Schmook/Curl MC step up
Here’s another one for your list lineup. I always wanted to try this. 4:1 is almost a perfect ratio for the Schmook/Gilbert multi-tan input. Here is a fully complimentary floating version, an homage to John Curl as it were. This circuit floats on a 9V battery. The linearized transfer function is pictured below, in sim almost -100dB THD at 250mV p-p out. I bet with 2N4401/2N4403’s pulled off of a strip you could get it to work. Noise is sub 1 nano-volt.
Offered up as food for thought, trims and bypassing could be added. You could even get the cartridge current to 0.
The file size limit seems to have dithered away a couple of lines, you should be able to fill in (it's only a couple).
Here’s another one for your list lineup. I always wanted to try this. 4:1 is almost a perfect ratio for the Schmook/Gilbert multi-tan input. Here is a fully complimentary floating version, an homage to John Curl as it were. This circuit floats on a 9V battery. The linearized transfer function is pictured below, in sim almost -100dB THD at 250mV p-p out. I bet with 2N4401/2N4403’s pulled off of a strip you could get it to work. Noise is sub 1 nano-volt.
Offered up as food for thought, trims and bypassing could be added. You could even get the cartridge current to 0.
The file size limit seems to have dithered away a couple of lines, you should be able to fill in (it's only a couple).
Attachments
Scott;
such a complementary pair I used as an overdrive effect for guitar, to get high symmetrical gain from minimum transistors, loaded on pair of diodes by AC. But did not think of it as a serious low noise amplifier. Nice and simple!
such a complementary pair I used as an overdrive effect for guitar, to get high symmetrical gain from minimum transistors, loaded on pair of diodes by AC. But did not think of it as a serious low noise amplifier. Nice and simple!
My design was made to operate to a maximum of 100mV rms. It was a pre-preamp, designed to replace a transformer. A normal 30-40 dB gain phono preamp followed this circuit. I became famous with this design, because it could have 0.4nV/rt Hz noise, virtually unheard of, in 1973. but it is flawed, in that it has limited dynamic range.
john curl said:My design was made to operate to a maximum of 100mV rms. It was a pre-preamp, designed to replace a transformer. A normal 30-40 dB gain phono preamp followed this circuit. I became famous with this design, because it could have 0.4nV/rt Hz noise, virtually unheard of, in 1973. but it is flawed, in that it has limited dynamic range.
I see, John. I mean, pair of transistors, collector to collector, with feedback from collectors to bases.
Why you did not increase collector - emitter voltages?
Later designs raised the Vce by adding cap bypassed biasing diodes, but it overcomplicated the circuit, and it was only sonically semi-successful. Measured better, however. Yup, been there, done that!

john curl said:Later designs raised the Vce by adding cap bypassed biasing diodes, but it overcomplicated the circuit, and it was only sonically semi-successful. Measured better, however. Yup, been there, done that!![]()
I was thinking about bypassed resistors.
john curl said:Lineup, I regret that I am retarded when it comes to computers. I can't easily create a link, and I can't post anything directly.
However, I can tell you the 3 laws of design: Developed from Clarke's Laws, and put into Murphy's laws over the decades.
1. It won't work.
2. It works, but it's not important.
3. We invented it.
This and its variations have been around for decades AND can be found by anyone who is energetic enough to Google:
Thanks, John.
In 2 days is my birthday (22 May). Was born by my ,now dead, mother 1951-05-22.
If I read comments to my 2 posted circuits (which are not really my ideas from start)
I see me an Curl has similar understanding.
I have never claimed they are top of designs possiblee.
I have presented them to show other other diyAudio hobby members
how you easily (with less parts or many lowcost) can build fairly good amplifiers.
syn08
If noise in 270 Ohm resistor is major concern .. this does really show Some Potential! of the rest of circuit.
Now 16 transistors are many, but even a small PCB can easily harbour them.
Metalfilm is understood.
After syn08 commemnt I might look into chainging 270 resistor.
Two 470 Ohm in parallell?
Curl
The second 2x LSK389 NE5534 I am not surprised you know about.
And you understand the circuit as you have tried it long before I first read about it.
Someone said it was something wrong with attaching the replacement outside input compoenents this way.
But if we know really abiout Classsic old NE5534 from Signetiz
we can see how it works.
NE5534 makes good use of all 8 pins. As good we can do it without making it all discrete.
And so We can replace input transistors of NE5534
And possibly using modern discrete lownoise JFET devices, like transforming into one JFET Op, in my case.
This will impropve the high input bias current circuit of NE5534.
Bias Current noise is one factor too 🙂
Thanks for explaining John Curl.
I had trouible with my former Harddrive.
Your compedium is not yet in my new SATA HDD
But you can be sure I will get i 😉 🙂.
Wasnt Steve Eddy offering a link to download .. besides www.DiyHifi.org
Dimitri AND Curl are my searchwords.
lineup said:
syn08
If noise in 270 Ohm resistor is major concern .. this does really show Some Potential! of the rest of circuit.
Now 16 transistors are many, but even a small PCB can easily harbour them.
Metalfilm is understood.
After syn08 commemnt I might look into chainging 270 resistor.
Two 470 Ohm in parallell?
Lineup
This is very elementary. You should read syn08’s post one more time. He is giving you the formula for resistor noise. You can actually parallel as many transistors you like, but the main noise source will be the resistor.
By paralleling two 470 Ohm resistors you are now getting 235 Ohm instead of 270 Ohm so it will be slightly better, but not much.
That is why my MC preamp stages run open loop. It is almost difficult to fix, without using a power amp to drive the feedback resistors.
john curl said:That is why my MC preamp stages run open loop. It is almost difficult to fix, without using a power amp to drive the feedback resistors.
...and it is exactly what this thread is about. It is nice to see when former scientists who taught theories can build real things optimally! Viva Syn08!
john curl said:Like, DUH!
Yes it’s a DUH post by Wavebourn but still he is pointing out the essence of this thread.
lineup,
Right, and with that greatly diminished brain and cochlear cells.I have a feeling you are not one school classroom boy either?
Lumba Ogir said:lineup,
Right, and with that greatly diminished brain and cochlear cells.
Lumba
Not a very good post if you ask me or what do you think? Are you happy?
A good advice: Watch you words.
Cheers
Stinius
john curl said:Lineup, I regret that I am retarded when it comes to computers. I can't easily create a link, and I can't post anything directly.
However, I can tell you the 3 laws of design: Developed from Clarke's Laws, and put into Murphy's laws over the decades.
1. It won't work.
2. It works, but it's not important.
3. We invented it.
😎 Fine!lineup said:
Thanks, John.
In 2 days is my birthday (22 May). Was born by my, now dead, mother 1951-05-22.
----
Thanks for explaining John Curl.
I had trouible with my former Harddrive.
Your compedium is not yet in my new SATA HDD
But you can be sure I will get it 😉
I feel like a rich man again. Have John Curl files onboard!
Because now I have found your (dimitri) compendium again.
I like to call it John Curl On Audio.
Most of it, but not necessarily every line, is still your thinking, I guess?
For those still interested ... hehe ... in reading some John Curl quotes
I provide this temporary download link at my personal webserver here:
http://lineup.homeftp.net/pub/
I hope this link will work. And for a couple of weeks, at least.
But better you get those papers now .. while you can 🙂
Hope you do not mind, John Curl?
Any other papers people would like to have ??
and I can consult my vast, big, gigantic Audio Schmeatics and PDF archives
and put in same place for download 😎
Regards
lineup
john curl said:That is why my MC preamp stages run open loop. It is almost difficult to fix, without using a power amp to drive the feedback resistors.
And live with the distortions. It seems like today is a day you don't care about.
BTW, can you tell us (before I do, 'cause I got the reverse engineered schematics) what is the Vendetta's headroom aka dynamic range?
john curl said:About 10 times more than the Levinson JC-1 pre-preamp.
20 dB more? You wish, try again and this time use numbers
Edmond,
One conclusion of the discussion in this thread could be that, due to the alarmingly nonlinear Vbe/Ice characteristic of bipolars and some other annoyances also mentioned, makes them inferior to FETs in transconductance stages. (That´s why the more concordant functional Ibe/Ice relationship often is used for calculations).
stinius,
any objection?
I`m not. It won`t sound good. Sound quality decreases with the number of paralleled devices.I'm impressed by the number of input trannies
One conclusion of the discussion in this thread could be that, due to the alarmingly nonlinear Vbe/Ice characteristic of bipolars and some other annoyances also mentioned, makes them inferior to FETs in transconductance stages. (That´s why the more concordant functional Ibe/Ice relationship often is used for calculations).
stinius,
any objection?
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