Regulated Heater Supply for Fully Tube HV Anode Supply

In addition to my „Fully Tube, regulated HV Anode Power Supply” i have created second PCB which is additional regulated power supply to cover heater of powered tubes. Board is exactly half of my „Highly integrated supply for Tube Preamplifiers”, adjusted to control relay.

Created to provide complete solution for powering tube preamplifiers and make it fully regulated.

Heater power supply is based on integrated LDO and is capable to deliver up to 5A. Voltage at its output rises slowly from 1,2V to desired voltage in 10s to protect tube heaters from current surge when they are cool. Output voltage selection can be done in 2 ways:

by jumper in predefined steps: 6,3V; 7V; 12,6V
by variable potentiometer in range 1,2 – 13V (could be more)

Bridge rectifier in this circuit is created from 10A Schottky diodes to provide low voltage drop at the input. All this circuit is preceded with CLC smoothing circuit for best noise performance.

Heater supplying voltage is balanced and elevated comparing to anode supply GND by 1/4 of anode voltage. This feature is helpful in circuit when cathodes of tubes are biased by high voltage for example: SRPP, White Cathode Followers, Mu Followers.

The last part of the board is control unit. This circuit contains two part: anode delay circuit and audio muting circuit. Timing is set to 30s delay of anode voltage and 40s for audio mute. Timers as well as relay output are powered by third, 5V regulator. Thanks to this initial delay it is stable in every condition and relay is always powered from stable voltage.

25 kwietnia, 2019 0

Highly integrated supply for Tube Preamplifiers

This power supply is complete solution for tube pre- and amplifiers – simple and complex as well. It is based on semiconductors and contains both: anode and heater stabilised power supply.

Maybe you will be surprised, but most of this unit is made of SMD components. Only some critical parts are THT – power, and capacitors.

Circuit is designed to meet even most extreme requirements. Could be used to power simple single tube preamplifier and extreme balanced tube preamplifier with differential amplifier and 4x White Cathode followers created with 6N30P tubes. In addition, it is possible to power small amplifiers for example: stereo EL84 SE Amp, or single channel EL84 PP Amp.

Single PCB contains:

Anode high voltage, regulated power supply 150-350V 200mA with delayed on,
Heater regulated power supply 1,2-12,6V 5A with slow ramp,
Mute delay circuit to control audio output relay – enable output of preamplifier few second after anode supply is activated

Anode power supply is built over discrete high voltage regulator similar to my V3.1 regulators. This means that this regulator is completely discrete, based upon SMD components, specially selected to operate with voltages up to 400V. Output voltage is set by potentiometer or could be set by fixed resistor.

Anode regulator is preceded by CRC smoothing filter for best noise performance and also to increase overall PSRR.

by jumper in predefined steps: 6,3V; 7V; 12,6V
by variable potentiometer in range 1,2 – 13V (could be more)

Bridge rectifier in this circuit is created from 10A Schottky diodes to provide low voltage drop at the input. All this circuit is preceded with CLC smoothing circuit for best noise performance.

Best thermal performance is achieved by good thermal design. This supply is able to dissipate a lot of power.

And in addition all this things were achieved in dimensions: 100 x 100 x 50mm!!

Enjoy. 😉

6 stycznia, 2019 0

Matrix Mini-I Pro Tunning

Recently, I was asked to repair Matrix Mini-I Pro. It was death. Mute. I quickly found the cause. It was quite easy defect – few electrolytic capacitors were shorted so I replace them all. I gave DAC the second life. Here you can find how looks Matrix Mini-I Pro DAC when cames from factory (official photo):

Meanwhile, the owner of Matrix come up with the idea to upgrade it. I agreed as I got means to do such improvements. So, DAC was given the second and much better life. I decide to do few modifications using as much as possible of original circuit:

Few better passive components in analog circuit
Of course my best discrete regulators in most sensitive places
Better operational amplifiers in analog circuit

Possible to do, but postponed to second level of modifications:

all resistors to minimelf – circuit is designed to use 0805 resistors, but original pads are able to handle 1206-long resistors
all regulators to discrete MuzgDIY types
replace clock generators to MuzgDIY ones or if this couldn’t be done because of space at least Crystek CCHD

Result of modifications:

4 stycznia, 2019 0

Hot and powerful! – V2.1 Shunt Power Supply

Shunt power supplies always are not so simple in use as series but all shunt fans knows, that this effort will pay of. And for that people’s I have got something special. New power supply with high current capability. Input CCS can be set up to 1000mA!

For everyone who would like to say that it is Salas I want to say: you are wrong! It is my proprietary, bipolar design, similar to V8.0 regulator and taking best from both – V3.1 and V8.0 regulators.

Designed in the way that can be used instead of popular „S” power supplies or even replace it in ready designs. Comparing to its famous competitor:

– requires less voltage drop across regulator – typically 1,5V

– is more flexible – from few up to 1000mA BIAS current
– output voltage can be set from 3 to 15V by fixed resistor or helipot.

– very stable output voltage during warming – no more worry about your circuit!

– stable output voltage in function of output current – no more worry about your circuit!

– CLC input filter to block noise in both ways

From user experience I can guarantee that performance and sound is similar or even better.

7 marca, 2018 0

New in Family – V9.0 Shunt Regulator

After long break from designing new voltage regulator topologies I decided to create some shunt regulator with opamp based error amplifier.

Like all my shunt regulator this one is also uses Shiklai based current source at the input but rest of design is totally different but it is nothing new on the market. Similar topology is used in TPA Trident regulator and Tent Regulator but it not has a disadvantages of the first one. Output voltages not varies from input voltage and is stable in every load condition.

Current can be set up to 100mA!

Specially designed to power precision audio components like: DACs, ADCs, S/PDIF receivers, clock circuits.

Voltage reference based on LED diode to ensure low noise. There are possibility to use precision voltage reference instead of LED diode for good voltage precision and temperature stability.

Simply decoupling circuit on regulator PCB is sufficient to ensure stability of regulator but external high capacity can be connected to provide low ripple with high speed output current change.

Dropout voltage is at least 1,5V, but I recomend values from 2V to 3V. You must calculate this for power dissipation max. 1W.

Pinout compatible with standard LM78XX regulators like LM7805 and similar. If LM78XX regulator will be replaced by V8.0 only 3 central pins can be used. If board is developed specially for V8.0 all 5 pin can be used.

Dimensions are always the same: 30mm x 15mm.

7 marca, 2018 0

Precise and Fast – V2.1 series regulator

Next design that i want to publish today is V2.1. This design is based on old V2.0 regulator but simple NPN transistor is used as output device instead of Sziklai pair. Design is quite similar to popular regulators like: ALWSR, TT Feeder, Walt Jung low noise regulator.

V2.1 is constant current source biased series regulator. It is closed loop design with error amplifier built of operational amplifier. Operational amplifier provide accurate regulation in wide temperature range, big open loop amplification and fast transient response.

Voltage reference is made in 2 different ways. One is classic in all of my design – simple LED with low noise. Second is based on precision voltage reference to take a advantage of precision operational amplifier. This creates accurate regulator with low temperature drift.

V2.1 regulator is one of the best choice to power precision, low noise and fast switching devices like DACs, ADC, digital filters, S/PDIF receivers.

Output voltage can be set between 3,3 – 5V with standard version. Higher voltages requires to use different operational amplifier. Dropout voltage is at least 1,5V, but I recomend values from 2V to 3V. You must calculate this for power dissipation max. 1W. Maximal output current is 500mA, but for provide good stability I recommend max. 200mA (with precision voltage reference could be more).

18 września, 2015 0

Simple but Flexible – V1.2 series regulator

Welcome after a long break from writing!

Today I would like to show You one of my oldest design of series voltage regulator. V1.2 is exactly V1.0 with greater reference voltage and lot of space for output capacitor. It is also produced on gold plated PCB’s.

V1.2 is constant current sourced biased regulator. It is closed loop device with error amplifier based on single transistor. Voltage reference is done by 2 LEDs. Only transistor/diode design allows to make positive and negative versions of this regulator.

This design is mostly used by my to supply analog circuits with voltages +/-12V and +/-15V. It is also good choice as voltage pre-regulator before accurate and fast V3.1 and V2.1 designs. I use it as output regulator of clock power supply:

18 września, 2015 0

VX.X – Voltage Regulators versions explanation

Till today (24 April 2015) I have designed 14 versions of voltage regulators of which as many as 9 are newly and my own topologies. I know You could have a problem to choose a right one for Your application, so I would like to explain You differences between all versions.

In general there are 3 groups.

discrete series regulators
discrete shunt regulators
integrated regulators (series)

In explanation:

V1.0 – simple series regulator with NPN output, single transistor error amplifier, LED voltage reference and CSS bias circuit.

V1.1 – simple series regulator with Szikai output, single transistor error amplifier, LED voltage reference and CSS bias circuit.

V1.2 – V1.0 with some improvement for high output voltage, gold plated PCBs.

V2.0 – series regulator with opamp error amplifier, Szikai output, LED voltage reference and CCS bias circuit.

V2.1 – series regulator with opamp error amplifier, NPN output, LED voltage reference and CCS bias circuit, gold plated PCBs.

V3.0 – series regulator with transistor differential amplifier, NPN output, LED voltage reference, CCS bias circuit.

V3.1 – V3.0 with some improvements for better soldering, precision voltage reference, precision output voltage set, gold plated PCBs.

V3.0max – V3.0 with improvements for high output voltage, gold plated PCBs.

V4.0 – shunt regulator based on TL431 with Sziklai CCS, gold plated PCBs.

V5.0 – series regulator with opamp error amplifier in shunt configuraton, gold plated PCBs.

V6.1 – series regulator based on Texas Instruments TPS7A4700/3301, gold plated PCBs.

V8.0 – shunt regulator with transistor differential amplifier, Sziklai CCS, precision/LED voltage reference, gold plated PCBs.

All deigns (excluding V3.0max) are made on 30mm x 15mm PCBs like this:

Pinout always are:

IN
IN
GND
OUT
OUT

so they can replace integrated regulators like 78XX or discrete like TPA Trident Shunt.

You can use only 3 center pins for replacement of 78XX, or all 5 pins when board is designed to use my discrete regulators.

For better heat dissipation external heatsink can be used. I use Fisher heatsinks mounted by 3M heat-conductive tape:

This tape can be also used to stick the regulator to any metal elements of Your device. Here You can find V1.0 regulators mounted on Revox B226 CD to provide better opamp supply:

For detailed information about specific version please choose right one from menu. Not all version are carefully described on my page.

18 Maj, 2015 0

Hot and naked – V8.0 discrete Shunt Regulator

Today I have something for Shunt Regulator fans – V8.0 Shunt Regulator!

Based on V3.X error amplifier design, with LED biased, Sziklai Constant Current Source.

Current can be set up to 100mA!

I recommend to use it with dedicated heatsink because Shunt Regulators always dissipate power.

Specially designed to power precision audio components like: DACs, ADCs, S/PDIF receivers, clock circuits.

Output voltage can be set by components in negative feedback circuit from 1V2 to 9V eg. : 1V2, 2V5, 3V3, 5V, 6V, 8V, 9V. Transistor circuit allows to build version for negative voltage.

Voltage reference based on LED diode to ensure low noise. There are possibility to use precision voltage reference instead of LED diode for good voltage precision and temperature stability.

Simply decoupling circuit on regulator PCB is sufficient to ensure stability of regulator but external high capacity can be connected to provide low ripple with high speed output current change.

Dropout voltage is at least 1,5V, but I recomend values from 2V to 3V. You must calculate this for power dissipation max. 1W.

Dimensions are always the same: 30mm x 15mm.

17 Maj, 2015 5

Small but Complex – V3.X series regulator

Welcome in my first post!

I would like to show you my lovely child – V3.X series voltage regulator based on discrete components.

Specially designed to power precision audio components like: DACs, ADCs, S/PDIF receivers, clock circuits.

Output voltage can be set by components in negative feedback circuit from 1V2 to 9V eg. : 1V2, 2V5, 3V3, 5V, 6V, 8V, 9V. For higher output levels I recommend V3.0max version. Transistor circuit allows to build version for negative voltage.

Voltage reference based on LED diode to ensure low noise. There are possibility to use precision voltage reference instead of LED diode for good voltage precision and temperature stability.

Simply decoupling circuit on regulator PCB is sufficient to ensure stability of regulator but external high capacity can be connected to provide low ripple with high speed output current change.

Dropout voltage is at least 1,5V, but I recomend values from 2V to 3V. You must calculate this for power dissipation max. 1W.

Maximal output current is 500mA, but for provide good stability I recommend max. 200mA.

For better power dissipation additional heatsink can be used:

Pinout compatible with standard LM78XX regulators like LM7805 and similar. If LM78XX regulator will be replaced by V3.1 only 3 central pins can be used. If board is developed specially for V3.X all 5 pin can be used:

Pin assignment and dimensions:

Overall dimensions: 30 mm x 15mm.

V3.X series are tiny implementation of my design used few years ago to supply analog circuit of PCM63P-K DAC. This implementation is specially developed for Buffalo III DAC to replace Trident regulators.

V3.0 inside my Buffalo III DAC:

Thanks for your attention!

29 marca, 2015 0