TPA3116 SQ
Been busy moding 3 of the blue/black boards (1 mine, 2 for a friend) for a month or 2 now. Mine is not set up in my main system and I really haven't done any critical listening, just getting reports from my friend. The last lot of mods my friend gave a very glowing report so I thought time for a real listen.
Listening through Mark Audio 10.3 drivers in Frugel Horm XL cabinets with ES9023 DAC. This little amp is staggering, I find it really hard to believe what I am hearing. Dynamics, clarity, detail all that hifi stuff. Struck string of an acoustic guitar has real power/attack and detail without becoming harsh at all. Plenty of power too, bass is now very punchy/clean whereas I had considered it a bit on the overblown side. Certainly in a different class to the TK2050 amp I was using with these speakers.
The MA drivers are giant killers in themselves but the 3116 has shown me what they are really capable of.
The amp has most of the mods discussed here except the pin17 which is beyond me. Tho think all the mods probably contribute one way or another but maybe the latest 2 really opened it up. The snubber mods (using SMD components) and tuning the LC filter to the driver impedance - now have Bourns 33uh inductors and .39uf film caps.
Now to build a version with improved PS and other tweaks with DUGs boards.
Been busy moding 3 of the blue/black boards (1 mine, 2 for a friend) for a month or 2 now. Mine is not set up in my main system and I really haven't done any critical listening, just getting reports from my friend. The last lot of mods my friend gave a very glowing report so I thought time for a real listen.
Listening through Mark Audio 10.3 drivers in Frugel Horm XL cabinets with ES9023 DAC. This little amp is staggering, I find it really hard to believe what I am hearing. Dynamics, clarity, detail all that hifi stuff. Struck string of an acoustic guitar has real power/attack and detail without becoming harsh at all. Plenty of power too, bass is now very punchy/clean whereas I had considered it a bit on the overblown side. Certainly in a different class to the TK2050 amp I was using with these speakers.
The MA drivers are giant killers in themselves but the 3116 has shown me what they are really capable of.
The amp has most of the mods discussed here except the pin17 which is beyond me. Tho think all the mods probably contribute one way or another but maybe the latest 2 really opened it up. The snubber mods (using SMD components) and tuning the LC filter to the driver impedance - now have Bourns 33uh inductors and .39uf film caps.
Now to build a version with improved PS and other tweaks with DUGs boards.
ChrisMmm,
Thanks for the SQ report and noting the importance of changing LC values to match driver impedance. This 3116 with the mods and the right speaker really is a joy to listen to. If you think it sounds good and have not listened to this song, I urge anyone testing their speakers/amps to give the song called September in Montreal by Anne Bisson a listen. I am still knocked off my seat every time I play it. Sounds like the FHXL and A10 are really a good match for this amp.
Cheers,
X
The bootstrap cap is one of the most critical components for the amp to actually make sound. A bad connection or bad cap will make the amp either silent or click only. However, it is an easy fix if you can scrape away some varnish on a trace leading from the pin on the chip and attach a cap to it. If you don't have much trace to attach a large cap, use a small SMT x7r one to keep the mass of the attached cap small and reduce stress on little solder trace. Don't throw board away it is very salvageable as long as chip is not damaged.
Good luck!
Problem with inflated specs is some people buying them for serious work find out they cannot deliver. Google!!!! gives you many hits. Introductory Information on Astron power supplies
The YJBlue boards were my first real experience with soldering on PCBs. I too struggled with cleaning solder out of the through holes. I didn't have any luck with solder wick or solder suckers. I never ruined a board, but I spent a lot of time and frustration trying to clean them out.
Finally, after reading "How to Remove Solder from a Circuit Board Hole", I bought a small hand drill/pin vise with a miniature drill bit. I've found this to be much quicker and cleaner than trying to remove the stock solder.
So my process for removing stock through-hole components is to heat one lead while pulling on the component (on the other side of the PCB). Usually it doesn't come out all the way. Then I switch over to the other side and repeat. Then I go back to the first side. Typically, it takes no more than two heating cycles on either side to remove the stock component.
Once the solder has cooled, I use the hand drill to clean out the hole. This doesn't remove 100% of the stock solder, but it makes the hole big enough to easily fit the leads of the new component in. Then I solder each lead of the new component using some of my own solder.
Just throwing out more ideas in hopes of helping the relatively inexperienced like myself!
Finally, after reading "How to Remove Solder from a Circuit Board Hole", I bought a small hand drill/pin vise with a miniature drill bit. I've found this to be much quicker and cleaner than trying to remove the stock solder.
So my process for removing stock through-hole components is to heat one lead while pulling on the component (on the other side of the PCB). Usually it doesn't come out all the way. Then I switch over to the other side and repeat. Then I go back to the first side. Typically, it takes no more than two heating cycles on either side to remove the stock component.
Once the solder has cooled, I use the hand drill to clean out the hole. This doesn't remove 100% of the stock solder, but it makes the hole big enough to easily fit the leads of the new component in. Then I solder each lead of the new component using some of my own solder.
Just throwing out more ideas in hopes of helping the relatively inexperienced like myself!
2 x 50 Watt 4 Ohm Class D Audio Amplifier Board ? TPA3116 | eBay
Sure Electronics' webstore 2 x 50 Watt 4 Ohm Class D Audio Amplifier Board ? TPA3116
Hmmm, could this be the new Wiener?!? (Winner!)
The Wiener:
PS
High Freq SM PS caps close to chip (me)
Multiple High Freq SM PS caps close to chip ('Braxy)
Multiple Low Freq PS caps close to chip
"easy" access to other PS supply pin ('Braxy)
Output
EMI (xrk971)
switching (xrk971)
bootstrap (xrk971)
Input
easy replace input caps
separate traces for + and - ('Braxy)
proper gnd for + and - ('Braxy)
properly placed input R for + and - ('Braxy)
Control
gain pins
switching freq (me!)
switching mode (me!)
Other???
Hey KJA 2013, could you take some better quality pics of these sections so we can zoom in and see the traces, gnd, vias etc ...
XXX CAUTION XXX
XXX DO NOT XXX
XXX CLICK THIS XXX
XXX UNLESS YOU XXX
XXX HAVE 15 MIN XXX
http://www.sure-electronics.net/Sure Electronics Audio Amplifier Product Manual.pdf
😎
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Going solely from the pics, it looks like if you change out the heatsink, you could, with reasonable ease, replace the output filter inductors. Not sure if the massive Coilcraft inductors will fit on there, but someone posted some decent-looking inductors with the same footprint as the YJBlue stock several posts back.
Not sure what kind of quality the stock inductors are, but either way, one might want to change their value to better match speaker load.
I ordered one this morning. 🙂
Doh!!! Of course, how could I forget, output inductors: 😱
Output inductors
Coilcraft (matt_garman)
😉
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Nice, but I can't take credit for that! I can't remember who first suggested the inductor swap on the YJBlue board, but it wasn't me. 🙂
Ohhh, no, no, no, no!
You pointed out my mistake, so you're Mr. Inductor, Smarty-Pants!
You've got a Sure3116 on the way and a few different inductors I take it ... 😀
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I think a different "vertically oriented" heatsink can be used that would free up more space for different inductors.
Also, turn off noise is zero. Turn on noise is miniscule.
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Attachments
On the Sure board, what is the purpose of those four large holes towards the output end of the board? (The ones a little over from the output inductors.)
Ever seen bridges with smd caps?!
Got sick and bored today so I started soldering on the smds that came in the mail yesterday.. 25V 22uF. I added 10 on each side at first but I still wasn't quite happy. So I added some more, and made bridges over the components that were in the way. The bridges are in parallell to the ones underneath.. So now the current doesn't have to go trough that tiny trace anymore.
When I then turned on the amplifier I got a bit of an bass shock! Super hard hitting bass until shutdown.. It doesnt sound constrained anymore when maxed out. This is even better than the Oscons in the original spot! I also went to 32db gain which changed the impedance. It seems my dac likes lower impedance cause the dynamics got alot better too. It finally sounds like a huge expensive amp😀
Got sick and bored today so I started soldering on the smds that came in the mail yesterday.. 25V 22uF. I added 10 on each side at first but I still wasn't quite happy. So I added some more, and made bridges over the components that were in the way. The bridges are in parallell to the ones underneath.. So now the current doesn't have to go trough that tiny trace anymore.
When I then turned on the amplifier I got a bit of an bass shock! Super hard hitting bass until shutdown.. It doesnt sound constrained anymore when maxed out. This is even better than the Oscons in the original spot! I also went to 32db gain which changed the impedance. It seems my dac likes lower impedance cause the dynamics got alot better too. It finally sounds like a huge expensive amp😀
Attachments
The power caps should have been a lot closer to the chip! I wish someone could make a trough hole pcb with componts on both sides..
So you are not using OSCON's and using non electrolytic SMT caps soldered as a floating bridge? Your photo is hard to see with wired white balance and angle. Cool looking homemade copper heatsink. Did you solder that onto the chip directly? I have cut copper rings from 0.5in tuning and solder. Interesting find that you think the bass has markedly improved.
Audiolapdance,
Not sure what you are talking about here. I only know of my bootstrap snubber mod. What is EMI and switching?
X
EMI (xrk971)
switching (xrk971)
bootstrap (xrk971)
Not sure what you are talking about here. I only know of my bootstrap snubber mod. What is EMI and switching?
X
EMI (xrk971)
switching (xrk971)
bootstrap (xrk971)