THE LANG 20W CLASS-A

MOSFET AMPLIFIER
BY K. LANG

T HE GOAl. OF TIllS do-it-yourself

project is to design a high-
quality amplifier at a reasonable cost,
and without compromise. In order to
achieve this goal some basic re-
quirements must be fulfilled. The
concept of this amplifier's circuit
topology, and the choice of com-
ponents, must he directed toward this
goal right from the beginning.
The circuit should work with low
open-loop distortion so wc do not
need to apply a lot of overall feedback
around tbe circuit. Strong negative
feedback causes stability problems,
and increases rransicm diSLOrtion.
Therefore, the diIfcrcm Stages must
sbow 8000 results using only a small
local negative feedback, la achieve
open-loop gain, with a minimum
number of stages.
The output stage's circuit FETs
(field effect transistors, fig. 1) arc es-
pecially suited for a class-A amplifier.
Aside from the low source crnrem
range, the FETs have an npproximate-
ly linear transfer characteristic that
shows up in the c1ass-A operation:
distortion goes toward zero with
decreasing drive. In addition they cm
be easily driven, due to a theoretically PHOTO 1: The compleled 20W single channel amp is conrtJined on Ihis single cir-
infinite input impedance which sim- cui! board. Note the aluminum L-brac1<el which transfers the hear from the four OUl-
plifies the circuit as compared to put MOSFETS to a swwble external healsinJ<.
bipolar transistors with their high
power consumption. tempcratwe compensations, and an 3 pOSlUve effect on their mmsfer
Other advantages of these FETs are efficiem p3l"alleling of devices to in- bch3ovior for short overvolta.ges.
their lack of "secondary breakdown," crease the overall current carrying Some dis3odvam3oges of a cl3oSS-A
and their positive temperatwe coel· cap..1city. Output stage circuit are high power
ficient, Both result in high operating FETs do not Storc a charge during consumption, low efficiency and an
reliability, without additional cir- the transitions in the PN junction unfavorable ratio of price to power
cuitry such as current limitations or region, therefore they can be output compared to other OlltpUl
switched faster than bipolar tran- stage circuits. The high price is main-
sistors, which results in a higher ly due to the COStS of the necessary
Rl'IIWJlCJ, wilh /I<'''UlSSIOIl, from chad MagaZine
COPY'l8hl !O) 198.~ V~.lag Hem: H~'$e GMhH. Han· limiting frequency. Their shorter heatsinks and power supplies. How-
nul't', W GemlllIlY All ''8hU ,ese'Vtd. recovery time, after an overdrive, has ever, all this together cannot con-

128 Power Amp Projects


Rl
R2
FIGURE 1: A block diagram of the output seage circuit.
vince a real class-A enthusiast not to
build this circuit. Excellent sound is
the most essential criterion. In addi-
tion, for a high quality output stage
circuit, the price savings compared to
the commercially available products
is extremely good. Comparable class-
A amplifiers arc twice as expensive,
Power Supply
The cascodc circuits of the low-level
slages need a high voltage supply. On
the other hand, the voltage supply to
the output stage should be kept as
low as possible due to power con-
sumption problems. Therefore, twO
power supplies are used. This gives
higher stability against oscillation
and reduces crosstalk.
For the low level stages and the
drivers, a standard dual power supply
is used. The power requirement is
very low, approximately 12mA per
channel at ±24V. Theourpurstage's
power supply is unregulated and in-
tentionally without current limita-
tion, so as not to worsen the sound
of the amplifier. The current require-
ment is approximately 3A to 6A per
channel at ±20V.[A regylated sup-
ply for the low-level section was pub-
lished by lames l3cII'lR. jn TAA 3/82,
p. 9-&l.J
To proteCt the insensitive FETs
against shoH circuit, or too low im-
pedance, use fast-blow fuses. The cir-
cuit of the power supply is illustrated
in Fjg. 2.
Construction &. Adjustment
Before the etched circuit board JECS)
is assembled some preparations need
to be made. First drill the holes in the
mounting bracket (shown mounted
in Plloto 1) and in the hcatsink. For
this purpose, we install the L-bracket
on the empty ECB (Fig. 4) and drill
the necessary holes for the FETs at
me same time. This guarantees a bet-
TABLE 1
20W MOSFET POWER AMP
PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS
Sine continuous output
Into 4ft 20W
Power freQuency Range
20Hz -20kHZ +O-O.5(lB
10HZ-60kHZ +O-3<'B
Input level
for malflmum power O.77SV.(}(lB
voltage gain x12.6-22dB
ter line-up of the ECB and the heat- Input Impedance 40kn
sink. Next we install the L-bracket on
the extemal hcatsink {see parts list) Noise level
(ret: 100mW Into 4!ll
and drill the mounting boles through unwelghted -66dB
them at the same time. HA" weighted - !lOdB
The coil, LI, is built by winding IS
turns of NW wire on resistor R29, and Olstonion
at maKimum power -84dB
soldering it directly to the resistor at 4W at 4n -100dB
leads.
The two power supplies should be Intermodulation
built and checked in advance. By the lslne 19kHZ + 20kHZ: 1:1
way, two power supplies are the min- ITI<lximum power) -79dB
imum solution. Using separate power TOM
supplies for each channel is recom- t$Q. 3.18kHHSine 15kHZ:
mended {fow in all). Constructing a 4:1: maximum powen -SOdB
stabilized dual power supply accord-
Maximum power Consumption
ing to one of tbe numerous Standard no input signal BOW/channel
circuits is easy, but it may be difficult Quiescent current 2A/channel
to find a transformer for the output
stage power supply. For stereo opera-
tion the output stage must deliver at FETs are bolted to the ECB, and only
least 7A to BA, for mono at least 3A then are they soldered. The mount-
to 6A. ing instructions are described in
Now the parts of the amplifier F;g.3.
must be soldered to the board in the After inspecting the ECB for line-
known sequence, resistOrs, capaci- up polarity, short circuits and breaks,
tors, diodes and transistors. Note: wc can start with adjustments. This
solder the gate resistors of the FETs is restricted by the adjustment of the
and the ceramic filter capacitors Oil quiescent cunent of the output stage.
the copper side of the ECB to mini- First measure whether tbe resis-
mize the interconnection wire length tance between the twO connection
between these parts and the FETs. points of the lo-tum potentiometer,
The MOSFETs are mounted in the P3, is zero ohm. If it isn't, P3 must
holes on the heatsink with mica in- be adjusted accordingly.
sulators, insulating nipples and lots Now the power supply can be con-
of silicone grease. The heatsinks and nected [without loudspeakers), and
'sv-
I'
_. -
'0" -
-..- ·'IH---~
-.'"
,.,
:I(l(l(IO~ 11S~
-
----i~~ I '"
---fEJ~' -
FIGURE 2: The power supply for the output stDge. For the drivers and input Sli1gts,
a separate ± power supply is needed.
Power Amp Projects 129
the supply voltage can be switched
on. If possible, for lhe first leSt, use
two power supplies with power
limitation to avoid potentially large
damage in case of errors. You can test
without the twO supplies because tbe
FETs arc srordy, but I recommend us-
ing two. If the test goes smoothly
{without smoke!, the output stage is
ready for operation-in class-B.
The quiescent current is adjusted
to 2A by connecting an ammeter in
one of tbe supply wires of the output
and by turning P3. The quiescent cur-
rent needs re-adjusting after the FETs
and the heatsink wmm-up {aoout ten
minutes) to approximately 90 degrees
Celsius (194fO). During this time the
current should have dropped to ap-
proximately lA to l.SA.
The OUlput stage can be operated
with any other quiescent current be-
tween O.OA and 2A, and will tben be
operated in class-B {respectively in
class-AB). It now has a higher effi-
ciency, but sounds worse than in
pure class-A. Before operation, the
output stage should be checked again
with a voltmeter for offset voltage at
the output. This vo)[agc should nOt
exceed 20m V.
I recommend using heatsinks as
side panels for installation in a box.
Connect tbem with bars, and cut
suitable plates for the tOp, bottom,
back and front. The free space in the
middle can be used for tbe power sup-
plies. The rectifier can be mounted
directly on the bottom plate. The in-
put and output connectors, and the
three fuse holders, should be
mounted on the back plate.
Results
ing that the best class-A amplifier
sounds only as good as the loud-
speakers it drives. Also, because of
the relatively low power output, high
quality, high efficiency loudspeakers
should be used (i.e., homsl. Only
then does the class-A prove its superi-
oriry. [Class-A is also fine in low-
power for multi-amped systems, and
especially good for driving eliXtro-
static loudspeakers. -Ed. J
How Does it Workl
In the block diagram of the amplifier
IFig. I), are three intermediate cir-
cuits: differential amplifier, voltage
amplifier and power amplifier. For a
high open-loop-gain (Aol 100) the
closed-loop-gain Ad can be detet-
mined approximately by:
A.cJ _ U... R.+R z

,
The description of this do-it-yourself- UC" Rz
project shows that an excellent class-

~
A amplifier can be constructed for
Snew
audiO applications with a relatively
small number of components. The
high quality of the amplifier is by no
I I I means the result of an innovative cir-
1r<ll»,."" cuit design. It is due to the strict
I .\lrt. In...blO<
adherence of simple design rules: us-
ing moderate bur correct amounts of
negative feedback, avoiding TIM
I '
I 'C, ,I , I Ik.",ink !transient intermodulation distortion)
"
The complete design (Fig. 6) will be
significantly simplified by this rela·
tion, and extensive calculations to
find the tOtal gain are unnecesS<lry.
The circuit is remarkable, first of all,
because of the completcly symmetri-
cal conception, which contributes
considerably to reducing the distor-
tions. The input stage is a differen-
tial amplifier: a nearly distortion frce

I by pure passive bandwidth limita· circuit without using any special

8 8 cfb
In-uLa"~ n'rple tion, etc. However, the excellent test measures. Therefore negative feed-
back, via the emitter resistors RI to
~ ,-"et", boonl results are no guarantee for how well
tbe amplifier sounds. R14, is relatively low, resulting in a
=
X "'P
W••""r
l.J,... k ....h,'r
Personallistcoing tests are subjec-
tive and relevant, but cannot be
high open-loop gain.
The differential amplifier offcrs the
o±n
= NLJ' technically measured. According to
FIGURE 3D: The mountIng sequence actual technical findings, however,
additional advantage that the overall
negative feedback can be applicd, via
alignment of the uansistors, beatsinRs the class-A amplifier produces a a voltage divider, to the second input
and ECB boards. sound that listeners prefer over of the differential amplifier.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ others. Finally it is worth mention- The twO differential amplifie~
operate with two constant currem
sources (RI and R32, C4 and CS, T3
5 19 J3 41 87,S 99 1155 121 and T6 and DI and 02). Herc, the
I quiescent currents will be fixed and
decoupled from the supply voltage.
The symmetrical design also simpli-
fies the supply of base current to the
input slage. The input is connected
to ground through R14, R5 and RIO,
and is at zero volts, because no cur-
reot passes through these resistors
when the input transistors are
balanced.
9.5 21 37.'3 L9 66 97 IlQ 125 132 The constant current sources are
" adjusted to approximately I mA by
FIGURE 3b: The L·bracket of alimlinum is 12 x t10mm or approximately ~ x 1*. R31 and R32. This is a goOO com-
It couples the heol of the four MOSFETs to a suiwb/e eXlernaJ heatsink. Dimensions promise between the noise of the
{/rc in mil1imeters.
transistors, proportional to the eur·
130 Power Amp Projects
FIGURE 4: Tile empty circuit boom.
rent, and the dislOrtions, caused by
the single-sided load of the differen-
tial amplifier due lO the current re·
quirement of the driver transistors.
The driver circuit is a bipolar push-
pull cascode circuit, consisting of
traIlsistors T7 to TW. Most of the
design work is in this part of the cir-
cuit. The bipolar cascode was se-
lected after extensively testing and
measuring six different driver cir-
cuits. Simple push-pull circuits push-
pull Darlingrons or VMCS-drivcr
types tested badly.
The cascode stages get their bias
from tbe constant voltage sowces, via
Rl7 and RI8, and 03 and 04. The
cascode stages are driven with the
voltage drop across the collector
resistors of the differential amplifier.
The quiescent current through the
cascades wiU also be adjusted by that
voltage, and depend on the quiescent
current of the differentiaJ amplifier.
The emitter resistors R19 and R20,
add a small negative feedback to tbe
almost distortion-free cascades. The
quiescent current through the eas-
codes is approximately 10mA, to
cover the current requirements at
high frequencies of the FETs due to
their channel capacities.
The quiescent current in the cas·
code stage is producing 3 voltage drop
across P3, and this voltage is used to
bias the output FETs. The quiescent
current in the Output stage can, with-
out problems, be adjusted between
zero and 4A.
The circuit of the output stage is
simple: the source resistors R25 to
R28 guarantee a small negative fced-
Power Amp Projects 131

FfCURE 5' The swffitlg guide
back, and compensate for variations
between the different FITs. The resis-
tors R21 to R24, and the c.1pacitors C6
132 Power Amp Projects
to C9, prevent the tendency toward
oscillations of the output stage. They
install as near as possible to the FETs.
The RL and RC networks, made up of
R29 and R30, ClO and Ll at the am·
plifier's output, isolate the capacitive
and inductive load represented by tbe
loudspeakers, thus also reducing the
tendency towards oscillations.
Protection diodes OS to D8 prevent
gate source voltage from rising tOO
high in case of overdrive or short cir-
cuit of the omput stage. The
necessary outpUt current, and the
supply voltage of the output Stages,
are calculated as follows:
I'au> .. W W--+
P_ ., ,Ip_ xRt .. 8.94 V~
-- - Uau .= /1. x 8.94 V..
.. 12.65V",
I
,.....us, = U a ...... x-- '" 3.16A
IV.
which is equal to l.S8A per output
stngc.
The chosen quiescent currem is 'lA
IusM"X = 2A + 1.58A = 3.6A
The quiescent current is high so the
FE.Ts C~ln still work, even at a
minirnwn current of O.4A, in a linear
range. The minimum supply voltage
results from the maximum Output
voltage, plus the voltage drop of the
FET bulk resistances in a hard driven
st.ge IR."I.
VI> .. V",".. + los."..u )( Rps"" -\8.TV
The supply voltage chosen is ± WV.
 • lOY -0--.--....-,

p':"r;"
~21Dn
"'"

'""
" ",,. " ",
"" "'"
'"" , ..
'" 1l2? 211 '"
4 A7

'" OR
22
C1D
J: 100"
'" !9 ,~

"',
'l\.',J.,
c7l le9
" "'" AI' Al0 MlO" 220"

'" 10. 27011 _ lOV _ ....-1_4-...1

FIGURE 6: Schematic of one channel of the complete 2OWamplifier..

From the supply voltage and the

quiescent current the maximum PARTS LIST
power consumption can be cal-
culated:
Resistors· semiconductors
R1 18k 01, 2 3,9V zener
PVMAX -2x20Vx2A =80W R2 2.2k 03, 4 18V zener
R3 470k OS, 6 12V zener
This seems to be high, but it is R4 47k 07, 8 1N4148
RS-9 4.7k T1, 2, 3 8C550
unavoidable for a true class-A output
R10 10n T4-8 BC560
stage. In addition, as is the nonnal R11-14 2200 19,10 BCSSO
case, power consumption is reduced R15-18 10k T11, 12 2SK133
considerably when the Output stage R19, 20 2700 TU, 14 2SJ48
is driven. R21-24 1k
11:25-28 0.22, SW W.W. Mls<-
The last parts of the circuit are the 11:29 10,1W l1 12-15 wrns insUlated wire,
input filter :md the feedback path. 11:30 4.7n,1W 1mm diameter 11201 wound on
The input filter, built up by R3 to RS, 11:31,32 3.3k R29- 2".H
and Cl and C3, is a bandpass with a P3 5k 1lHum trImmer EC BOard
bandwidth of 5Hz up to 60kHz. heatsink thermal reslstance smaller than
'All resistors VOW, 5% 0.4 C/W, e.g.. 51(91 or SKS6,
Therefore, the bandwidth of the total 1sornm long 16.,
circuit will be limited by passive l·bracket see drill plan, 4mm thick
components upwards as well as {Fig.3bl
downwards. capacitors
C1 220"F, bipolar, 12V POwer SUpplY
This design is necessary to avoid a C2 O.68"F, polypropylene Transformer: 2l(15V.3.6AfOJannel
bandwidth limitation by the (active) C3 47QpF Re<:tifier: 10A bridge
high-pass of the negative feedback (4-7 100"F, vertical 25V, electrolytic Filter capacitor: 2l(20 OOO"F, 2SV
network, (RI :md R2, and C2). Such C8,9 22OnF, 2SV, ceramic fuse hOlder, fuses, master SWitCh, separate
C10 1ClOnF power supply, for input stage: ±24V!SQmA
C11,12 68PF lregulateCll

Power Amp Projects 133

a bandwidth limitation in the nega-
tive feedback network is always a
problem and easily leads to
instabilities.
The upper limiting frequency of
tbe passive inpm filter, in the range
of 60kHz, lies considerably under the
limiting frequencies of the active
stages, and preventS problematical
TIM distortion. The whole input
134 Power Amp Projects
filter is not connected directly to
ground, but via the low value of RIO,
thus reducing the danger of ground
loops and hum.
Tbe negative feedback network, as
already described with higb open-loop
gain, defines tbe total gain. With the
indicated resistors it is adjusted to 13
times, but it is easily changed with
a suitable resistor {Le., in order to
cbaDge the input sensitivity).
In tliis branch the capacitor Cl pro-
vides increasing negative feedback at
low frequencies and theoretically an
infinite negative feedback at DC volt·
age-gain is equal, 1 =0dB. There-
fore, tbe output lies on tbe same
voltage level as the input, namely on
the ground level. 0