design for the wm8816. The datasheet has some suggestions for opamps and bypassing advice that seems valuable. I am going to build some test circuit's with these, but i'm not sure they will be any good, i'm taking my first (wobbly) steps in analog electronics here...

Could the differences in specs (thd) between the PGA and the WM be becasue the PGA's are measured at a fixed frequency and the WM is measured with a dc to 20kHz sweep?

And wouldn't most of the distortion come from the opamp and not the resistor/switch grid anyway(assuming no big mistakes are built into the chip)? It says in the datasheet the WM is meaured with an OP275 at the output (remember, this is mostly guessing as i'm still new to this).

I'm going to do something very similar to what you are doing Roland, these chips are goin to be the first steps towards a remote controlled multichannel preamp for an active system. I'm going to build it modular so i can add more channels if/when i feel like it. I'll post something on the forum when i get any real work done (i'm a real slow starter :blush: ).

Magnus:
Are those Gotham cables twisted pair?
They look sweet but i couldn't find any info about that at Elfa, do you know?

/Andreas
 
Andreas,

I haven't really looked into the distortion specs for the WM8816, but you can se graphs for the PGA4311 over the entire audio spectrum in the datasheet. But this is a THD+N (distortion + noise) measurement.
One reason for different performance might be that the PGA4311 needs a dual +/- 5V supply while the WM8816 operates from a single +5V supply. As to whether most of the distortion for the WM8816 come from the opamps or the internal resistor switching network I have to spend some time with the datasheet to figure out. But remember that these switches are CMOS switches so you can expect some added distortion here.

Yes, the GAC cables are twisted pair (naturally, the GAC-1 is not...:rolleyes: ). You can see the specs at http://www.gotham.ch/gac/gacindex.htm)
Most audiophiles would probably not even nod in the direction of these cables because the dielectric (for the GAC-2) is PVC (the GAC-1 uses PE). Still, these cables are very popular in the pro audio industry, and if they are good enough for broadcast and studio work they are good enough for me! :cool:

/Magnus
 
Yeah, the distortion curves for the PGA's look pretty sweet, i must have missed them when i scanned through the datasheet.
And the fact that Wolfson doesn't have a dist. vs. freq. graph makes you wonder... I think i'll order some samples and make a comparison.

Great about the gotham cables!
I've been trying to find good TP cable, but the retailers seem to leave this fact out of their advertising. Thanks!

/Andreas
 
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