Yes. It was one of Jim Williams creations.
http://cds.linear.com/docs/en/application-note/an120f.pdf
At 120-25 to 120-28 there is a full technical (i.e. rational) justification for the positioning of components and routing of wiring.
This does not subtract a iota from it artistic value 😀
George
http://cds.linear.com/docs/en/application-note/an120f.pdf
At 120-25 to 120-28 there is a full technical (i.e. rational) justification for the positioning of components and routing of wiring.
This does not subtract a iota from it artistic value 😀
George
FYI -- to critically damp a high quality film cap (1 mfd) takes about 0.22 ohms.
THx-RNMarsh
THx-RNMarsh
I'm not clear on what you mean here...could you please elaborate.FYI -- to critically damp a high quality film cap (1 mfd) takes about 0.22 ohms.
THx-RNMarsh
Thx-Dan.
I'm not clear on what you mean here...could you please elaborate.
In a series RLC circuit the damping factor is R/2 x (C/L)^0.5 where L is the parasitic series inductance and R is any series resistance present.
For critical damping, this expression equals 1, so rearranging we have R= 2 x (L/C)^0.5
If C = 1uF and L =50nH (for example), then: R= 2 x (50nH/1uF)^0.5 = 0.45 Ohms
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Yes. It was one of Jim Williams creations.
http://cds.linear.com/docs/en/application-note/an120f.pdf
At 120-25 to 120-28 there is a full technical (i.e. rational) justification for the positioning of components and routing of wiring.
This does not subtract a iota from it artistic value 😀
George
I've downloaded it - some reading for next time I take a flight!
So typical 1uF film cap should have 0.22R in series to prevent uncontrolled resonance behaviour ?.In a series RLC circuit the damping factor is R/2 x (C/L)^0.5 where L is the parasitic series inductance and R is any series resistance present.
For critical damping, this expression equals 1, so rearranging we have R= 2 x (L/C)^0.5
If C = 1uF and L =50nH (for example), then: R= 2 x (50nH/1uF)^0.5 = 0.45 Ohms
What applications ?....crossovers, filters etc ?.
Dan.
This is the sort of thing that we often address in quality audio design. Matti Otala turned me on to it back in 1978. Darned inconvenient isn't it? Or do you just ignore it?
So typical 1uF film cap should have 0.22R in series to prevent uncontrolled resonance behaviour ?.
What applications ?....crossovers, filters etc ?.
It depends on the circuit. For example, if the film cap is in parallel with an electrolytic capacitor in a power supply, that cap's ESR
could serve as the damping resistance for the film cap. Likewise for coupling capacitors.
If the film capacitor is at the output of a regulator, the stability of the regulator can be improved.
There are lots of parasitic inductances in audio circuits, and these can interact with circuit capacitances. If a wire or pcb trace connects a
power supply to a grounded bypass capacitor at an op amp, the parasitic inductance will cause a resonance under some signal conditions
at the op amp's supply terminal. A small series resistor can be added in the supply connection near the op amp to damp this resonance.
This is one reason why low inductance pcb design is important.
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Inconvenient, yes, ignore it, no.This is the sort of thing that we often address in quality audio design. Matti Otala turned me on to it back in 1978. Darned inconvenient isn't it? Or do you just ignore it?
Thanks to RNM for heads up on typical/ballpark values.
Dan.
Hmmm .... a summary: accurate measurements with 60dB dynamic range is easy; accurate measurements with 120dB dynamic range is hard, very hard ... and unfortunately the sensitivity of people's hearing dances around in the middle of those "extremes" ...
It makes-me remember some nice inputs in a French military book from 1914, at destination of soldiers.FYI -- to critically damp a high quality film cap (1 mfd) takes about 0.22 ohms.
It was presented under a questions/answers form.
Q- How long it takes for the barrel of the gun to cool down ?
A- Quite a while.
and, the best ones:
Q- In what did we dig the toilets ?
A- In the quarter of hour after the arrival of the troup in the camp.
Q- Of what are the feet ?
A- Subject to constant care from the infantryman.
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Yes. It was one of Jim Williams creations.
http://cds.linear.com/docs/en/application-note/an120f.pdf
At 120-25 to 120-28 there is a full technical (i.e. rational) justification for the positioning of components and routing of wiring.
This does not subtract a iota from it artistic value 😀
George
All the Jim Williams app notes are available from the LT website. Most of them from App note 25 and onwards have a cartoon at the end.
I have a book of some of the early LT app notes. I found this in the index (written by Williams):

Hilarious!
I remember in one of his very early app notes (pre LT) he referred to digital circuit designers as 'TTL Jockeys'
I remember in one of his very early app notes (pre LT) he referred to digital circuit designers as 'TTL Jockeys'
.22 - .27 ohm
I used the term 'critically' damped. More Rs will over damp the circuit thru the cap and less will be under-damped (ringing). For accuracy in impulse response, you want critically damped circuit. Over-damped is usually what I see... that means an impulse will be compressed and time smeared... would be one way to describe it.
THx-RNMarsh
So typical 1uF film cap should have 0.22R in series to prevent uncontrolled resonance behaviour ?.
What applications ?....crossovers, filters etc ?.
Dan.
I used the term 'critically' damped. More Rs will over damp the circuit thru the cap and less will be under-damped (ringing). For accuracy in impulse response, you want critically damped circuit. Over-damped is usually what I see... that means an impulse will be compressed and time smeared... would be one way to describe it.
THx-RNMarsh
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Hilarious!
I remember in one of his very early app notes (pre LT) he referred to digital circuit designers as 'TTL Jockeys'
Another of the great engineers, Mr. Widlar:

Another of the great engineers, Mr. Widlar:
That summarizes what Bob Pease and Jim Williams though about most audiophile ramblings.
To me the funny part of their view was that their approach to design solved problems. Bob P. favorite simulation software was solder works for DIYers. Guess the psychological part of the audiophile equation was over loading the understanding of what audiophiles where rambling about.
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