Revisiting some "old" ideas from 1970's - IPS, OPS

Thi is valid for class AB output stages.
Imagine, you measure THD at relatively high output swing - say, 20V RMS (50W @ 8 ohm).
In case your OPS is under-biased, you will have some crossover distortion, but it's pretty much "masked" by the high-level base frequency tone.
Now, measure THD at 2.8V RMS at the output (1W @ 8 ohm). Crossover distortion stays roughly the same, but the level of the base frequency is much lower - THD value increases.
In correctly-biased OPS, crossover distortion's influence on overall THD is lower, than influence of the other sources' of distortion. In this case - lower swing -> lower THD.
Thanks,got it!
In my previous test THD is higher when output is lower than with a higher output.
 
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Crossover distortion is a short period glitch and thus is high frequency in nature.

You will see higher levels of 5th to 39th harmonic content when crossover is present compared to a ClassA stage which tends to have higher levels of 2nd to 4th.

D.Self shows some pics of BJT crossover effects for optimally biased, under biased and over biased. You can clearly see the spiky nature of the high frequency content of the crossover. MosFETs don't have an equivalent to BJT optimally biased. They just get lower crossover distortion the more you increase the bias current.
I'd guess that's why Borbely tells us to use 500mA, or more, of output stage bias.
 
Ready for testing

Well, just about ready for testing. Man this thing burns up some real estate. :eek:

I need to clear off my bench before I can do any more. I also want to read back through the thread to refresh my thinking before I start testing. I want to be sure I understand how to adjust everything before I go any further. I have all three IPS sections ready but I think I will start with the VFA since it seems that is the most stable.

Blessings, Terry
 

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Well, just about ready for testing. Man this thing burns up some real estate. :eek:

I need to clear off my bench before I can do any more. I also want to read back through the thread to refresh my thinking before I start testing. I want to be sure I understand how to adjust everything before I go any further. I have all three IPS sections ready but I think I will start with the VFA since it seems that is the most stable.

Blessings, Terry
Hi Terry,yours is a little different output board.
 
Terry's building the Mini Modular output boards. It uses the same input boards as the NS series, but is a smaller simple EF3 design. It's basically the same as setting up a Slewmaster. It also can be adapted to Hexfet output devices. The input boards can be run standalone with 100R jumpers to NFB as we did with most other modular input boards.

Your tests will diffidently be useful as nobody has run this one yet. You are using BJT outputs. The LEDs on the output boards should be removed and jumper wires installed. The LEDs are for Hexfet outputs.
 
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Terry's building the Mini Modular output boards. It uses the same input boards as the NS series, but is a smaller simple EF3 design. It's basically the same as setting up a Slewmaster. It also can be adapted to Hexfet output devices. The input boards can be run standalone with 100R jumpers to NFB as we did with most other modular input boards.

Your tests will diffidently be useful as nobody has run this one yet. You are using BJT outputs. The LEDs on the output boards should be removed and jumper wires installed. The LEDs are for Hexfet outputs.

I wish I had realized this. I used MJL21193/94. Those have proven troublesome with an EF3. I will change those out before I test. These boards have been quite a journey.
 
I think Valery has already simulated these with MJL21193/94 and said they were fine. I need to read back through the thread to be sure though.

Are you starting to get used to surface mount parts yet?

My biggest issue with the surface mount parts is that I don't have them. Every time I think I have all the parts I need, I discover I am still missing something. I have placed orders 5 times trying to get these boards completed. I know if I want to stay in this hobby that SMD are inevitable so I am learning.