Audio amplifier design

Thread Starter

Rubs

Joined Jun 20, 2011
16
hey all...i have to design an audio amplifier...the input voltage would be 5mV(p-p) and the load is a 10W, 4ohm speaker...i'd be using a class AB output stage biasing it with Vbe multiplier...and im not sure what type of amplifier to use for this very high gain (3576V/V) at the intermediate stage... i was thinking of using two cascaded common emitters or just one cascode amplifier...which one would be better? or if u hav any other suggestion plz tell me...
 

Georacer

Joined Nov 25, 2009
5,182
Is this homework? There is a dedicated section on this site about homework. If it is so, it always helps if we know more about your curriculum background.
 

nomurphy

Joined Aug 8, 2005
567
10W RMS into 4 ohms = 6.33V RMS
2 x 6.33V = 12.66V

I would use a +/-15V supply @ ~3amps (6.33V / 4 = 1.6amps), which is fine for use with op amps and provides enough headroom for decent distortion numbers.

5mVpp = 1.77mV RMS

6.33V / 0.00177 = 3576 of gain

if the power amp has a gain of 20, then 3576 / 20 = 179

I would have an input op amp with a gain of 10, and a second stage with a gain of 20 (200 total) and a volume pot to ground before the power amp.

10*20*20 = 4000 which will allow for pot adjustment and variations.

So, use a dual op amp for the first two stages that drive a power amp IC (LM1876) with a gain of 20; all using a +/- 15V supply.
 

Thread Starter

Rubs

Joined Jun 20, 2011
16
10W RMS into 4 ohms = 6.33V RMS
2 x 6.33V = 12.66V

I would use a +/-15V supply @ ~3amps (6.33V / 4 = 1.6amps), which is fine for use with op amps and provides enough headroom for decent distortion numbers.

5mVpp = 1.77mV RMS

6.33V / 0.00177 = 3576 of gain

if the power amp has a gain of 20, then 3576 / 20 = 179

I would have an input op amp with a gain of 10, and a second stage with a gain of 20 (200 total) and a volume pot to ground before the power amp.

10*20*20 = 4000 which will allow for pot adjustment and variations.

So, use a dual op amp for the first two stages that drive a power amp IC (LM1876) with a gain of 20; all using a +/- 15V supply.
my teacher has told not to use an op amp unfortunately :( any other suggestion?
 

Thread Starter

Rubs

Joined Jun 20, 2011
16
Is this homework? There is a dedicated section on this site about homework. If it is so, it always helps if we know more about your curriculum background.
no its not a homework its a project..we are supposed to design an audio amplifier
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
Of course it is homework for school.
The very simple amplifier can be made with only 7 transistors but with fairly high distortion. With more transistors then it will have less distortion. Design it and if it doesn't work then we will help you.
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
You found an old tutorial. Push-pull outputs of amplifiers have not used an input transformer for at least 50 years.

Audio amplifiers do not operate in class-B because it has awful crossover distortion. They operate in class-AB.

The push-pull complementary output transistors are not an amplifier because they produce no voltage gain. They are the output stage of an amplifier.
 

chrisw1990

Joined Oct 22, 2011
551
oh ok then, my apologies! used an amplifier just like that, minus the caps last year, doesnt really matter anyway, just removes some of the bass =]
 

Audioguru

Joined Dec 20, 2007
11,248
oh ok then, my apologies! used an amplifier just like that, minus the caps last year, doesnt really matter anyway, just removes some of the bass =]
When the value of a coupling capacitor is too smalll then it forms a simple highpass filter that removes some of the bass. When the value is correct then there is plenty of bass. The value is easily calculated.

Here is the push-pull output stage with a driver transistor replacing one resistor:
 

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