T-amp mod for a boombox

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Eric

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Let us know how it sounds......I curious, low battery draw but pretty decent watt output could be a winner :hmmm:
 

Johnny

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shelltoe113 said:
OK could you explain t-amp in dumb ass language? lol. What are the advantages of the mod?

Add a dumba** to needing it explained better..... still trying to catch up to a 5th grade level :w00t: :lol: :lol:
 

Eric

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Basically there is different ways to amplify a signal these different designs are what is know as the type of class of an amplifier. It is just a certain type of design.

Class A amps sound great but effeciency sucks (battery life terrible)
Class B better effeciency but does not sound as good
Class AB you guessed it happy medium between A and B probably the best compromise
Class C great effeciency.....poor audio
Class D is a digital amplifier basically turning on and off which creates great effeciency but for the purist it is not amplifing 100 percent of the input only parts of the input.
This new class T is really a class D but the company that makes these little amps calls them T and says they sound as good as class AB and have better effeciency (super battery life) better than class D.

Now you have been to class. :lol:
 

Ken

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:hmmm:

I've been looking at various AB audio amps for a planned upgrade of my GF-777 project bbox. This is certainly interesting reading...thanks!

Ken
 

Ken

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Spot on, Norm. Using a BTL audio amp does away with the output coupling caps used in SE (single-ended) audio amps. Maybe it's these caps (1000uf in the GF-777) that are attenuating the lower frequencies in most bboxes.

That might explain the 'better bass' in the M-70 & M-90 that I hear you guys talk about? From what I've read this morning, it appears that the coupling caps & speaker impedance form a high-pass filter, so to speak. :yes:

Gotta take a break. My head hurts. :dunce: :blush: :dunce:
 

analogboi

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In BTL amps there are coupling caps too. One on the input, usually two for the negative feedback, and sometimes two for something called "bootstrapping." Any of those will form a high pass filter (blocking low frequencies) if one isn't careful.

However, I agree that BTL amps just seem to control the woofer better than SE (single-ended) amps, causing the woofer cones to really bounce. :-)

The problem with class-D is once the amplifier runs out of headroom it really starts to sound nasty. VERY hard clipping... :thumbsdown:

I think I still prefer the ol-skool AB chips myself. Yes, they inhale batteries...
 

Superduper

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Agree with analogboi. The capacitors you see on the outputs typically are high-pass caps for the tweeters, which are run in parallel with the woofers, which aren't subject to those caps. The large 1000uf caps aren't attentuating the signal because they aren't signal capacitors. Rather they are there to give the amps additional oomph during high current demands. Low frequencies consume much much more current than high frequencies and during these instantaneous high current draw requirements, the power supply may not be able to supply it, which is where the caps come in. The reason that the GF-777 isn't as strong on the amps, is that it uses 4 SE amps to do their business and these amps are only rated at 5-7 wpc under best case scenarios.

As for the T-amp, notice that the chip doesn't even employ a heat sink. Although I don't have any experience with them, I secretly wonder how much current they can "sink" if there is no heatsink, and you need lotsa current to make those woofs fly! Then there is the "boombox" factor which is to say aren't typically used to listen to classic music. They are cranked!
 

Ken

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Check out the datasheet for the HA-1392. It specifically differentiates between input coupling, bootstraping, and OUTPUT coupling. Those 1000 mike caps couple the output to the load. This would remove the DC biasing voltage from the output, and I'll be darned if, in series with the load, they form what looks like passive, first order, high-pass filters.

http://www.datasheet4u.com/download.php?id=524959

The only link I could find that explains the difference between BTL, single-ended (the only kind I'm familier with) and fully differential amps is right here:

http://www.wsdmag.com/Articles/Print.cfm?ArticleID=8342

Granted, this is for cell phone applications, but it seems pretty general. If this is useless, let me know.

Just keep in mind it's been 15 years since I've done any r&d. I was really just a Tech, so I just know enough to be dangerous. :dunce: Believe me, I'm getting tired of looking at data sheets. I wanna get some copper-clad board and build something...
 

Superduper

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Yes. I see what you mean. The HA1392 schematic shown in the datasheet depicts a differentiated BTL configuration. It was not operated that way in the Sharp GF-777, which have the modules designed in a SE configuration

, although they ARE hooked up in that manner in the Pioneer SK-900/909.

However, I just looked at the Sharp manual and the output coupling capacitors are indeed there.

Hitachi's design notes seems to suggest that they are necessary to prevent burn out of the amp. I don't believe the amp is robust enough to handle the extra current that might be imposed by the passing of additional low frequency signals.
 

Ken

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Bingo. That's why I've been looking for a new amp altogether. There's lots out there, but I'm not sure they could handle the extra current. They really put out some skimpy datasheets these days. I havn't got that deep into it yet, but a BTL amp MIGHT pass those lower frequencies & handle the current.

If that's true, then JVC was onto this over 25 years ago with the M-70 & M-90. That's why I found that cell phone article interesting, even if it has no diagrams. I got a kick out of reading it.

One more thing. Do M-70s & M-90s make that 'popping' sound when you turn them on? The absence of that is a feature of a BTL amp, supposedly. Just wondering...
 
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