База знаний по hi-fi и high-end технике и комплектующим, отзывы и впечатления
Показаны различия между двумя версиями страницы.
Следующая версия | Предыдущая версия | ||
1tubes:dn2540 [2022/01/14 09:38] staudio создано |
1tubes:dn2540 [2022/01/14 09:40] (текущий) staudio |
||
---|---|---|---|
Строка 2: | Строка 2: | ||
https:// | https:// | ||
- | + | \\ | |
- | DN2540 High Voltage Constant Current Source | + | DN2540 High Voltage Constant Current Source\\ |
+ | \\ | ||
Ever dreamed of getting the highest possible linearity out of your triode gain stage, by means of using an extremely high value of an anode resistor, say 1 Meg or more? If only that would be possible, we would have a nice, almost flat, load impedance line on our anode characteristics, | Ever dreamed of getting the highest possible linearity out of your triode gain stage, by means of using an extremely high value of an anode resistor, say 1 Meg or more? If only that would be possible, we would have a nice, almost flat, load impedance line on our anode characteristics, | ||
Let’s assume that a reasonable current flowing through our tube of choice is 10mA and that such a current puts us in a nice area of it’s characteristic. So we **need** this current to flow through the tube, so as to “define” the DC working conditions of the tube. But now, look what happens: | Let’s assume that a reasonable current flowing through our tube of choice is 10mA and that such a current puts us in a nice area of it’s characteristic. So we **need** this current to flow through the tube, so as to “define” the DC working conditions of the tube. But now, look what happens: | ||
- | a). The resistor would need to drop a voltage in the order of: | + | a). The resistor would need to drop a voltage in the order of:\\ |
- | 0.01A * 1 000 000 R = 10 000 Volts. | + | \\ |
- | This would be no ordinary power supply, to say the least. | + | 0.01A * 1 000 000 R = 10 000 Volts.\\ |
- | b). The power rating of the resistor would need to be substantial: | + | This would be no ordinary power supply, to say the least.\\ |
- | P = I * I * R = 0.01A * 0.01A * 1 000 000 = 100 Watts. | + | b). The power rating of the resistor would need to be substantial: |
- | Not feasible. | + | P = I * I * R = 0.01A * 0.01A * 1 000 000 = 100 Watts.\\ |
- | But not all is lost. Signal-wise, | + | Not feasible.\\ |
- | There is a “method” do get the best of both worlds. A healthy DC current flowing through the tube, the current that is used to “define” the operating conditions of the triode, and obtained from a reasonable power supply voltage, of say up to 200 ~ 350 Volts. | + | |
- | Have a look at this following circuit, and let us analyze what is happening here … | + | But not all is lost. Signal-wise, |
+ | There is a “method” do get the best of both worlds. A healthy DC current flowing through the tube, the current that is used to “define” the operating conditions of the triode, and obtained from a reasonable power supply voltage, of say up to 200 ~ 350 Volts. | ||
+ | Have a look at this following circuit, and let us analyze what is happening here …\\ | ||
{{1tubes: | {{1tubes: | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | What we have here is a “contraption” that I intend to put “on top” of the anode of my triode.\\ | ||
+ | It is powered by some reasonable value of high voltage, high enough to obtain the necessary DC operating conditions for the elements as depicted and the triode underneath, high enough so as to achieve the required AC output signal swing, but on the other hand, low enough so as to not to stress the components too much.\\ | ||
+ | The transistors that are used are so called N-MOS depletion mode transistors. | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | If you do NOT provide these devices with any voltage on their gates, they will be normally conducting. Open. Just like a vacuum tube, a triode, that does not have any control grid potential. | ||
+ | Now, let us assume that we need a 20 mA current flowing to the tube underneath, and let us assume that the Q2 device conducts such a current in the case of a negative gate voltage of 2,2 Volts. This would imply that we need a “current programming” resistor R1 with a value of 2,2 V / 20 mA = 110 R. | ||
+ | Now, what happens if the tube tries to “pull” a higher current ? As soon as any minuscule increase of current takes place, this will translate to an increase of the voltage drop on the R1 programming resistor, so the “negative bias” voltage herewith would increase and be passed on to the gate of the Q2 device (= “silicon triode”). | ||
- | What we have here is a “contraption” that I intend to put “on top” of the anode of my triode. | + | But to what extent will it “oppose” any current changes? |
- | It is powered by some reasonable value of high voltage, high enough to obtain the necessary DC operating conditions for the elements as depicted and the triode underneath, high enough so as to achieve the required AC output signal swing, but on the other hand, low enough so as to not to stress the components too much. | + | |
- | The transistors that are used are so called N-MOS depletion mode transistors. | + | |
- | If you do NOT provide these devices with any voltage on their gates, they will be normally conducting. Open. Just like a vacuum tube, a triode, that does not have any control grid potential. | + | |
- | Now, let us assume that we need a 20 mA current flowing to the tube underneath, and let us assume that the Q2 device conducts such a current in the case of a negative gate voltage of 2,2 Volts. This would imply that we need a “current programming” resistor R1 with a value of 2,2 V / 20 mA = 110 R. | + | |
- | Now, what happens if the tube tries to “pull” a higher current ? As soon as any minuscule increase of current takes place, this will translate to an increase of the voltage drop on the R1 programming resistor, so the “negative bias” voltage herewith would increase and be passed on to the gate of the Q2 device (= “silicon triode”). | + | |
- | But to what extent will it “oppose” any current changes? | + | |
To put this into perspective, | To put this into perspective, | ||
- | But what about Q1 ? The upper DN2540? Why do we need that one? Look at it this way: from the Q1′s point of view, it’s “cathode” is similarly loaded with an “auto-bias” resistor. | + | But what about Q1 ? The upper DN2540? Why do we need that one? Look at it this way: from the Q1′s point of view, it’s “cathode” is similarly loaded with an “auto-bias” resistor. |
- | Earlier, we said that the the current flowing through these serially connected devices is 10 mA. Therefore, the voltage on top of the Q2 device takes on such a value, so that the gate of Q1 is also set with a negative bias voltage of about ~2,2V, i.e. enabling it to conduct exactly the “programmed” 10 mA of current that is needed. | + | Earlier, we said that the the current flowing through these serially connected devices is 10 mA. Therefore, the voltage on top of the Q2 device takes on such a value, so that the gate of Q1 is also set with a negative bias voltage of about ~2,2V, i.e. enabling it to conduct exactly the “programmed” 10 mA of current that is needed.\\ |
Now, please recall that scenario, where the lower Q2 device needed to “compensate” for a (fictitious) increase in current flow. We said, that it would have be biased more negatively, and hence Q2 would decrease it’s current flow. But Q1 would see this as an “increase” of the value of it’s “cathode” auto-bias resistor, because Q2 is the “variable resistor” sitting at the cathode of Q1. Such an “increase” of the cathode resistor also results in a higher value of the negative bias voltage on the gate of Q1, so Q1 will actively participate in decreasing the flow of current. The upper device, Q1, would “assist” Q2, to the full force of the transconductance that it has available, in the process of “decreasing”, | Now, please recall that scenario, where the lower Q2 device needed to “compensate” for a (fictitious) increase in current flow. We said, that it would have be biased more negatively, and hence Q2 would decrease it’s current flow. But Q1 would see this as an “increase” of the value of it’s “cathode” auto-bias resistor, because Q2 is the “variable resistor” sitting at the cathode of Q1. Such an “increase” of the cathode resistor also results in a higher value of the negative bias voltage on the gate of Q1, so Q1 will actively participate in decreasing the flow of current. The upper device, Q1, would “assist” Q2, to the full force of the transconductance that it has available, in the process of “decreasing”, | ||
What we basically have here is a cascaded circuit. A single device would use all of it’s transconductance, | What we basically have here is a cascaded circuit. A single device would use all of it’s transconductance, | ||
Строка 35: | Строка 41: | ||
- | Basically, our triode “sees” nothing more than a CONSTANT 10mA. The triode as above, a popular 6SN7, for example' | + | Basically, our triode “sees” nothing more than a CONSTANT 10mA. The triode as above, a popular 6SN7, for example' |
- | Please also note the linearity. Do you see it? If not - a small hint: Look at the amount of square boxes between the green marker lines. | + | Please also note the linearity. Do you see it? If not - a small hint: Look at the amount of square boxes between the green marker lines. |
- | But there is more. | + | But there is more.\\ |
{{1tubes: | {{1tubes: | ||
- | + | \\ | |
- | Consider a grid voltage with an 8 volt P-P input signal, swinging from 0V to -8V around the mid point at -4V. The CCS load would give an output voltage spanning from 90V do 257V, or a 167 V P-P. Such an output voltage swing could be possible to obtain from a power supply of (guessing) 280V, leaving a healthy 23 V of voltage overhead for the Q1 and Q2 devices. | + | Consider a grid voltage with an 8 volt P-P input signal, swinging from 0V to -8V around the mid point at -4V. The CCS load would give an output voltage spanning from 90V do 257V, or a 167 V P-P. Such an output voltage swing could be possible to obtain from a power supply of (guessing) 280V, leaving a healthy 23 V of voltage overhead for the Q1 and Q2 devices.\\ |
A resistive load, of say 20k, on the other hand, resembled as a yellow diagonal line sloping downwards to the right, would yield a much smaller amount of output voltage swing, spanning from 110V do 232V, or a 122 V P-P. This is a significantly lower voltage swing that the 167V p-p, possible to obtain from a reasonable power supply voltage. | A resistive load, of say 20k, on the other hand, resembled as a yellow diagonal line sloping downwards to the right, would yield a much smaller amount of output voltage swing, spanning from 110V do 232V, or a 122 V P-P. This is a significantly lower voltage swing that the 167V p-p, possible to obtain from a reasonable power supply voltage. | ||
- | But please also note another potential pitfall: 10mA across 20K is an additional voltage drop of V = I * R = 200 V across the resistor alone, so the power supply voltage would need to be something like 370 V (the whereabouts of where the yellow line would cross the " | + | But please also note another potential pitfall: 10mA across 20K is an additional voltage drop of V = I * R = 200 V across the resistor alone, so the power supply voltage would need to be something like 370 V (the whereabouts of where the yellow line would cross the " |
- | Returning to the CCS, the value of R1 needs some tweaking, as the individual characteristics of each and every DN2540 will vary slightly. | + | Returning to the CCS, the value of R1 needs some tweaking, as the individual characteristics of each and every DN2540 will vary slightly. |
Such a CCS is also a very good means of increasing ripple rejection, ripple originating from a less-than-perfect filtering with the power supply. As mentioned earlier, th CCS is basically a high impedance. | Such a CCS is also a very good means of increasing ripple rejection, ripple originating from a less-than-perfect filtering with the power supply. As mentioned earlier, th CCS is basically a high impedance. | ||
- | Another good feature of the CCS setup, based on Q1 and Q2 depletion mode Mosfets, is a low internal reactance. This implies that the CCS will maintain it’s “high impedance” across a broad range of frequencies, | + | Another good feature of the CCS setup, based on Q1 and Q2 depletion mode Mosfets, is a low internal reactance. This implies that the CCS will maintain it’s “high impedance” across a broad range of frequencies, |
- | The attentive reader might have noticed a mu-follower type of quality in the way in which we take the output signal from this circuit. Indeed, the output signal is rather taken from the source of the lower Mosfet, and not directly from the anode of the triode. If you are concerned about the high capacitance and / or load introduced by the following stage, this CCS setup, sitting on top of your triode, is also a very good overall performer. The triode is isolated from the load capacitance by the current programming resistor. The following stage, with it’s low impedance and possibly high reactance, is now driven from low impedance of the source pin of the Mosfet. There is no direct connection between anode and load. The triode is hence " | + | The attentive reader might have noticed a mu-follower type of quality in the way in which we take the output signal from this circuit. Indeed, the output signal is rather taken from the source of the lower Mosfet, and not directly from the anode of the triode. If you are concerned about the high capacitance and / or load introduced by the following stage, this CCS setup, sitting on top of your triode, is also a very good overall performer. The triode is isolated from the load capacitance by the current programming resistor. The following stage, with it’s low impedance and possibly high reactance, is now driven from low impedance of the source pin of the Mosfet. There is no direct connection between anode and load. The triode is hence " |
- | Happy soldering. | + | Happy soldering. |
- | Regards, | + | Regards,\\ |
- | http:// | + | http:// |
- | zjj_wwa@hiend-audio.com | + | zjj_wwa@hiend-audio.com\\ |