JamJar: an HPA-1-inspired power amp

Pico.......
 

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I've made some preliminary topology decisions to get Pico out of his funk. 😉

I'm going to build two. The cascoded push-pull version will be renamed SixPack and go up against Beefcake.

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The current-mirror version gets to keep the JamJar name, but now that it no longer needs to go up against Beefcake I can make some changes to address the Early effect in the VAS. I've dropped the rail voltage to 36V, and swapped 2N5401/2N5551 into the mirrors (which have relatively high Early voltages).

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Still noodling on the bias circuit (TL431 vs. simple trimmer) and some other details.

As always, comments welcome.

Cheers,
Jeff.
 

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Bias circuits

I hope pico has recovered from the trauma..............

My choice of bias circuit, for consideration , one of a couple of options but for mosfets a simple Vbe (one transistor) suffices. I am not much of a fan of the TL431, it works but sound wise ........I did not use it in the HPA-1 for a reason.

Jam
 

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Mark ,

Not my device of choice either, just illustrating the topology. The devices chosen for cascodes should work. 🙂

In this case all three of Hawksford's examples should work.

Jam
 
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Oh yeah, I remember Hawksford's paper from trying to figure out the NAP250 circuit. JV had the added collector resistor, but its value was about 3X what it should have been according to Hawksford's equation. I never did square that circle....

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If the first stage's gain is ~1 then all of the amplifier's gain comes from the second stage. Will that be enough?

Also, the second stage's noise contribution is divided by the first stage's gain. Since the first stage's gain is ~1, the amplifier will be noisier.
 
I hope pico has recovered from the trauma..............

I am not much of a fan of the TL431, it works but sound wise ........I did not use it in the HPA-1 for a reason.

Jam

Me either, I’ve been pondering about how to replace it with something more dumb, I’ve thought about green leds or zener reference with a voltage dividing trim pot.

I don’t like vbe, but that doesn’t mean there is a rational reason for the dislike, I just prefer dumb.