Circuits of high-quality low-frequency amplifiers. Transistor amplifier: types, circuits, simple and complex. Tube amplifier circuit

I'm sure many of you are dissatisfied with wheezing and distortion from not serious Chinese computer speakers. I tried connecting several versions of such acoustics to a computer, but none of them satisfied me either in terms of sound quality, or functionality, and most importantly, their poor design. So I had to try to do something useful myself. Moreover, modern microcircuits allow you to solder ULFs that are really good in their characteristics literally in the evening. All electronic items were found at home; only amplifier chips and switches with headphone jacks were bought.

A powerful amplifier 2x25 Watt, made on the TDA7265 microcircuit - this is the main ULF. Download a detailed description of the microcircuit here.


This is a small, relatively low-power ULF for 2x5 Watt headphones. Its superiorities are of course obvious, at least in terms of output power. But I made it not only for the ears, but more for ease of use. After all, in order to connect headphones with a thick 6.3 mm Jack plug, there will be many difficulties with adapters, not to mention the fact that they cannot be fully pumped with decent quality by a weak amplifier.


Most often, the appearance of purchased Chinese speakers leaves much to be desired and you just want to put them under the table so as not to see them. But then it will be inconvenient to turn them on. This amplifier, assembled with your own hands and to your own taste, will be located in a visible, convenient place on the table, being its original decoration, so all the sockets, regulators and ULF buttons will be at hand. The backlight can be turned off if desired by a button on the back wall of the ULF, so as not to interfere with using the computer in the dark, but after the next time the amplifier is turned on, it automatically turns on again.


The housing for the ULF was made of chipboard, after which it was carefully cleaned and painted in a serious black color.

I wanted to make the indicator similar to the indicators of famous branded amplifiers.


The regulator is made classic - large, round, and in no case a push-button one. So that when you rotate it you feel that this is a thing, and not some cheap toy junk. On the encoder, the adjustment disappeared on its own; I needed to highlight the position on the handle, and it would not be possible to rotate it endlessly with a wire. Therefore, I decided to make a regulator using a variable resistor.


It was decided to make the supports for the homemade ULF in the classic design style of radio equipment - nickel-plated, but with a slight twist in the high-tech style. Blue lighting is used at the base of the legs. As you can see from the photos, this is implemented using flooded blue LEDs at the base of the legs.


On the front panel of the ULF there are: a mains switch, an AC switch, a constant signal to the headphones, regardless of whether the speakers are turned on or not - this is also part of the intended plan. Nowadays you won’t find an amplifier with such a circuit, even serious expensive amplifiers are made according to the principle “plug in headphones and there is no signal to the speakers,” but previously all amplifiers were made exactly according to this circuit. For me, this signal distribution scheme is very relevant.

– The neighbor stopped knocking on the radiator. I turned the music up so I couldn't hear him.
(From audiophile folklore).

The epigraph is ironic, but the audiophile is not necessarily “sick in the head” with the face of Josh Ernest at a briefing on relations with the Russian Federation, who is “thrilled” because his neighbors are “happy.” Someone wants to listen to serious music at home as in the hall. For this purpose, the quality of the equipment is needed, which among lovers of decibel volume as such simply does not fit where sane people have a mind, but for the latter it goes beyond reason from the prices of suitable amplifiers (UMZCH, audio frequency power amplifier). And someone along the way has a desire to join useful and exciting areas of activity - sound reproduction technology and electronics in general. Which in the age of digital technology are inextricably linked and can become a highly profitable and prestigious profession. The optimal first step in this matter in all respects is to make an amplifier with your own hands: It is UMZCH that allows, with initial training on the basis of school physics on the same table, to go from the simplest designs for half an evening (which, nevertheless, “sing” well) to the most complex units, through which a good rock band will play with pleasure. The purpose of this publication is highlight the first stages of this path for beginners and, perhaps, convey something new to those with experience.

Protozoa

So, first, let's try to make an audio amplifier that just works. In order to thoroughly delve into sound engineering, you will have to gradually master quite a lot of theoretical material and not forget to enrich your knowledge base as you progress. But any “cleverness” is easier to assimilate when you see and feel how it works “in hardware.” In this article further, too, we will not do without theory - about what you need to know at first and what can be explained without formulas and graphs. In the meantime, it will be enough to know how to use a multitester.

Note: If you haven’t soldered electronics yet, keep in mind that its components cannot be overheated! Soldering iron - up to 40 W (preferably 25 W), maximum allowable soldering time without interruption - 10 s. The soldered pin for the heat sink is held 0.5-3 cm from the soldering point on the side of the device body with medical tweezers. Acid and other active fluxes cannot be used! Solder - POS-61.

On the left in Fig.- the simplest UMZCH, “which just works.” It can be assembled using both germanium and silicon transistors.

On this baby it is convenient to learn the basics of setting up an UMZCH with direct connections between cascades that give the clearest sound:

  • Before turning on the power for the first time, turn off the load (speaker);
  • Instead of R1, we solder a chain of a constant resistor of 33 kOhm and a variable resistor (potentiometer) of 270 kOhm, i.e. first note four times less, and the second approx. twice the denomination compared to the original according to the scheme;
  • We supply power and, by rotating the potentiometer, at the point marked with a cross, we set the indicated collector current VT1;
  • We remove the power, unsolder the temporary resistors and measure their total resistance;
  • As R1 we set a resistor with a value from the standard series closest to the measured one;
  • We replace R3 with a constant 470 Ohm chain + 3.3 kOhm potentiometer;
  • Same as according to paragraphs. 3-5, V. And we set the voltage equal to half the supply voltage.

Point a, from where the signal is removed to the load, is the so-called. midpoint of the amplifier. In UMZCH with unipolar power supply, it is set to half its value, and in UMZCH with bipolar power supply - zero relative to the common wire. This is called adjusting the amplifier balance. In unipolar UMZCHs with capacitive decoupling of the load, it is not necessary to turn it off during setup, but it is better to get used to doing this reflexively: an unbalanced 2-polar amplifier with a connected load can burn out its own powerful and expensive output transistors, or even a “new, good” and very expensive powerful speaker.

Note: components that require selection when setting up the device in the layout are indicated on the diagrams either with an asterisk (*) or an apostrophe (‘).

In the center of the same fig.- a simple UMZCH on transistors, already developing power up to 4-6 W at a load of 4 ohms. Although it works like the previous one, in the so-called. class AB1, not intended for Hi-Fi sound, but if you replace a pair of these class D amplifiers (see below) in cheap Chinese computer speakers, their sound improves noticeably. Here we learn another trick: powerful output transistors need to be placed on radiators. Components that require additional cooling are outlined in dotted lines in the diagrams; however, not always; sometimes - indicating the required dissipative area of ​​the heat sink. Setting up this UMZCH is balancing using R2.

On the right in Fig.- not yet a 350 W monster (as was shown at the beginning of the article), but already quite a solid beast: a simple amplifier with 100 W transistors. You can listen to music through it, but not Hi-Fi, operating class is AB2. However, it is quite suitable for scoring a picnic area or an outdoor meeting, a school assembly hall or a small shopping hall. An amateur rock band, having such a UMZCH per instrument, can perform successfully.

There are 2 more tricks in this UMZCH: firstly, in very powerful amplifiers, the drive stage of the powerful output also needs to be cooled, so VT3 is placed on a radiator of 100 kW or more. see. For output VT4 and VT5 radiators from 400 sq.m. are needed. see. Secondly, UMZCHs with bipolar power supply are not balanced at all without load. First one or the other output transistor goes into cutoff, and the associated one goes into saturation. Then, at full supply voltage, current surges during balancing can damage the output transistors. Therefore, for balancing (R6, guessed it?), the amplifier is powered from +/–24 V, and instead of a load, a wirewound resistor of 100...200 Ohms is switched on. By the way, the squiggles in some resistors in the diagram are Roman numerals, indicating their required heat dissipation power.

Note: A power source for this UMZCH needs a power of 600 W or more. Anti-aliasing filter capacitors - from 6800 µF at 160 V. In parallel with the electrolytic capacitors of the IP, 0.01 µF ceramic capacitors are included to prevent self-excitation at ultrasonic frequencies, which can instantly burn out the output transistors.

On the field workers

On the trail. rice. - another option for a fairly powerful UMZCH (30 W, and with a supply voltage of 35 V - 60 W) on powerful field-effect transistors:

The sound from it already meets the requirements for entry-level Hi-Fi (if, of course, the UMZCH works on the corresponding acoustic systems, speakers). Powerful field drivers do not require a lot of power to drive, so there is no pre-power cascade. Even more powerful field-effect transistors do not burn out the speakers in the event of any malfunction - they themselves burn out faster. Also unpleasant, but still cheaper than replacing an expensive loudspeaker bass head (GB). This UMZCH does not require balancing or adjustment in general. As a design for beginners, it has only one drawback: powerful field-effect transistors are much more expensive than bipolar transistors for an amplifier with the same parameters. Requirements for individual entrepreneurs are similar to previous ones. case, but its power is needed from 450 W. Radiators – from 200 sq. cm.

Note: there is no need to build powerful UMZCHs on field-effect transistors for switching power supplies, for example. computer When trying to “drive” them into the active mode required for UMZCH, they either simply burn out, or the sound is weak and “no quality at all.” The same applies to powerful high-voltage bipolar transistors, for example. from line scan of old TVs.

Straight up

If you have already taken the first steps, then it is quite natural to want to build Hi-Fi class UMZCH, without going too deep into the theoretical jungle. To do this, you will have to expand your instrumentation - you need an oscilloscope, an audio frequency generator (AFG) and an AC millivoltmeter with the ability to measure the DC component. It is better to take as a prototype for repetition the E. Gumeli UMZCH, described in detail in Radio No. 1, 1989. To build it, you will need a few inexpensive available components, but the quality meets very high requirements: power up to 60 W, band 20-20,000 Hz, frequency response unevenness 2 dB, nonlinear distortion factor (THD) 0.01%, self-noise level –86 dB. However, setting up the Gumeli amplifier is quite difficult; if you can handle it, you can take on any other. However, some of the currently known circumstances greatly simplify the establishment of this UMZCH, see below. Bearing in mind this and the fact that not everyone is able to get into the Radio archives, it would be appropriate to repeat the main points.

Schemes of a simple high-quality UMZCH

The Gumeli UMZCH circuits and specifications for them are shown in the illustration. Radiators of output transistors – from 250 sq. see for UMZCH in Fig. 1 and from 150 sq. see for option according to fig. 3 (original numbering). Transistors of the pre-output stage (KT814/KT815) are installed on radiators bent from 75x35 mm aluminum plates with a thickness of 3 mm. There is no need to replace KT814/KT815 with KT626/KT961; the sound does not noticeably improve, but setup becomes seriously difficult.

This UMZCH is very critical to power supply, installation topology and general, so it needs to be installed in a structurally complete form and only with a standard power source. When trying to power it from a stabilized power supply, the output transistors burn out immediately. Therefore, in Fig. Drawings of original printed circuit boards and setup instructions are provided. We can add to them that, firstly, if “excitement” is noticeable when you first turn it on, they fight it by changing the inductance L1. Secondly, the leads of parts installed on boards should be no longer than 10 mm. Thirdly, it is extremely undesirable to change the installation topology, but if it is really necessary, there must be a frame shield on the side of the conductors (ground loop, highlighted in color in the figure), and the power supply paths must pass outside it.

Note: breaks in the tracks to which the bases of powerful transistors are connected - technological, for adjustment, after which they are sealed with drops of solder.

Setting up this UMZCH is greatly simplified, and the risk of encountering “excitement” during use is reduced to zero if:

  • Minimize interconnect installation by placing the boards on radiators of powerful transistors.
  • Completely abandon the connectors inside, performing all installation only by soldering. Then there will be no need for R12, R13 in a powerful version or R10 R11 in a less powerful version (they are dotted in the diagrams).
  • Use oxygen-free copper audio wires of minimum length for internal installation.

If these conditions are met, there are no problems with excitation, and setting up the UMZCH comes down to the routine procedure described in Fig.

Wires for sound

Audio wires are not an idle invention. The need for their use at present is undeniable. In copper with an admixture of oxygen, a thin oxide film is formed on the faces of metal crystallites. Metal oxides are semiconductors and if the current in the wire is weak without a constant component, its shape is distorted. In theory, distortions on myriads of crystallites should compensate each other, but very little (apparently due to quantum uncertainties) remains. Sufficient to be noticed by discerning listeners against the background of the purest sound of modern UMZCH.

Manufacturers and traders shamelessly substitute ordinary electrical copper instead of oxygen-free copper - it is impossible to distinguish one from the other by eye. However, there is an area of ​​application where counterfeiting is not clear: twisted pair cable for computer networks. If you put a grid with long segments on the left, it will either not start at all or will constantly glitch. Momentum dispersion, you know.

The author, when there was just talk about audio wires, realized that, in principle, this was not idle chatter, especially since oxygen-free wires by that time had long been used in special-purpose equipment, with which he was well acquainted by his line of work. Then I took and replaced the standard cord of my TDS-7 headphones with a homemade one made from “vitukha” with flexible multi-core wires. The sound, aurally, has steadily improved for end-to-end analogue tracks, i.e. on the way from the studio microphone to the disc, never digitized. Vinyl recordings made using DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) technology sounded especially bright. After this, the interconnect installation of all home audio was converted to “vitushka”. Then completely random people, indifferent to the music and not notified in advance, began to notice the improvement in sound.

How to make interconnect wires from twisted pair, see next. video.

Video: do-it-yourself twisted pair interconnect wires

Unfortunately, the flexible “vitha” soon disappeared from sale - it did not hold well in the crimped connectors. However, for the information of readers, flexible “military” wire MGTF and MGTFE (shielded) is made only from oxygen-free copper. Fake is impossible, because On ordinary copper, tape fluoroplastic insulation spreads quite quickly. MGTF is now widely available and costs much less than branded audio cables with a guarantee. It has one drawback: it cannot be done in color, but this can be corrected with tags. There are also oxygen-free winding wires, see below.

Theoretical Interlude

As we can see, already in the early stages of mastering audio technology, we had to deal with the concept of Hi-Fi (High Fidelity), high fidelity sound reproduction. Hi-Fi comes in different levels, which are ranked according to the following. main parameters:

  1. Reproducible frequency band.
  2. Dynamic range - the ratio in decibels (dB) of the maximum (peak) output power to the noise level.
  3. Self-noise level in dB.
  4. Nonlinear distortion factor (THD) at rated (long-term) output power. The SOI at peak power is assumed to be 1% or 2% depending on the measurement technique.
  5. Unevenness of the amplitude-frequency response (AFC) in the reproducible frequency band. For speakers - separately at low (LF, 20-300 Hz), medium (MF, 300-5000 Hz) and high (HF, 5000-20,000 Hz) sound frequencies.

Note: the ratio of absolute levels of any values ​​of I in (dB) is defined as P(dB) = 20log(I1/I2). If I1

You need to know all the subtleties and nuances of Hi-Fi when designing and building speakers, and as for a homemade Hi-Fi UMZCH for the home, before moving on to these, you need to clearly understand the requirements for their power required to sound a given room, dynamic range (dynamics), noise level and SOI. It is not very difficult to achieve a frequency band of 20-20,000 Hz from the UMZCH with a roll off at the edges of 3 dB and an uneven frequency response in the midrange of 2 dB on a modern element base.

Volume

The power of the UMZCH is not an end in itself; it must provide the optimal volume of sound reproduction in a given room. It can be determined by curves of equal loudness, see fig. There are no natural noises in residential areas quieter than 20 dB; 20 dB is the wilderness in complete calm. A volume level of 20 dB relative to the threshold of audibility is the threshold of intelligibility - a whisper can still be heard, but music is perceived only as the fact of its presence. An experienced musician can tell which instrument is being played, but not what exactly.

40 dB - the normal noise of a well-insulated city apartment in a quiet area or a country house - represents the intelligibility threshold. Music from the threshold of intelligibility to the threshold of intelligibility can be listened to with deep frequency response correction, primarily in the bass. To do this, the MUTE function (mute, mutation, not mutation!) is introduced into modern UMZCHs, including, respectively. correction circuits in UMZCH.

90 dB is the volume level of a symphony orchestra in a very good concert hall. 110 dB can be produced by an extended orchestra in a hall with unique acoustics, of which there are no more than 10 in the world, this is the threshold of perception: louder sounds are still perceived as distinguishable in meaning with an effort of will, but already annoying noise. The volume zone in residential premises of 20-110 dB constitutes the zone of complete audibility, and 40-90 dB is the zone of best audibility, in which untrained and inexperienced listeners fully perceive the meaning of the sound. If, of course, he is in it.

Power

Calculating the power of equipment at a given volume in the listening area is perhaps the main and most difficult task of electroacoustics. For yourself, in conditions it is better to go from acoustic systems (AS): calculate their power using a simplified method, and take the nominal (long-term) power of the UMZCH equal to the peak (musical) speaker. In this case, the UMZCH will not noticeably add its distortions to those of the speakers; they are already the main source of nonlinearity in the audio path. But the UMZCH should not be made too powerful: in this case, the level of its own noise may be higher than the threshold of audibility, because It is calculated based on the voltage level of the output signal at maximum power. If we consider it very simply, then for a room in an ordinary apartment or house and speakers with normal characteristic sensitivity (sound output) we can take the trace. UMZCH optimal power values:

  • Up to 8 sq. m – 15-20 W.
  • 8-12 sq. m – 20-30 W.
  • 12-26 sq. m – 30-50 W.
  • 26-50 sq. m – 50-60 W.
  • 50-70 sq. m – 60-100 W.
  • 70-100 sq. m – 100-150 W.
  • 100-120 sq. m – 150-200 W.
  • More than 120 sq. m – determined by calculation based on on-site acoustic measurements.

Dynamics

The dynamic range of the UMZCH is determined by curves of equal loudness and threshold values ​​for different degrees of perception:

  1. Symphonic music and jazz with symphonic accompaniment - 90 dB (110 dB - 20 dB) ideal, 70 dB (90 dB - 20 dB) acceptable. No expert can distinguish a sound with a dynamics of 80-85 dB in a city apartment from ideal.
  2. Other serious music genres – 75 dB excellent, 80 dB “through the roof”.
  3. Pop music of any kind and movie soundtracks - 66 dB is enough for the eyes, because... These opuses are already compressed during recording to levels of up to 66 dB and even up to 40 dB, so that you can listen to them on anything.

The dynamic range of the UMZCH, correctly selected for a given room, is considered equal to its own noise level, taken with the + sign, this is the so-called. signal-to-noise ratio.

SOI

Nonlinear distortions (ND) of UMZCH are components of the output signal spectrum that were not present in the input signal. Theoretically, it is best to “push” the NI under the level of its own noise, but technically this is very difficult to implement. In practice, they take into account the so-called. masking effect: at volume levels below approx. At 30 dB, the range of frequencies perceived by the human ear narrows, as does the ability to distinguish sounds by frequency. Musicians hear notes, but find it difficult to assess the timbre of the sound. In people without a hearing for music, the masking effect is observed already at 45-40 dB of volume. Therefore, an UMZCH with a THD of 0.1% (–60 dB from a volume level of 110 dB) will be assessed as Hi-Fi by the average listener, and with a THD of 0.01% (–80 dB) can be considered not distorting the sound.

Lamps

The last statement will probably cause rejection, even fury, among adherents of tube circuitry: they say, real sound is produced only by tubes, and not just some, but certain types of octal ones. Calm down, gentlemen - the special tube sound is not a fiction. The reason is the fundamentally different distortion spectra of electronic tubes and transistors. Which, in turn, are due to the fact that in the lamp the flow of electrons moves in a vacuum and quantum effects do not appear in it. A transistor is a quantum device, where minority charge carriers (electrons and holes) move in the crystal, which is completely impossible without quantum effects. Therefore, the spectrum of tube distortions is short and clean: only harmonics up to the 3rd - 4th are clearly visible in it, and there are very few combinational components (sums and differences in the frequencies of the input signal and their harmonics). Therefore, in the days of vacuum circuitry, SOI was called harmonic distortion (CHD). In transistors, the spectrum of distortions (if they are measurable, the reservation is random, see below) can be traced up to the 15th and higher components, and there are more than enough combination frequencies in it.

At the beginning of solid-state electronics, designers of transistor UMZCHs used the usual “tube” SOI of 1-2% for them; Sound with a tube distortion spectrum of this magnitude is perceived by ordinary listeners as pure. By the way, the very concept of Hi-Fi did not yet exist. It turned out that they sound dull and dull. In the process of developing transistor technology, an understanding of what Hi-Fi is and what is needed for it was developed.

Currently, the growing pains of transistor technology have been successfully overcome and side frequencies at the output of a good UMZCH are difficult to detect using special measurement methods. And lamp circuitry can be considered to have become an art. Its basis can be anything, why can’t electronics go there? An analogy with photography would be appropriate here. No one can deny that a modern digital SLR camera produces an image that is immeasurably clearer, more detailed, and deeper in the range of brightness and color than a plywood box with an accordion. But someone, with the coolest Nikon, “clicks pictures” like “this is my fat cat, he got drunk like a bastard and is sleeping with his paws outstretched,” and someone, using Smena-8M, uses Svemov’s b/w film to take a picture in front of which there is a crowd of people at a prestigious exhibition.

Note: and calm down again - not everything is so bad. Today, low-power lamp UMZCHs have at least one application left, and not the least important, for which they are technically necessary.

Experimental stand

Many audio lovers, having barely learned to solder, immediately “go into tubes.” This in no way deserves censure, on the contrary. Interest in the origins is always justified and useful, and electronics has become so with tubes. The first computers were tube-based, and the on-board electronic equipment of the first spacecraft was also tube-based: there were already transistors then, but they could not withstand extraterrestrial radiation. By the way, at that time lamp microcircuits were also created under the strictest secrecy! On microlamps with a cold cathode. The only known mention of them in open sources is in the rare book by Mitrofanov and Pickersgil “Modern receiving and amplifying tubes”.

But enough of the lyrics, let's get to the point. For those who like to tinker with the lamps in Fig. – diagram of a bench lamp UMZCH, intended specifically for experiments: SA1 switches the operating mode of the output lamp, and SA2 switches the supply voltage. The circuit is well known in the Russian Federation, a minor modification affected only the output transformer: now you can not only “drive” the native 6P7S in different modes, but also select the screen grid switching factor for other lamps in ultra-linear mode; for the vast majority of output pentodes and beam tetrodes it is either 0.22-0.25 or 0.42-0.45. For the manufacture of the output transformer, see below.

Guitarists and rockers

This is the very case when you can’t do without lamps. As you know, the electric guitar became a full-fledged solo instrument after the pre-amplified signal from the pickup began to be passed through a special attachment - a fuser - which deliberately distorted its spectrum. Without this, the sound of the string was too sharp and short, because the electromagnetic pickup reacts only to the modes of its mechanical vibrations in the plane of the instrument soundboard.

An unpleasant circumstance soon emerged: the sound of an electric guitar with a fuser acquires full strength and brightness only at high volumes. This is especially true for guitars with a humbucker-type pickup, which gives the most “angry” sound. But what about a beginner who is forced to rehearse at home? You can’t go to the hall to perform without knowing exactly how the instrument will sound there. And rock fans just want to listen to their favorite things in full juice, and rockers are generally decent and non-conflict people. At least those who are interested in rock music, and not shocking surroundings.

So, it turned out that the fatal sound appears at volume levels acceptable for residential premises, if the UMZCH is tube-based. The reason is the specific interaction of the signal spectrum from the fuser with the pure and short spectrum of tube harmonics. Here again an analogy is appropriate: a b/w photo can be much more expressive than a color one, because leaves only the outline and light for viewing.

Those who need a tube amplifier not for experiments, but due to technical necessity, do not have time to master the intricacies of tube electronics for a long time, they are passionate about something else. In this case, it is better to make the UMZCH transformerless. More precisely, with a single-ended matching output transformer that operates without constant magnetization. This approach greatly simplifies and speeds up the production of the most complex and critical component of a lamp UMZCH.

“Transformerless” tube output stage of the UMZCH and pre-amplifiers for it

On the right in Fig. a diagram of a transformerless output stage of a tube UMZCH is given, and on the left are pre-amplifier options for it. At the top - with a tone control according to the classic Baxandal scheme, which provides fairly deep adjustment, but introduces slight phase distortion into the signal, which can be significant when operating an UMZCH on a 2-way speaker. Below is a preamplifier with simpler tone control that does not distort the signal.

But let's get back to the end. In a number of foreign sources, this scheme is considered a revelation, but an identical one, with the exception of the capacitance of the electrolytic capacitors, is found in the Soviet “Radio Amateur Handbook” of 1966. A thick book of 1060 pages. There was no Internet and disk-based databases back then.

In the same place, on the right in the figure, the disadvantages of this scheme are briefly but clearly described. An improved one, from the same source, is given on the trail. rice. on right. In it, the screen grid L2 is powered from the midpoint of the anode rectifier (the anode winding of the power transformer is symmetrical), and the screen grid L1 is powered through the load. If, instead of high-impedance speakers, you turn on a matching transformer with regular speakers, as in the previous one. circuit, the output power is approx. 12 W, because the active resistance of the primary winding of the transformer is much less than 800 Ohms. SOI of this final stage with transformer output - approx. 0.5%

How to make a transformer?

The main enemies of the quality of a powerful signal low-frequency (sound) transformer are the magnetic leakage field, the lines of force of which are closed, bypassing the magnetic circuit (core), eddy currents in the magnetic circuit (Foucault currents) and, to a lesser extent, magnetostriction in the core. Because of this phenomenon, a carelessly assembled transformer “sings,” hums, or beeps. Foucault currents are combated by reducing the thickness of the magnetic circuit plates and additionally insulating them with varnish during assembly. For output transformers, the optimal plate thickness is 0.15 mm, the maximum allowable is 0.25 mm. You should not take thinner plates for the output transformer: the fill factor of the core (the central rod of the magnetic circuit) with steel will fall, the cross-section of the magnetic circuit will have to be increased to obtain a given power, which will only increase distortions and losses in it.

In the core of an audio transformer operating with constant bias (for example, the anode current of a single-ended output stage) there must be a small (determined by calculation) non-magnetic gap. The presence of a non-magnetic gap, on the one hand, reduces signal distortion from constant magnetization; on the other hand, in a conventional magnetic circuit it increases the stray field and requires a core with a larger cross-section. Therefore, the non-magnetic gap must be calculated at the optimum and performed as accurately as possible.

For transformers operating with magnetization, the optimal type of core is made of Shp (cut) plates, pos. 1 in Fig. In them, a non-magnetic gap is formed during core cutting and is therefore stable; its value is indicated in the passport for the plates or measured with a set of probes. The stray field is minimal, because the side branches through which the magnetic flux is closed are solid. Transformer cores without bias are often assembled from Shp plates, because Shp plates are made from high-quality transformer steel. In this case, the core is assembled across the roof (the plates are laid with a cut in one direction or the other), and its cross-section is increased by 10% compared to the calculated one.

It is better to wind transformers without magnetization on USH cores (reduced height with widened windows), pos. 2. In them, a decrease in the stray field is achieved by reducing the length of the magnetic path. Since USh plates are more accessible than Shp, transformer cores with magnetization are often made from them. Then the core assembly is carried out cut to pieces: a package of W-plates is assembled, a strip of non-conducting non-magnetic material is placed with a thickness equal to the size of the non-magnetic gap, covered with a yoke from a package of jumpers and pulled together with a clip.

Note:“sound” signal magnetic circuits of the ShLM type are of little use for output transformers of high-quality tube amplifiers; they have a large stray field.

At pos. 3 shows a diagram of the core dimensions for calculating the transformer, at pos. 4 design of the winding frame, and at pos. 5 – patterns of its parts. As for the transformer for the “transformerless” output stage, it is better to make it on the ShLMm across the roof, because the bias is negligible (the bias current is equal to the screen grid current). The main task here is to make the windings as compact as possible in order to reduce the stray field; their active resistance will still be much less than 800 Ohms. The more free space left in the windows, the better the transformer turned out. Therefore, the windings are wound turn to turn (if there is no winding machine, this is a terrible task) from the thinnest possible wire; the laying coefficient of the anode winding for the mechanical calculation of the transformer is taken 0.6. The winding wire is PETV or PEMM, they have an oxygen-free core. There is no need to take PETV-2 or PEMM-2; due to double varnishing, they have an increased outer diameter and a larger scattering field. The primary winding is wound first, because it is its scattering field that most affects the sound.

You need to look for iron for this transformer with holes in the corners of the plates and clamping brackets (see figure on the right), because “for complete happiness,” the magnetic circuit is assembled as follows. order (of course, the windings with leads and external insulation should already be on the frame):

  1. Prepare acrylic varnish diluted in half or, in the old fashioned way, shellac;
  2. Plates with jumpers are quickly coated with varnish on one side and placed into the frame as quickly as possible, without pressing too hard. The first plate is placed with the varnished side inward, the next one with the unvarnished side to the first varnished, etc.;
  3. When the frame window is filled, staples are applied and bolted tightly;
  4. After 1-3 minutes, when the squeezing of varnish from the gaps apparently stops, add plates again until the window is filled;
  5. Repeat paragraphs. 2-4 until the window is tightly packed with steel;
  6. The core is pulled tightly again and dried on a battery, etc. 3-5 days.

The core assembled using this technology has very good plate insulation and steel filling. Magnetostriction losses are not detected at all. But keep in mind that this technique is not applicable for permalloy cores, because Under strong mechanical influences, the magnetic properties of permalloy irreversibly deteriorate!

On microcircuits

UMZCHs on integrated circuits (ICs) are most often made by those who are satisfied with the sound quality up to average Hi-Fi, but are more attracted by the low cost, speed, ease of assembly and the complete absence of any setup procedures that require special knowledge. Simply, an amplifier on microcircuits is the best option for dummies. The classic of the genre here is the UMZCH on the TDA2004 IC, which has been on the series, God willing, for about 20 years now, on the left in Fig. Power – up to 12 W per channel, supply voltage – 3-18 V unipolar. Radiator area – from 200 sq. see for maximum power. The advantage is the ability to work with a very low-resistance, up to 1.6 Ohm, load, which allows you to extract full power when powered from a 12 V on-board network, and 7-8 W when supplied with a 6-volt power supply, for example, on a motorcycle. However, the output of the TDA2004 in class B is not complementary (on transistors of the same conductivity), so the sound is definitely not Hi-Fi: THD 1%, dynamics 45 dB.

The more modern TDA7261 does not produce better sound, but is more powerful, up to 25 W, because The upper limit of the supply voltage has been increased to 25 V. The lower limit, 4.5 V, still allows it to be powered from a 6 V on-board network, i.e. The TDA7261 can be started from almost all on-board networks, except for the aircraft 27 V. Using attached components (strapping, on the right in the figure), the TDA7261 can operate in mutation mode and with the St-By (Stand By) function, which switches the UMZCH to the minimum power consumption mode when there is no input signal for a certain time. Convenience costs money, so for a stereo you will need a pair of TDA7261 with radiators from 250 sq. see for each.

Note: If you are somehow attracted to amplifiers with the St-By function, keep in mind that you should not expect speakers wider than 66 dB from them.

“Super economical” in terms of power supply TDA7482, on the left in the figure, operating in the so-called. class D. Such UMZCHs are sometimes called digital amplifiers, which is incorrect. For real digitization, level samples are taken from an analog signal with a quantization frequency that is no less than twice the highest of the reproduced frequencies, the value of each sample is recorded in a noise-resistant code and stored for further use. UMZCH class D – pulse. In them, the analogue is directly converted into a sequence of high-frequency pulse-width modulated (PWM), which is fed to the speaker through a low-pass filter (LPF).

Class D sound has nothing in common with Hi-Fi: a SOI of 2% and dynamics of 55 dB for a Class D UMZCH are considered very good indicators. And TDA7482 here, it must be said, is not the optimal choice: other companies specializing in class D produce UMZCH ICs that are cheaper and require less wiring, for example, D-UMZCH of the Paxx series, on the right in Fig.

Among the TDAs, the 4-channel TDA7385 should be noted, see the figure, on which you can assemble a good amplifier for speakers up to medium Hi-Fi, inclusive, with frequency division into 2 bands or for a system with a subwoofer. In both cases, low-pass and mid-high-frequency filtering is done at the input on a weak signal, which simplifies the design of the filters and allows deeper separation of the bands. And if the acoustics are subwoofer, then 2 channels of the TDA7385 can be allocated for a sub-ULF bridge circuit (see below), and the remaining 2 can be used for MF-HF.

UMZCH for subwoofer

A subwoofer, which can be translated as “subwoofer” or, literally, “boomer,” reproduces frequencies up to 150-200 Hz; in this range, human ears are practically unable to determine the direction of the sound source. In speakers with a subwoofer, the “sub-bass” speaker is placed in a separate acoustic design, this is the subwoofer as such. The subwoofer is placed, in principle, as conveniently as possible, and the stereo effect is provided by separate MF-HF channels with their own small-sized speakers, for the acoustic design of which there are no particularly serious requirements. Experts agree that it is better to listen to stereo with full channel separation, but subwoofer systems significantly save money or labor on the bass path and make it easier to place acoustics in small rooms, which is why they are popular among consumers with normal hearing and not particularly demanding ones.

The “leakage” of mid-high frequencies into the subwoofer, and from it into the air, greatly spoils the stereo, but if you sharply “cut off” the sub-bass, which, by the way, is very difficult and expensive, then a very unpleasant sound jumping effect will occur. Therefore, channels in subwoofer systems are filtered twice. At the input, electric filters highlight midrange-high frequencies with bass “tails” that do not overload the midrange-high frequency path, but provide a smooth transition to sub-bass. Bass with midrange “tails” are combined and fed to a separate UMZCH for the subwoofer. The midrange is additionally filtered so that the stereo does not deteriorate; in the subwoofer it is already acoustic: a sub-bass speaker is placed, for example, in the partition between the resonator chambers of the subwoofer, which do not let the midrange out, see on the right in Fig.

A UMZCH for a subwoofer is subject to a number of specific requirements, of which “dummies” consider the most important to be as high a power as possible. This is completely wrong, if, say, the calculation of the acoustics for the room gave a peak power W for one speaker, then the power of the subwoofer needs 0.8 (2W) or 1.6W. For example, if S-30 speakers are suitable for the room, then a subwoofer needs 1.6x30 = 48 W.

It is much more important to ensure the absence of phase and transient distortions: if they occur, there will definitely be a jump in the sound. As for SOI, it is permissible up to 1%. Intrinsic bass distortion of this level is not audible (see curves of equal volume), and the “tails” of their spectrum in the best audible midrange region will not come out of the subwoofer.

To avoid phase and transient distortions, the amplifier for the subwoofer is built according to the so-called. bridge circuit: the outputs of 2 identical UMZCHs are switched on back-to-back through a speaker; signals to the inputs are supplied in antiphase. The absence of phase and transient distortions in the bridge circuit is due to the complete electrical symmetry of the output signal paths. The identity of the amplifiers forming the arms of the bridge is ensured by the use of paired UMZCHs on ICs, made on the same chip; This is perhaps the only case when an amplifier on microcircuits is better than a discrete one.

Note: The power of a bridge UMZCH does not double, as some people think, it is determined by the supply voltage.

An example of a bridge UMZCH circuit for a subwoofer in a room up to 20 sq. m (without input filters) on the TDA2030 IC is given in Fig. left. Additional midrange filtering is carried out by circuits R5C3 and R’5C’3. Radiator area TDA2030 – from 400 sq. see. Bridged UMZCHs with an open output have an unpleasant feature: when the bridge is unbalanced, a constant component appears in the load current, which can damage the speaker, and the sub-bass protection circuits often fail, turning off the speaker when not needed. Therefore, it is better to protect the expensive oak bass head with non-polar batteries of electrolytic capacitors (highlighted in color, and the diagram of one battery is given in the inset.

A little about acoustics

The acoustic design of a subwoofer is a special topic, but since a drawing is given here, explanations are also needed. Case material – MDF 24 mm. The resonator tubes are made of fairly durable, non-ringing plastic, for example, polyethylene. The internal diameter of the pipes is 60 mm, the protrusions inward are 113 mm in the large chamber and 61 in the small chamber. For a specific loudspeaker head, the subwoofer will have to be reconfigured for the best bass and, at the same time, the least impact on the stereo effect. To tune the pipes, they take a pipe that is obviously longer and, by pushing it in and out, achieve the required sound. The protrusions of the pipes outward do not affect the sound; they are then cut off. The pipe settings are interdependent, so you will have to tinker.

Headphone Amplifier

A headphone amplifier is most often made by hand for two reasons. The first is for listening “on the go”, i.e. outside the home, when the power of the audio output of the player or smartphone is not enough to drive “buttons” or “burdocks”. The second is for high-end home headphones. A Hi-Fi UMZCH for an ordinary living room is needed with dynamics of up to 70-75 dB, but the dynamic range of the best modern stereo headphones exceeds 100 dB. An amplifier with such dynamics costs more than some cars, and its power will be from 200 W per channel, which is too much for an ordinary apartment: listening at a power that is much lower than the rated power spoils the sound, see above. Therefore, it makes sense to make a low-power, but with good dynamics, a separate amplifier specifically for headphones: the prices for household UMZCHs with such an additional weight are clearly absurdly inflated.

The circuit of the simplest headphone amplifier using transistors is given in pos. 1 pic. The sound is only for Chinese “buttons”, it works in class B. It is also no different in terms of efficiency - 13 mm lithium batteries last for 3-4 hours at full volume. At pos. 2 – TDA’s classic for on-the-go headphones. The sound, however, is quite decent, up to average Hi-Fi depending on the track digitization parameters. There are countless amateur improvements to the TDA7050 harness, but no one has yet achieved the transition of sound to the next level of class: the “microphone” itself does not allow it. TDA7057 (item 3) is simply more functional; you can connect the volume control to a regular, not dual, potentiometer.

The UMZCH for headphones on the TDA7350 (item 4) is designed to drive good individual acoustics. It is on this IC that headphone amplifiers in most middle and high-class household UMZCHs are assembled. The UMZCH for headphones on KA2206B (item 5) is already considered professional: its maximum power of 2.3 W is enough to drive such serious isodynamic “mugs” as TDS-7 and TDS-15.

I would like to offer novice lovers of high-quality sound reproduction one of the developed and tested ULF circuits. This design will help make a high-quality amplifier that can be modified at minimal cost and the amplifier can be used for researching circuit designs.

This will help you on your way from simple to complex and more perfect. Attached to the description are files of printed circuit boards that can be transformed to fit a specific case.

In the presented version, the housing from Radiotekhnika U-101 was used.

I developed and made this power amplifier in the last century from what could be purchased without difficulty. I wanted to make a design with the highest possible price-quality ratio. This is not High-End, but not third grade either. The amplifier has high-quality sound, excellent repeatability and is easy to set up.

Amplifier circuit diagram

The circuit is completely symmetrical for the positive and negative half-waves of the low-frequency signal. The input stage is made using transistors VT1 – VT4. It differs from the prototype in transistors VT1 and VT4, which increase the linearity of the stages on transistors VT2 and VT3. There are many circuit types of input stages with various advantages and disadvantages. This cascade was chosen because of its simplicity and the possibility of reducing the nonlinearity of the amplitude characteristics of transistors. With the advent of more advanced input stage circuits, it can be replaced.

The negative feedback signal (NFS) is taken from the output of the voltage amplifier and enters the emitter circuits of transistors VT2 and VT3. The rejection of general OOS is due to the desire to get rid of the influence on OOS of all unnecessary things that are not the output signal of the circuit. This has its pros and cons. With this configuration this is justified. With higher quality components, you can try with different types of feedback.

A cascode circuit was chosen as a voltage amplifier, which has a high input resistance, low pass-through capacitance and lower nonlinear distortions in comparison with the OE circuit. The disadvantage of the cascode circuit is the lower amplitude of the output signal. This is the price to pay for less distortion. If you install jumpers, you can also assemble an OE circuit on a printed circuit board. Powering the voltage amplifier from a separate voltage source was not introduced due to the desire to simplify the design of the ULF.

The output stage is a parallel amplifier, which has a number of advantages over other circuits. One of the important advantages is the linearity of the circuit with a significant spread in the parameters of the transistors, which was checked when assembling the amplifier. This cascade should possibly have greater linearity, because there is no overall OOS and the quality of the amplifier’s output signal greatly depends on it. Amplifier supply voltage 30 V.

Amplifier Design

I developed printed circuit boards for “affordable” cases from Radiotekhnika U-101 amplifiers. The circuit was placed on two parts of the printed circuit board. The first part, which is fixed to the radiator, houses a “parallel” amplifier and a voltage amplifier. The second part of the board houses the input stage. This board is attached to the first board using corners. This division of the board into two parts allows the amplifier to be improved with minimal design changes. In addition, this arrangement can also be used for laboratory studies of cascades.

The amplifier must be assembled in several stages. Assembly begins with a parallel amplifier and its setup. In the second stage, the rest of the circuit is assembled and adjusted and the final minimization of circuit distortions is carried out. When placing the transistors of the output stage on the radiator, it is necessary to remember the need for thermal contact between the housings of transistors VT9, VT14 and VT10, VT13 in pairs.

Printed circuit boards were developed using the Sprint Layout 6 program, which will allow you to adjust the placement of elements on the board, i.e. customized for a specific configuration or case. See archives below.

Amplifier parts

The parameters of the amplifier depend on the quality of the radio elements used and their location on the board. The applied circuit solutions make it possible to do without selecting transistors, but it is desirable to use transistors with a cut-off amplification frequency from 5 to 200 MHz and a margin of maximum operating voltage of more than 2 times in comparison with the cascade supply voltage.

If there is a desire and opportunity, then it is advisable to choose transistors according to the principle of “complementarity” and identical amplification characteristics. We tried manufacturing options with and without selecting transistors. The version with selected “complementary” domestic transistors showed significantly better performance than without selection. Only KT940 and KT9115 of the domestic transistors are complementary, while the rest have conditional complementarity. There are a lot of complementary pairs among foreign transistors, and information about this can be found on manufacturers’ websites and in reference books.

As VT1, VT3, VT5 it is possible to use transistors of the KT3107 series with any letters. As VT2, VT4, VT6 it is possible to use transistors of the KT3102 series with letters that have characteristics similar to the transistors used for another half-wave of the audio signal. If it is possible to select transistors according to parameters, then it is better to do so. Almost all modern testers allow you to do this without problems. With large deviations, the time spent on setting up will be greater and the result will be more modest. Transistors KT9115A, KP960A are suitable for VT6, and KT940A, KP959A are suitable for VT7.

Transistors KT817V (G), KT850A can be used as VT9 and VT12, and KT816V (G), KT851A can be used as VT10 and VT11. For VT13, transistors KT818V (G), KP964A are suitable, and for VT14 - KT819V (G), KP954A. Instead of zener diodes VD3 and VD4, you can use two AL307 LEDs connected in series or the like.

The circuit allows the use of other parts, but correction of the printed circuit boards may be required. Capacitor C1 can have a capacity from 1 µF to 4.7 µF and must be made of polypropylene or another, but of high quality. You can find information about this on amateur radio websites. The supply voltage, input and output signals are connected using printed circuit terminals.

Setting up the amplifier

When turned on for the first time, the ULF should be connected through powerful ceramic resistors (10 - 100 Ohms). This will save the elements from overloads and failure due to an installation error. On the first part of the board, resistor R23 sets the quiescent current ULF (150-250 mA) when the load is off. Next, you need to establish that there is no constant voltage at the output of the amplifier when an equivalent load is connected. This is done by changing the value of one of the resistors R19 or R20.

After installing the rest of the circuit, set resistor R14 to the middle position. Using the load equivalent, the absence of excitation of the amplifier is checked and resistor R5 is used to establish the absence of constant voltage at the output of the amplifier. The amplifier can be considered configured in static mode.

To set up in dynamic mode, a serial RC circuit is connected in parallel to the load equivalent. Resistor with a power of 0.125 W and a nominal value of 1.3-4.7 kOhm. Non-polar capacitor 1-2 µF. We connect a microammeter (20-100 µA) in parallel to the capacitor. Then, by applying a sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 5-8 kHz to the amplifier input, you need to estimate the threshold saturation level of the amplifier using an oscilloscope and an AC voltmeter connected to the output. After this, we reduce the input signal to a level of 0.7 from saturation and use resistor R14 to achieve a minimum reading of the microammeter. In some cases, to reduce distortion at high frequencies, it is necessary to carry out phase correction in advance by installing capacitor C12 (0.02-0.033 μF).

Capacitors C8 and C9 are selected for the best transmission of a pulse signal with a frequency of 20 kHz (installed if necessary). Capacitor C10 can be omitted if the circuit is stable. By changing the value of resistor R15, the same gain is established for each of the channels of the stereo or multi-channel version. By changing the value of the quiescent current of the output stage, you can try to find the most linear operating mode.

Sound rating

The assembled amplifier has a very good sound. Listening to the amplifier for a long time does not lead to fatigue. Of course, there are better amplifiers, but in terms of the ratio of costs and resulting quality, many will like the circuit. With better quality parts and their selection, even more significant results can be achieved.

Links and files

1. Korol V., “UMZCH with compensation for nonlinearity of the amplitude characteristic” - Radio, 1989, No. 12, p. 52-54.

06/09/2017 - The scheme has been corrected, all archives have been re-uploaded.
🕗 09/06/17 ⚖️ 24.43 Kb ⇣ 17 Hello, reader! My name is Igor, I'm 45, I'm a Siberian and an avid amateur electronics engineer. I came up with, created and have been maintaining this wonderful site since 2006.
For more than 10 years, our magazine has existed only at my expense.

Good! The freebie is over. If you want files and useful articles, help me!

Amplifiers whose main purpose is to amplify the signal by power are called power amplifiers. As a rule, such amplifiers drive a low-impedance load, such as a loudspeaker.

3-18 V (nominal - 6 V). The maximum current consumption is 1.5 A with a quiescent current of 7 mA (at 6 V) and 12 mA (at 18 V). Voltage gain 36.5 dB. at -1 dB 20 Hz - 300 kHz. Rated output power at 10% THD

temporarily turn off the sound. You can double the output power of the TDA7233D when you turn them on according to the circuit shown in Fig. 31.42. C7 prevents self-excitation of the device in the area

high frequencies. R3 is selected until an equal amplitude of the output signals is obtained at the outputs of the microcircuits.

Rice. 31.43. KR174UNZ 7

KR174UN31 is intended for use as output low-power household electronic devices.

When the supply voltage changes from

2.1 to 6.6 V with an average current consumption of 7 mA (without input signal), the voltage gain of the microcircuit varies from 18 to 24 dB.

The coefficient of nonlinear distortion at an output power of up to 100 mW is no more than 0.015%, the output noise voltage does not exceed 100 μV. The input of the microcircuit is 35-50 kOhm. load - not lower than 8 Ohms. Operating frequency range - 20 Hz - 30 kHz, limit - 10 Hz - 100 kHz. The maximum input signal voltage is up to 0.25-0.5 V.

After mastering the basics of electronics, the novice radio amateur is ready to solder his first electronic designs. Audio power amplifiers are typically the most repeatable designs. There are quite a lot of schemes, each with its own parameters and design. This article will discuss several simple and fully working amplifier circuits that can be successfully repeated by any radio amateur. The article does not use complex terms and calculations; everything is simplified as much as possible so that no additional questions arise.

Let's start with a more powerful circuit.
So, the first circuit is made on the well-known TDA2003 microcircuit. This is a mono amplifier with an output power of up to 7 watts into a 4 ohm load. I want to say that the standard circuit for connecting this microcircuit contains a small number of components, but a couple of years ago I came up with a different circuit on this microcircuit. In this circuit, the number of components is reduced to a minimum, but the amplifier has not lost its sound parameters. After developing this circuit, I began making all my amplifiers for low-power speakers using this circuit.

The circuit of the presented amplifier has a wide range of reproducible frequencies, a supply voltage range from 4.5 to 18 volts (typical 12-14 volts). The microcircuit is installed on a small heat sink, since the maximum power reaches up to 10 Watts.

The microcircuit is capable of operating at a load of 2 ohms, which means that 2 heads with a resistance of 4 ohms can be connected to the amplifier output.
The input capacitor can be replaced with any other one, with a capacity from 0.01 to 4.7 μF (preferably from 0.1 to 0.47 μF), you can use both film and ceramic capacitors. It is advisable not to replace all other components.

Volume control from 10 to 47 kOhm.
The output power of the microcircuit allows it to be used in low-power speakers for PCs. It is very convenient to use the chip for stand-alone speakers for a mobile phone, etc.
The amplifier works immediately after switching on and does not require additional adjustment. It is recommended to additionally connect the power supply minus to the heat sink. It is advisable to use all electrolytic capacitors at 25 Volts.

The second circuit is assembled using low-power transistors and is more suitable as a headphone amplifier.

This is probably the highest quality circuit of its kind, the sound is clear, you can feel the entire frequency spectrum. With good headphones, it feels like you have a full-fledged subwoofer.

The amplifier is assembled with only 3 reverse conduction transistors; as the cheapest option, transistors of the KT315 series were used, but their choice is quite wide.

The amplifier can operate at a low-impedance load, up to 4 ohms, which makes it possible to use the circuit to amplify the signal of a player, radio, etc. A 9-volt Krona battery is used as a power source.
The final stage also uses KT315 transistors. To increase the output power, you can use KT815 transistors, but then you will have to increase the supply voltage to 12 volts. In this case, the amplifier power will reach up to 1 Watt. The output capacitor can have a capacity from 220 to 2200 µF.
The transistors in this circuit do not heat up, therefore, no cooling is needed. If you use larger output transistors, you may need small heat sinks for each transistor.

And finally - the third scheme. An equally simple, but proven version of the amplifier structure is presented. The amplifier is capable of operating from reduced voltage to 5 volts, in which case the PA output power will be no more than 0.5 W, and the maximum power with a 12 volt supply reaches up to 2 Watts.

The output stage of the amplifier is built on a domestic complementary pair. The amplifier is regulated by selecting resistor R2. To do this, it is advisable to use a 1 kOhm trimmer. Slowly rotate the regulator until the quiescent current of the output stage is 2-5 mA.

The amplifier does not have high input sensitivity, so it is advisable to use a pre-amplifier before the input.

The diode plays a significant role in the circuit; it is here to stabilize the mode of the output stage.
The output stage transistors can be replaced with any complementary pair of corresponding parameters, for example KT816/817. The amplifier can power low-power stand-alone speakers with a load resistance of 6-8 ohms.

List of radioelements

Designation Type Denomination Quantity NoteShopMy notepad
Amplifier on TDA2003 chip
Audio amplifier

TDA2003

1 To notepad
C1 47 uF x 25V1 To notepad
C2 Capacitor100 nF1 Film To notepad
C3 Electrolytic capacitor1 uF x 25V1 To notepad
C5 Electrolytic capacitor470 uF x 16V1 To notepad
R1 Resistor

100 Ohm

1 To notepad
R2 Variable resistor50 kOhm1 From 10 kOhm to 50 kOhm To notepad
Ls1 Dynamic head2-4 Ohm1 To notepad
Transistor amplifier circuit No. 2
VT1-VT3 Bipolar transistor

KT315A

3 To notepad
C1 Electrolytic capacitor1 uF x 16V1 To notepad
C2, C3 Electrolytic capacitor1000 uF x 16V2 To notepad
R1, R2 Resistor

100 kOhm

2 To notepad
R3 Resistor

47 kOhm

1 To notepad
R4 Resistor

1 kOhm

1 To notepad
R5 Variable resistor50 kOhm1 To notepad
R6 Resistor

3 kOhm

1 To notepad
Dynamic head2-4 Ohm1 To notepad
Transistor amplifier circuit No. 3
VT2 Bipolar transistor

KT315A

1 To notepad
VT3 Bipolar transistor

KT361A

1 To notepad
VT4 Bipolar transistor

KT815A

1 To notepad
VT5 Bipolar transistor

KT816A

1 To notepad
VD1 Diode

D18

1 Or any low power To notepad
C1, C2, C5 Electrolytic capacitor10 uF x 16V3