K & K Audio Two Terminal Constant Current Source

rsumperl · 15th April 2011, 02:07 AM

Greetings everyone,
Just wanted to ask if anyone has used the K & K Audio Two Terminal Constant Current Source and what their experience has been like.

Thanks,
Ray

mastodon · 15th April 2011, 09:37 AM

No experience, but those kits are literally nothing more than a depletion mode mosfet, one or two resistors and a trimpot. I don't really see the added value of purchasing this as a kit instead of buying the components and wiring them in a point-to-point fashion.

Raj1 · 15th April 2011, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mastodon

No experience, but those kits are literally nothing more than a depletion mode mosfet, one or two resistors and a trimpot. I don't really see the added value of purchasing this as a kit instead of buying the components and wiring them in a point-to-point fashion.

I suppose anyone that's asking the OP question probably needs a schematic to build something of similar ilk...

mastodon · 15th April 2011, 09:47 AM

Fair enough

Bas Horneman · 10:07 AM

Quote:

K & K Audio Two Terminal Constant Current Source

Which one?

But never mind about the non-cascaded version. Get a cascaded version. (If you plan on using it as a plate load OR in the tail of a LTP) The non-cascaded version would do fine for instance in the output section of say a Baby Huey PP EL84.

And as mastodon says you could build those yourself.

The IXYS IXTP01N100D is reputed to sound better than the Supertex DN2540N5 and that is why K and K now use them. (Actually they use both in the cascaded but one is strategically placed where it has more effect)

Unfortunately us Europeans cannot buy IXYS IXTP01N100D.

zigzagflux · 15th April 2011, 11:06 AM

Only thing I don't care for with the design is they thermally bond the two FETs together on the heat sink. By keeping the lower FET isolated and in free air (it doesn't dissipate much anyway) you reduce long term thermal drift. The upper FETs current is dictated by the lower.

Doz · 15th April 2011, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bas Horneman

Unfortunately us Europeans cannot buy IXYS IXTP01N100D.

Ironically , I used to buy IXYS IGBT's from the Netherlands

Digikey will ship you one...

mastodon · 15th April 2011, 12:28 PM

So will Mouser.

edit: Oops, they won't.

SY · 15th April 2011, 12:46 PM

Two DN2540, three resistors, you have a current source as close to perfect as one could even need in audio. $3 plus a square inch of perf board. Heat sink on the upper FET. You're done.

tinitus · 15th April 2011, 02:15 PM

yeah, we 'noobs' really should learn to do this

but you know, even simple diodes can cause headaches to some us

I wouldn't mind more input on this subject

15th April 2011, 02:07 AM	#1
rsumperl diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Binghamton, NY	K & K Audio Two Terminal Constant Current Source Greetings everyone, Just wanted to ask if anyone has used the K & K Audio Two Terminal Constant Current Source and what their experience has been like. Thanks, Ray

15th April 2011, 12:46 PM	#9
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Austin, TX Blog Entries: 1	Two DN2540, three resistors, you have a current source as close to perfect as one could even need in audio. $3 plus a square inch of perf board. Heat sink on the upper FET. You're done. __________________ “Listening to records is like ****ing a picture of Brigitte Bardot.” - Sergiu Celibidache

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15th April 2011, 09:37 AM	#2
mastodon diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2011	No experience, but those kits are literally nothing more than a depletion mode mosfet, one or two resistors and a trimpot. I don't really see the added value of purchasing this as a kit instead of buying the components and wiring them in a point-to-point fashion.

15th April 2011, 09:47 AM	#4
mastodon diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2011	Fair enough

15th April 2011, 11:06 AM	#6
zigzagflux diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	Only thing I don't care for with the design is they thermally bond the two FETs together on the heat sink. By keeping the lower FET isolated and in free air (it doesn't dissipate much anyway) you reduce long term thermal drift. The upper FETs current is dictated by the lower.

15th April 2011, 12:28 PM	#8
mastodon diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2011	So will Mouser. edit: Oops, they won't.

15th April 2011, 02:15 PM	#10
tinitus diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005	yeah, we 'noobs' really should learn to do this but you know, even simple diodes can cause headaches to some us I wouldn't mind more input on this subject

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