Class A Listening fatigue

rcollege · 16th December 2010, 03:35 PM

I have made a Class A amp using single mosfet and others using BJT or a Darlington for the only active component.
While it sounds deep and rich...great imaging, transparency and detail...I can't listen long without experiencing listening fatigue...I am not playing at loud volumes. I experience this both when the highs are overpowered by the lows and when the highs are a little bright.
I have been unorthodox in using a switching power supply that switches at a rate well into the GHZ.

Could the switching power supply cause the fatigue?...(the sound of tv's and computer monitors used to drive me crazy)
Or would second order Harmonics play a role in this?
Or both?
I got the THD down to .3% on the simulator ( not the most accurate) and I hear very little distortion...but the ear is not the most accurate for THD...just the most accurate for what sounds right.

tinitus · 16th December 2010, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcollege

I experience this both when the highs are overpowered by the lows and when the highs are a little bright.

I would like to see your speakers

AndrewT · 16th December 2010, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcollege

Could the switching power supply cause the fatigue?...

this does not sound like a nice combination.
Let's see the schematics and the build.

Root2 · 16th December 2010, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcollege

I have made a Class A amp using single mosfet and others using BJT or a Darlington for the only active component.
While it sounds deep and rich...great imaging, transparency and detail...I can't listen long without experiencing listening fatigue...I am not playing at loud volumes. I experience this both when the highs are overpowered by the lows and when the highs are a little bright.
I have been unorthodox in using a switching power supply that switches at a rate well into the GHZ.

Could the switching power supply cause the fatigue?...(the sound of tv's and computer monitors used to drive me crazy)
Or would second order Harmonics play a role in this?
Or both?
I got the THD down to .3% on the simulator ( not the most accurate) and I hear very little distortion...but the ear is not the most accurate for THD...just the most accurate for what sounds right.

GHz SMPSU I would love to see that sounds like fun.

WuYit · 16th December 2010, 04:24 PM

Hi,
the cure is a decent (big & bulky) power supply.

Root2 · 16th December 2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WuYit

Hi,
the cure is a decent (big & bulky) power supply.

Regulated or just Bulk caps, and how fast if regulated should the feedback control be for the PSU? any thoughts?

WuYit · 16th December 2010, 06:21 PM

Root2,
just bulk caps will not suffice, either choke regulation or something like this:

pieter t · 16th December 2010, 06:48 PM

Maybe too much odd order distortion?
The second order distortion should not harm sonically, but 3rd, 5th a.s.o. might and even low values are audible.
Could be the price for a very simple amp.

Rikard Nilsson · 16th December 2010, 07:21 PM

I seriously doubt that listening fatigue is down to the amp itself, unless it oscillates or produces extreme amounts of overtones. Listening fatigue in my experience is usually what happens if you listen to a non flat frequency respons, which is usually caused by room influence, or the speakers themselves. Especially, if you have a peak in the region where the human ear is most sensivite, 2-5 kHz, you are very likely to find it fatiguing, even if this initially might be experienced as "great imaging" and detail.

Just my 5 cents worth.......

Bigun · 16th December 2010, 08:19 PM

Could it be the source and not the amp ?

16th December 2010, 03:35 PM	#1
rcollege diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2010	Class A Listening fatigue I have made a Class A amp using single mosfet and others using BJT or a Darlington for the only active component. While it sounds deep and rich...great imaging, transparency and detail...I can't listen long without experiencing listening fatigue...I am not playing at loud volumes. I experience this both when the highs are overpowered by the lows and when the highs are a little bright. I have been unorthodox in using a switching power supply that switches at a rate well into the GHZ. Could the switching power supply cause the fatigue?...(the sound of tv's and computer monitors used to drive me crazy) Or would second order Harmonics play a role in this? Or both? I got the THD down to .3% on the simulator ( not the most accurate) and I hear very little distortion...but the ear is not the most accurate for THD...just the most accurate for what sounds right.

16th December 2010, 08:19 PM	#10
Bigun diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: K-W Ontario Blog Entries: 2	Could it be the source and not the amp ? __________________ "The test of the machine is the satisfaction it gives you. There isn't any other test. If the machine produces tranquility it's right. If it disturbs you it's wrong until either the machine or your mind is changed." Robert M Pirsig.

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16th December 2010, 04:24 PM	#5
WuYit Banned Join Date: Oct 2010	Hi, the cure is a decent (big & bulky) power supply.

16th December 2010, 06:48 PM	#8
pieter t diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2009	Maybe too much odd order distortion? The second order distortion should not harm sonically, but 3rd, 5th a.s.o. might and even low values are audible. Could be the price for a very simple amp.

16th December 2010, 07:21 PM	#9
Rikard Nilsson diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2008	I seriously doubt that listening fatigue is down to the amp itself, unless it oscillates or produces extreme amounts of overtones. Listening fatigue in my experience is usually what happens if you listen to a non flat frequency respons, which is usually caused by room influence, or the speakers themselves. Especially, if you have a peak in the region where the human ear is most sensivite, 2-5 kHz, you are very likely to find it fatiguing, even if this initially might be experienced as "great imaging" and detail. Just my 5 cents worth.......

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