Audio Circuit Denmark

www.audio-circuit.dk

LYNX
Power Amplifier
Main PCB v2.1 and v2.2
Quick Assembly Guide v.1.2
16.11.2003

Contents
1. Introduction and Specifications
2. Circuit Description
3. Component Lists
4. PCB-Layout and Silk Screen
5. Hardware and Connectors
6. PCB assembly and first test
7. Power Supply
8. Schematics

Disclaimer
The LYNX Power Amplifier are intended as a non-commercial diy-project, and it is therefore builder’s responsibility
to assure that assembly and wiring are made correct, and that suitable components are used.
Audio Circuit Denmark can therefore under no circumstances be held responsible for any incorrect information or
documentation, damages to persons and material, loss of money or what so ever.

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1. Introductions and Specifications
Introduction
This project had only one goal. To create a rock-solid and powerful sonic Power Amplifier like those used in
recording studios. However, if you are fond of the deceased mighty and "muscular" power amps from Phase
Linear, SAE, GAS and Dynaco etc. you may be intrigued by this project as the result is very close to those.

Components
Components shown in the schematics are only suggestions. The circuit has shown good characteristics and have
produced a clear sound, when build with low cost components. So with this circuit you have the possibility to either
build a low cost dynamic Power Amplifier or a Studio Class Power Amplifier.

Technical Specifications:
With the use of a heavy Power Supply combined with a large Capacitor Bank, the LYNX Power Amplifier are able
to deliver loud and clear sound, and have shown capable of handling loads down to 1 Ohms without any instability.

Specifications rated at +/- 55 Volt DC Supply Voltage with 2x22.000 uF capacitor bank:

Output Power: 150 Watts pr. Channel into 8 Ohms

275 Watts pr. Channel into 4 Ohms
400 Watts pr. Channel into 2 Ohms

Frequency response: DC to 300 kHz

Signal-to-Noise Ratio: Better than 110 dB (20 Hz to 20 kHz

Harmonic Distortion THD: Less than 0.001% from 20 to 450 Hz

raising to less than 0.05% at 20 kHz

Damping Factor: Greater than 700 from DC to 400 Hz

The amplifier can run with supply voltages from +/-35 to +/-70 Volts DC without changing any resistor values.

2. Circuit Description and Schematics

Circuit Description
The input signal from a Pre-Amp or a Volume Control is applied to the Inverting Input (Pin 2) of the U101 Opamp
through a low-pass filter (R102 and C101), while the feedback signal (determent by R120 and R121) is applied to
the Non-Inverting Input (Pin 3) of the U101 Opamp.

U101 makes the first low Voltage Gain, and provide low output impedance to the Voltage Amplifier stage Q101 and
Q103 (Positive Voltage Amplification) and Q102 and Q104 (Negative Voltage Amplification).

The signal is then feed to the Current Gain Stages, which are build-up as “Three Deep Darlington” (TDD) circuits,
each consisting of one Pre-Driver (Q106 and Q107), one High Power Driver (Q110 and Q111) and the Output
Transistors (Q112 to Q119).

The Bias circuit consists of Q105, C104 (decoupling), R113, R115 and a Potentiometer R114, which allows the
Bias to be adjusted.

The +/-15V DC Supply to U101 are provided by R122, ZD101 and C105 (Positive Supply) and R123, ZD102 and
C106 (Negative Supply).

A Current Limiting Circuit (R124 to R127, C109 and C110, D103 to D108 and Q108 to Q109) is fitted to protect the
output stage from delivering high currents above safety level. The use of C105 and C106 allows high current peaks
(dynamic peaks) on the output without limiting the output current. Only if the current flow continues above "safety
level" the capacitors are charged and Q108/Q109 limits the output current by lowering the signal to the Pre-Drivers.

If you are afraid of DC-Voltages on the input (from the outputs of your other equipment) you can add a 47uF/10V
NP-capacitor to the input in series with R101.

On the last page you see the full schematics for the LYNX Power Amplifier.

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3. Component List

LYNX Power Amplifier main PCB v.2.1 and v2.2 (updated 16.11.2003)

Item Description Mfr./Type Alternatives Notes

R101, R105, R105, R120 10K, 0.25W 1%
R102 1M8, 0.25W 1%
R103, R104 820R, 0.25W 1%
R107, R108 1K, 0.25W 1%
R109, R110 3.3K, 0.25W 1%
R111, R112 330R, 1W Non-Inductive
R113 1K8, 0.25W 1-5%
R115 220R, 0.25W 1-5%
R116, R117 180R, 1W Non-Inductive
R118, R119 4R7, 2W Non-Inductive
R121 390R, 0.25W 1-5%
R122, R123 2K7, 2W Non-Inductive
R124, R125, R126, R127 100R, 0.25W 1-5%

R114 4K7 potentiometer Cermet, Bourns Equivalent 10-24 turns

C101, C104 100pF WIMA FKP 2 Equivalent

C102, C103 33pF WIMA FKP 2 Equivalent
C105, C106 22uF, 50V Non-Polarity
C107, C108 0.1uF VISHAY MKP 1837 Equivalent
C109 100pF WIMA FKP 2 Equivalent

U101 OPA627 OPA27 Low DC-Offset

opamp

Q101, Q108 MPSA42 Philips Equivalent

Q102, Q109 MPSA92 Philips Equivalent
Q103, Q107 MJE350 Fairchild Equivalent
Q104, Q105, Q106 MJE340 Fairchild Equivalent
Q110 MJE15032 Motorola Equivalent
Q111 MJE15033 Motorola Equivalent

D103, D104, D105, D106,

D107, D108 1N4148 Equivalent

ZD101, ZD102 15V Zener, 1W

Output Stage (not on PCB)

Item Description Mfr./Type Alternatives Notes
R131, R132, R133, R134,
R135, R137, R138, R139 0,33R, 5W 0,22R, 5W Non-Inductive
R139 2R7, 5W Non-Inductive
R140 10R, 5W Non-Inductive

C110 0.1uF VISHAY MKP 1837 Equivalent

L101 2uH 20A rating

Q112, Q113, Q114, Q115 MJL21194 Equivalent On main heatsink

Q116, Q117, Q118, Q119 MJL21193 Equivalent On main heatsink

D109, D110 1N5059 Equivalent

Misc. (Power Supply and external connectors not included)

One L-shaped Aluminium Profile 20 x 20 mm (0.79” x 0.79”), L: 100 mm (3.94”), thickness: 3 mm (0.1”) or more.
Two large heatsinks for output transistors (C/W 1 at 100 W for normal use)
Suitable isolation pads for Q105, Q106, Q107, Q110, Q111 and Q112 to Q119 and heat-conducting paste.
TO-220 heatsinks for Q106 and Q107, e.g. K25-004 from Austerlitz (C/W 15 at 4.0 W).
Terminal Blocks for easy wiring and suitable wires etc.
Various suitable screws, bolts, washers, nuts and insulation bushes for secure attachment of PCB and transistors.

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4. PCB-Layout and Silk Screen

The LYNX main PCB v.2.1 Silk Screen and PCB-Layout

Original board size: 100 x 80 mm (app. 3.94” x 3.15”) = one half of a Euro-Board.

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5. Hardware and Connecters
Main PCB v.2.1 fitted with L-Profile, TO-220 heatsinks and Terminal Blocks.

IMPORTANT NOTE!
Q105, Q106, Q107, Q110 and Q112 MUST be fitted with insulation pads and bushes to prevent any electric
connection between the transistors and the L-Profile and heatsinks. Apply heat-conducting paste before attaching
the transistors.

The PCB are to be thermal attached to main heatsink by the L-Shaped Profile using suitable bolts, washers and nut
and heat-conducting paste!

L-shaped profile, size 20x20 mm (0.8”x0.8”)

Length: 100 mm (3.94”). Thickness: >3 mm (0.13”)

Holes for
Support bolts

Terminal blocks
Lead 5,08 mm

TO220
Heatsink TO220
Terminal block Heatsink
Terminal block Lead 5,08 mm
Lead 2,54 mm

Holes for support bracket if used in mobile equipment

Positive Signal Feedback Negative Signal

Current Limiter Current Limiter

To Base Terminals of Q112, To Base Terminals of Q113,

Q114, Q116 and Q118 Q115, Q117 and Q119

Positive DC-Supply Negative DC-Supply

Power Supply Audio Input

and Signal Gnd

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6. PCB assembly and first test
Please read carefully before you start assembling the PCB!
- Check for correct board size and version (v2.1 and v2.2)
- Check carefully the PCB for broken or shorted tracks
- Check for missing, bad or misplaced drilled holes

L-Profile
Start by attaching the L-shaped pre-drilled Aluminium Profile to the PCB using the two fastening bolts.
Use suitable washers and nuts etc.

Carefully bend the pins and attach the three transistors Q105, Q110 and Q111 to the PCB and L-profile with
suitable bolts, washers and nuts.
Use suitable isolation pads and bushes, and heat-conducting paste!

Components
Components should easily be soldered in if you use following order:
1. 0.25W resistors (all) according to the part list
Always measure the resistance of each resistor before attaching it to the PCB!
2. Jumper J1 and the Bias potentiometer R114
3. Zeners ZD101 and ZD102 and all diodes D103 to D108
Raise Zeners app. 5 mm from the PCB, as they can get warm
4. Opamp U101. Be careful to inset the opamp correctly.
Note that pin 1 is marked on the silk screen and by a square pad on the PCB
5. Small transistors Q101, Q102, Q108 and Q109
6. Capacitors (all)
7. 1W and 2W resistors (all)
Raise resistors app. 5-10 mm from the PCB as they can get warm
8. Large transistors Q103 and Q104, and Q106 and Q107 with fitted heatsinks
Make sure that the heatsinks on Q106 and Q107 are not touching other components!
9. The terminal blocks (if used)

Check and double-check all solderings!!

Preparing the first test

Do the first test with no output stage connected!
In fact, if you replace each of the two driver emitter resistors R118 and R119 with 0.33 Ohms resistors, you have a
complete small 40 W Power Amplifier.

Connect a regulated +/-40 to 70 Volt DC-Supply to the +Vcc and –Vee terminals of the PCB. Positive Supply to the
+Vcc terminal and Negative Supply to the –Vee supply, using a 0.5 to 1A fuse in each supply line. Connect the
Power Supply GND to both the GND and the Input terminal on the PCB, and your oscilloscope to the F/O terminal
on the PCB.

First test
Switch on the Power Supply and observe the oscilloscope for any signs of oscillation on the F/O terminal.
Also check that no component gets hotter, than you are still able to touch it. Verify that the Zener-stabilized supply
to U101 are +/-15VDC.according to GND.

Measure the Bias Voltage across R118 and R119, and adjust the Bias trimmer R114 for app. 300 mV across each
resistor.

Check that the DC-Voltage on the F/O terminal is below +/30mV. If DC-Voltage on the F/O terminal exceeds
+/-30 mV, you may have to check all resistors values and check for faulty transistors etc. Please note that values
above +/-30 mV can be normal, if you are using an Opamp (U101) with an internal DC-offset >1 mV, as this DC-
offset is amplified 25 times!

Apply a low level signal (e.g. 100 mV/1kHz sine wave) to the Input terminal and observe the F/O terminal. As the
amplifier has a gain of app. 25, you should now see a clear 2.5V sine wave. If you observe any crossover
distortion, then adjust the Bias trimmer R114 until distortion disappears.

Slowly raise the Input Signal level until the amplifier clips, while checking for abnormal signal handling or oscillation
on the F/O terminal.

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7. Power Supply
Recommended Specification
Rail Voltages: +/-40 to 70 Volt DC with common ground
Transformer rating: 500 to 800 Watts per channel
Capacitor Bank: 2x15.000uF (minimum) with 2x100nF parallel

To Power Amplifier

AC main

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 Main PCB +Vcc
Output Stage +Vcc

R122 R111
R109
2K7 330R
3K3
2W 2W
D109
1N5059

Q103
C107 ZD101 MJE350
100nF 15V Q110
1W Q106 MJE15032
MJE340
C102
33pF D103
R113 1N4148 Q120
1K8 Q112 Q112 MJL21194
Q112 Q114 Q118

Q101
MPSA42 Q108
R105 +CL +CL
Q105 MPSA42
10K R124
MJE340 D105
C105 100R
R116 1N4148
22uF
R103 C104 R118 R130
150R 50V R128 R132 R134
R107 1K R126 4R7 L101
R101 100pF 1W 0R33 0R33 0R33 0R33
7 820R D106 2uH
100R 2W 5W 5W 5W 5W
10K 2 1N4148
Input - 6
F/O F/O Speaker
+ U101 R114 R136
C109 3 OPA627 4K7 D107 2R7
C101 R102 R129 R131 R133 R135
4 1N4148 R127 R119 Gnd
1M8 100pF R104 R117 0R33 0R33 0R33 0R33 5W
100pF R108 100R 4R7
1K 150R C106 5W 5W 5W 5W
820R 2W
Gnd 22uF R137
1W D108
50V 10R
1N4148
R120 5W
Q109
10K -CL -CL
Q102 MPSA92
R125 C113
MPSA92 R115 100R 0.1uF
R121 R106
220R
390R 10K Q119
D104 Q113 Q113
Q115 MJL21193
1N4148 Q113 Q117
C103
33pF
Q111
Q107
MJE15033
MJE350

Q104
MJE340

D110
C108 ZD102 1N5059
100nF 15V
R123 R112
1W R110
2K7 330R
3K3
2W 2W

-Vee
-Vee

Schematic notes
Unless otherwise designated:
Date Date Date Ini Project Client Copyright
All resistors in Ohms, 1%, 0.25 Watt
Capacitors in uF, 100 Volt 18.06.2003 08.09.2003 11.11.2003
JD LYNX Power Amplifier Public Audio-Circuit Denmark
Q106 and Q107 fitted with TO-220 heatsinks Rev Rev Rev
Q105 and Q110 to Q119 placed on main heatsink 2.1 3.0 3.1 Dept. Title File name Drawing No Sheet
R139, R140, L101 and C131 are placed on Speaker Binding Posts
Chk Chk Chk
R&D LYNX Amplifier v2.2E LYNX_v2-2_Overview 1 of 1