Ah yes of course BC546, sorry for the mistake! Original BC239s with extra high hfe are not so easy to get...
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To first order I don’t see any relationship between the specific bipolar transistor type and emitter degeneration resistor value. The degeneration resistor value is related to the transconductance which is mostly determined by the collector current.
All I can say is that both Avondale and HackerNAP use 100R with the BC546s, but Naim uses BC239 without resistors...
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I think it's a 'Red Herring' to look at the part numbers in this case.
An LTP without degeneration resistors running at <1mA with high value collector load resistor has high gain allowing more loop feedback and this has been a popular approach. It also has a slightly different sound signature as a result when compared with designs using emitter degeneration.
Over time it was discovered that certain distortion mechanisms could be addressed by introducing emitter degeneration to the LTP with higher current. I think it also helps reduce LTP device matching requirements slightly. The degeneration improves linearity of the LTP devices but the higher current means a smaller collector load resistor and this lowers the gain and hence the loop feedback factor. In general, it's advisable to include emitter degeneration but if you're making a clone you must leave them out or you are not going to have the same sound - regardless of transistor type. A compromise might be to introduce small value degeneration, such as 10R. If I remember correctly, this was my approach on some early projects such as my TGM and TGM1 amplifiers.
An LTP without degeneration resistors running at <1mA with high value collector load resistor has high gain allowing more loop feedback and this has been a popular approach. It also has a slightly different sound signature as a result when compared with designs using emitter degeneration.
Over time it was discovered that certain distortion mechanisms could be addressed by introducing emitter degeneration to the LTP with higher current. I think it also helps reduce LTP device matching requirements slightly. The degeneration improves linearity of the LTP devices but the higher current means a smaller collector load resistor and this lowers the gain and hence the loop feedback factor. In general, it's advisable to include emitter degeneration but if you're making a clone you must leave them out or you are not going to have the same sound - regardless of transistor type. A compromise might be to introduce small value degeneration, such as 10R. If I remember correctly, this was my approach on some early projects such as my TGM and TGM1 amplifiers.
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The small-signal transconductance is about 40 x Ic at room temperature. So about 40 x 0.0005 = 0.02 per LTP transistor. The conductance of a 100 ohm resistor is 0.01. So the emitter resistors have a significant effect.
There is debate. If you add emitter resistors it widens the linearity window of the LTP but also reduces loop gain and loop feedback.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...tead-of-emitter-resistors.274117/post-4321046
There are other considerations like dc offset and system stability. I would recommend omitting the resistors and matching the transistors.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...tead-of-emitter-resistors.274117/post-4321046
There are other considerations like dc offset and system stability. I would recommend omitting the resistors and matching the transistors.
I have 40v psu. and know that nap140 was 35 volt. Thus, I disconnect the first part of amplifier with 5.1 volt zeners. I'm listening now, not decided yet better or not. What do you think about that 🙂
Similar to Avondale NCC200! But the front end can run at 40V, and iirc some Avondale users run it even higher than the output stage. Did you try wiring the front end separately to the power rails?
in NCC200 there is diode, it makes 0.7v drop. I used 5.1v zeners, 5.1v voltage drop. now, front runs with nearly 35volts. I didn't seperate front end. I only want it runs just like nap140.
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I am not sure, but a diode in the rail is likely not the same as a lower voltage transformer without a diode when it comes to noise and clipping behaviour. I think it’s it‘s relatively easy to improve on the performance of the amp but then it’s not so clear whether you are preserving the sound. I have noticed that one of my first amplifiers, an AKSA clone, sounded quite different with a lower voltage power transformer. In my NAIM clone (you can search up the “TGM10” thread) the main thing I was willing to ’improve’ was the Vbe thermal control, which resulted in a very stable amplifier that didn’t depend on the physical enclosure etc. for proper behaviour. I have not yet boxed up that amp but will be looking carefully at proper choice of power supply.
I saw some of your amps in the TGM threads: which one is close to a maybe slightly modernized Naim but with available parts and/or minor improvements such as the Vbe thermal control...?
"...comes to noise and clipping behaviour." , clipping is happen when close&open the diode, like in ac/dc convertion. Here, voltage are likely the same, not oscillating. I think there is no clipping. I beware the noise. But, real world there is no noise. I've still been listening. With/without zener sound looks like the same. and ZTX's are still very hot 🙂
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https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/tgm10-based-on-naim-by-julian-vereker.302454/
I'll ask the Mods to re-open my thread once I'm ready to finish up and box it.
If your ztx's will burn out, then you can try zeners. Only, front end is working with lower voltage. ZTX's cooler than 40v. ztx's driving (collector) voltages are nearly the same (1-2mv difference, 855&858mv). Also, idle current and idle output voltage changes little bit. Sound is the same up to now.
Sorry, I might have confused my rememberings... Here another record of a higher output stage: what about the claim that it makes the output act as a voltage regulator...?
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AFAIK the idea is that the higher voltage is used for the front-end. This promotes linearity and means headroom is no issue. Because the front-end is low power the higher voltage doesn't bring much penalty in dissipation. The output stage is where all the heat is generated so you tend to limit the voltage to the design target. Of course, circuits can be designed without a higher voltage for the front end and the use of a capacitor based bootstrap gives the additional headroom instead. Most common is a single bootstrap on the collector of a single-ended VAS but others (e.g. Hugh Dean of AKSA fame) has used a capacitor bootstrap on both rails to ensure the front end can drive the MOSFET output stage to the rails despite several volts of gate threshold voltage.