News

June 26, 2015: 11 v2.0 is now released. All 11s shipped from AMB audio shop from this day on
will be v2.0. The board dimensions, input/output connections, wiring and setup instructions are
unchanged from v1.0, but there are two additional parts on v2.0 (D6 and C20).

11 circuit boards are available.

22, the dual-rail version of the 11, has a separate website.

Overview
11 ("sigma 11") is a high-performance DIY single-rail linear regulated power supply (PSU). It is basically
half the 22 dual-rail PSU, and possesses the same low-noise, high-current, excellent line/load
regulation, wide-bandwidth, and stability characteristics. 11 is ideal for DIY stereo headphone amplifiers,
preamplifiers, DACs, network media players, and other applications requiring a single-rail regulated PSU.

The circuit uses all discrete components (no integrated circuits), and features high-current MOSFETs as
the output "pass" devices. Please see the Tech highlights section for a description of the circuit design.

11 is derived from the 22, which is the result of a community service project for the audiophile hobbyist.
The schematic diagram is open source. The circuit design, as well as the printed circuit board layout are
the work of AMB with participation from the DIY community. It is designed to be relatively easy to build,
but it is not recommended as a first-time project for the beginner.

To obtain the blank printed circuit board and some related parts, visit the AMB audio shop. Other parts are
available from online vendors. See the Parts list section, which also contains details about configuring the
11 for various output voltages. You will also find information about the maximum output current capability
of the 11 in the Tech highlights section.

Please be sure to read every section of this site carefully before attempting to build the 11 PSU. If you
don't thoroughly understand everything, please consider having someone more experienced to build the
amplifier for you, or build a simpler project.

The scope of the 11 project

The 11 project is primarily centered around the PSU board. To build a working power supply, you will
also need a power transformer, IEC power entry receptacle, power switch, as well as select and/or build
an enclosure chassis to house the board (and optionally the amplifier or device that this PSU will provide
power to). The 11 circuit board was designed to slide into a Hammond 1455N120x (external power
transformer), 1455N160x (small internal transformer) or 1455N220x (large internal transformer). It also
has holes to allow mounting in other enclosures using standoffs.

An assembled 11 circuit board (v1.0 shown, v2.0 is similar).

Click image to enlarge.
 <a href="showpic.cgi?
f=s11_assy.jpg&w=640&h=480&b=0&t=The%20%26sigma%3B11%20regulated%20power
%20supply&d=The%20assembled%20circuit%20board"><img src="_s11_assy.jpg" width="240"
height="180" alt="" border="0"></a>

What skills and tools are needed

You should know how to read a schematic diagram and correlate it to the circuit board layout, identify
electronic parts and their pin-outs, have decent soldering skill, and be proficient with a multimeter. You
need at least a basic set of tools for electronics work, such as a good soldering iron and accessories,
screw drivers, needle nose plier, diagonal wire cutter, etc. For the chassis case, you will also need to be
familiar with using the tools that are necessary, such as an electric drill, bits, center punch and others.

WARNING: Building a PSU will require that you work with AC line voltage, which is a lethal shock hazard.
If you don't know what you're doing, please ask someone who is experienced to help you. (See the
disclaimer).

Why not offer a full kit

AMB is not prepared to stock all the needed parts and offer them as a full kit. The PSU provides a number
of customizable options that makes it unwieldy for such a kit. Lastly, this PSU is AMB's contribution to the
DIY community rather than a for-profit product, AMB cannot assume the commercial support role that
might be implicit with a full kit.

Why not offer assembled boards

This is intended to be a project for DIYers, and AMB is not set up to manufacture assembled and tested
boards.

Professional builders
If you are having an amplifier or other audio device custom-built for you by a professional builder, you can
specify that the 11 be used to provide power to it (if it is an appropriate application for the 11). The
following professional builders are listed for your reference.

Marshall Wyant (MisterX)

YBM Audio (a.k.a. rockcod/set300b)

Where to get help

Be sure you read all the information at this site. If you cannot find an answer to a question, or encounter a
problem you cannot solve, the best place to get support is the AMB DIY audio forum. Search the forums
for an answer before asking a question. Your question may have already been asked and answered

Technical highlights

All-discrete topology

Single-pass, series regulator design.

No IC (integrated circuits) are used. This allows complete design control over all operating points
and parameters for superior performance.

Low noise, high PSRR

A constant-current source feeds a zener diode as a stable voltage reference. A low-pass filter
(with a corner frequency of 1.6Hz) prevents zener noise from being introduced into the error
amplifier. This is an effective yet lower-cost alternative to expensive voltage reference ICs. The
low-pass filter also provides a soft-start characteristic.

The output noise (unloaded) is less than 10V at 30VDC output (measured using a Tangent
LNMP (low-noise measurement preamplifier) and a Fluke 187 50000-count DMM in ACmV
mode). The output noise is even less when the output voltage is lower. This is much better than
the noise of an IC regulator based PSU tested under identical conditions.

The error amplifier is a discrete implementation of an opamp with a high open-loop gain of
102.5dB. The voltage supply to the error amplifier is isolated with capacitance multipliers to boost
its PSRR (power supply rejection ratio). This greatly improves the line regulation performance of
the PSU.

A long-tailed pair differential amplifier with current mirror and constant current source forms the
first stage of the error amplifier. The second stage is the voltage amplification stage (VAS), also
with constant current source load. The 3rd stage is comprised of the power MOSFET output
devices configured as a source follower.

High-current MOSFET pass transistors

Two paralleled high-current, highly reliable MOSFETs (rated at 18A each) serve as the "pass"
transistor.

The high current rating provides a very high safety headroom against overcurrent damage.

The use of paralleled MOSFETs divides the heat dissipation, simplifying thermal management.
Onboard heatsinks can be used which would allow the 11 to supply up to 1A continuous (with
much higher peak currents). More sustained currents are possible by using larger, offboard
heatsinks.

The negative temperature coefficient of MOSFETs prevents damaging thermal-runaway

conditions that may plague conventional BJT devices.
No current-limiting

The high-current MOSFETs are not normally the limit of how much current the 11 PSU could
supply, as long as they are adequately heatsinked.

The maximum current limit is determined by the rating of the power transformer, the rectifier
diodes (the specified MUR820 devices are rated at 8A), and the AC line fuse.

The AC line fuse rating should be selected to protect the power transformer from overcurrent
damage.

There is otherwise no current-limiting circuit in the 11, which allows it to supply peak currents of
many amperes. High transient bursts of current are always available, which some amplifiers
require to avoid clipping and distortion.

Wide bandwidth

The all discrete topology allows the 11 to be optimally tuned for the best combination of wide
bandwidth and solid stability. Since the 11's output impedance is much lower than even the best
low-ESR large aluminum electrolytic capacitors, having wide bandwidth allows the 11 to respond
to fast changing current demands better than a large capacitor (or a bank of capacitors) ever
would.

11's bandwidth extends beyond the audio band, and maintains supremely low output impedance
in the range. (in fact, the hookup wire will dominate the output impedance).

As such, only a 1F decoupling capacitor is used on each output rail onboard the 11. The PSU
can supply an amplifier with little additional capacitance for very fast response.

11 is also stable with a large capacitive load (tested to 10000F), making it suitable for use in a
wide variety of applications.

Flexibility

Configurable to output up to 36V. The voltage is selected by using an appropriate reference zener
diode, and choosing the value of a resistor. No further adjustment is needed.

Typical output voltages are 5V, 9V, 10V, 12V, 15V, 18V, 24V, 27V, 30V or 36V. These are popular
voltages specified for many headphone amplifiers, pre-amplifiers, DACs, digital music streamers,
and class-AB power amplifiers up to around 6Wrms power output into 8.

Multiple onboard capacitor footprint options.

Four sets of output terminal blocks.

Can be used with single-secondary, dual-secondary or center-tapped secondary power

transformers.

11 is the default power supply for the AMB M stereo headphone amplifier, and ultimate power
supply for the AMB 1, 2 and the digital sections of the 3 stereo DACs.
 Other popular applications include power supply upgrades for the Logitech Squeezebox family of
digital media players, Dayton Audio DTA-1 (formerly Sonic Impact T-Amp), E-MU 0404 USB,
other external sound cards, etc. Please note the required supply voltage for each application.

Versatile heatsink options

The default is to use onboard heatsinks for ease of building.

Offboard heatsinks for higher powered applications.

See the Board & heatsinks section for more details.

High performance but modest cost

Higher performance than IC regulators (such as LM317/LM337 or 78xx/79xx): Dramatically lower

noise, lower output impedance, wider bandwidth, superior transient response, better line and load
regulation.

Does not use expensive, hard-to-source parts.

High quality printed circuit board

Glass epoxy 3.925"x3.5" printed circuit board, double-layer with plated-through holes, silkscreen
and solder mask.

Heavy duty 2oz. copper layers provide lower trace impedance.

The layout of all parts and traces have been carefully considered for maximum performance.

Double ground plane

A ground plane on both sides of the circuit board, covering the entire board area (except under the
heatsinks on the top side) provides a low impedance ground reference, shields against interference and
allows optimized component arrangement on the board.

Schematic diagram for 11 v2.0

The following is the schematic diagram of the 11 PSU v2.0 (for v1.0 click here). See the Parts list section
for details about parts selection.
Click the schematic below to see a larger version with all parts annotated.
Here is the detailed schematic diagram in PDF format (16KB).

Circuit description
AC input from the power transformer secondary gets full-wave rectified by discrete fast-recovery diodes
D1-D4 and smoothed by capacitor C5. Each diode is bypassed with a snubber capacitor C1-C4 to reduce
noise. The rectified DC then feeds the voltage regulator section.

The regulator consists of a discretely-implemented equivalent of a high current output opamp acting as
the error amplifier. Q3 and Q4 form a classic differential long-tailed pair (LTP), loaded by a current mirror
(Q7, Q8) to increase the open-loop gain. This is desirable in a PSU application because the increased
global feedback would help keep the output impedance low and enhance overall stability. The current
through the LTP is governed by current source CR2.

Q11 is the VAS stage, loaded by a current source CR3, and compensated by capacitor C14. Two 18A
power MOSFETs Q13 and Q14 are connected in parallel to serve as the output "pass" transistors. The
paralleling of two devices divides the heat dissipation, and to ensure that they would not fail under severe
overcurrent conditions. This eliminates the need for current-limiting circuitry. Only a suitably-sized AC
mains fuse is needed for protection against damage to the power transformer and other components. The
reasonable maximum current capacity of this power supply is then basically limited only by the
transformer, rectifiers, and the amount of heatsinking of the MOSFETs (and, of course, the AC mains
fuse).

The error amplifier operates as a noninverting amplifier. The input of this amp is fed by a DC reference
voltage provided by zener diode D5. The zener current is sourced from the current source CR1. An RC
filter formed by R3 and C13 (with a corner frequency of 1.6Hz) effectively removes any zener noise. The
error amplifier then multiplies the reference voltage to the desired output voltage. The output voltage is
determined by D5's zener voltage and the gain setting of the error amplifier (and can be varied by
changing the value of R10).

The voltage reference and error amplifier (with the exception of the output MOSFETs) gets their supply
voltage through a capacitance multiplier formed by Q1, R1 and C9. This, along with an additional
capacitor C11 and the use of current sources, boosts the PSRR (power supply rejection ratio)
dramatically to improve line regulation. D6 and C20 help to keep the increased pre-regulated voltage
ripple during high load currents from affecting the performance of the capacitance multiplier.

Four sets of DC output terminal blocks are provided so that a single 11 could supply up to four circuits.
There are pads for an LED "power on" indicator light. The LED provides a small nominal load on the
regulators (from the V+ to V-) even when there is nothing connected to the output. It will also help slowly
discharge the rail capacitors after the power is turned off.

The circuit board

The 11 circuit board is made of high quality FR-4 glass epoxy, double-layer with plated-through holes as
well as silkscreen and solder mask. The copper layers are 2 ounce heavy duty construction for low
impedance. There is a ground plane on each side of the board for lowered ground impedance and
improved shielding.

The following diagram illustrates some important board dimensions. It can be used as a reference when
you work on the chassis enclosure.
Below are photo images of the top and bottom of circuit board. They are not in actual size.
The circuit board layout is shown below. The top layer is shown in red, the bottom layer is in blue, areas
where there are traces in both the top and bottom layers are in lavender, and the top silkscreen is in light
grey.
You may also view the following:

A larger version of the board layout image (PNG format, 39KB)

An image of the silkscreen layer (PNG format, 26KB)

An image of the silkscreen layer (PDF format, 214KB)

Heatsink options
There are three MOSFET heatsinking options, one onboard and two offboard, as shown in the following
illustration.
Onboard heatsinks

The default configuration is to use two onboard heatsinks (e.g., Aavid-Thermalloy 529802B00000). If you
use a Hammond 1455N series enclosure, then onboard heatsinks must be used.

This is the easiest option and allows the 11 to supply up to 1A continuously per rail, while allowing higher
peak currents. The enclosure housing the 11 should be well ventilated if the sustained current will be
higher than 400mA. If higher sustained output currents are required, then larger, offboard heatsinks
should be used.

Offboard-heatsinks - with angle bracket

This option requires an angle bracket to couple the MOSFETs to an offboard heatsink. The bracket should
be no thicker than 15/64" (6mm) to assure that there is enough remaining solderable MOSFET pin length
on the bottom side of the board. The MOSFETs' pins should be bent 90 back. See the following picture
for bending dimensions:
Aluminum angle stock can be found at your local hardware stores, or internet metal shops such as Online
Metals who offers custom cutting service.

Offboard-heatsinks - bottom-mount

For this option, the MOSFETs are mounted below the board, and secured to either the case bottom or to
a piece of large heatsink. The MOSFET mounting screws can be accessed through the holes on the
board, using a miniature screwdriver. You may also enlarge the holes slightly if needed, as long as the
ground plane or traces are not breached. The MOSFETs' pins should be bent 90, and soldered to the
board on the top side. The pin bending measurements are the same as in the angle-brackets option,
except the pins are to be bent forward instead of backward. This method requires that the board standoffs
to be no higher than 5/32" (4mm) in order to have enough remaining solderable MOSFET pin length on
the top of the board.

Heatsink sizing considerations

The heatsink should have low enough thermal resistance to support the amount of heat to be dissipated.
Bigger and more efficient heatsinks have lower thermal resistance specifications. To determine whether a
heatsink is adequate, the power disspation must first be calculated. Use the following formula:

P = (Vin - Vout) * I

Where,

P = power dissipation in Watts. This is given off as heat.

Vin = pre-regulator voltage (measured across C5) under load

Vout = the regulator's output voltage

I = sustained output current in Amperes

Since two paralleled MOSFETs serve each rail, each MOSFET will dissipate half the power. However, if
the two MOSFETs will be mounted on the same heatsink, then the full power dissipation figure should be
used.

Next, we determine if a heatsink (given its thermal resistance rating in C/W) is sufficient. To do that, we
calculate what the MOSFET internal junction temperature would be and check if it would approach the
maximum rating of the device with some headroom.

The formula is:

Tj = Ta + (P * (Rjc + Rcs + Rsa))

Where,

Tj = junction termperature

Ta = ambient temperature

P = power to be dissipated

Rjc = thermal resistance of junction to device case

Rcs = thermal resistance of device case to heatsink

Rsa = thermal resistance of heatsink to ambient

For the IRLZ24N MOSFET, Rjc is 3.3C/W. Ta is the highest ambient termperature you expect the circuit
will operate under (note that if the circuit is going to be in an enclosure, then Ta will be higher than room
temperature!). P is the power dissipation we calculated. Rcs is the sum of the thermal resistance of any
mounting isolation pads, heatsink compound, etc., and you can look that up from their datasheets. And
Rsa is the thermal resistance of the heatsink itself.

Calculating for Tj, and comparing it to the MOSFETs' maximum junction temperature of 175C, you can
determine if the heatsink is good enough. Even though these IRF MOSFETs are very rugged, you should
avoid letting the MOSFET junction temperature exceed 100C to prevent reduced device lifespan. Under
extreme conditions, forced air cooling (e.g., fan) may become necessary.

Other heatsink notes

Heatsinks should always be mounted with the fins oriented vertically for effective convection.

TO-220 isolation pads must be used on the MOSFETs for all the offboard configurations.

For the offboard heatsink with angle bracket option, heatsink compound should be applied to the mating
surface between the bracket and the heatsink to aid heat conduction.

Parts list for standard configuration

The table below illustrates a 11 PSU configured for 24VDC output. Please see details below about other
output voltages. Also refer to the Board & heatsinks section for heatsink considerations. See the sections
below for specific parts recommendations and options. Items shown in italic are available from the AMB
audio shop. Part IDs denoted with an asterisk (*) are needed only on 11 v2.0.

Part Quantity Description

Circuit board

- 1 11 printed circuit board

Resistors

R1, R8, R16, R10 4 1/8W 1% metal film resistor 10K (see notes below about R10)

R3 1 1/8W 1% metal film resistor 1K

R4, R5 2 1/8W 1% metal-film resistor 100

R12, R13 2 2W 5% metal-oxide resistor 0.47

Capacitors

C1, C2, C3, C4, C16 5 multilayer ceramic capacitor 220pF

C5 2 aluminum electrolytic capacitor 2200F 50V (see notes below)

C7, C18 2 metallized polyester capacitor 1F

C9, C13, C20* 3 aluminum electrolytic capacitor 100F 63V

C11 1 aluminum electrolytic capacitor 470F 63V

C14 1 film capacitor 3900pF

Transistors

Q1, Q3, Q4 3 NPN small signal BJT BC546B

Q7, Q8, Q11 3 PNP small signal BJT BC556B

Q13, Q14 2 International Rectifier N-channel power MOSFET IRLZ24N

Diodes

D1, D2, D3, D4 4 8A ultrafast recovery rectifier MUR820

D5 1 12V 500mW zener diode BZX55C12 (see notes below)

D6* 1 schottky diode 1N5819

LED 1 Your choice (superbright)

CR1, CR2 2 current regulator diode E-202

CR3 1 current regulator diode E-562

Power transformer
- 1 Amveco TE62062 2x12V 25VA toroidal (see notes below)

Miscellaneous

- 2 TO-220 extruded heatsink Aavid-Thermalloy 529802B00000 1.5"

- 2 TO-220 heatsink mounting kit (if required, see notes below)

- 1 heatsink thermal compound (if required, see notes below)

- 1 0.200" 4-circuit terminal block

- up to 4 0.200" 2-circuit terminal block

- 1 IEC power entry receptacle with fuse

- 1 power switch (optional)

- 4 circuit board standoffs or spacers (not needed for Hammond 1455N)

- - hookup wire

- - heat-shrink tubing

- 1 chassis case (your choice, see below)

- 4 rubber feet for chassis case

- - imperial #4-40 or metric M3 machine screws, hex nuts

- - other hardware as needed

Parts recommendations & options

To obtain the blank 11 circuit board and some related parts, visit the AMB audio shop. You can get
almost everything else from the vendors listed on the AMB Audio DIY Page. The favorite vendors are
Mouser and Digi-Key.

The following is a list of recommendations and options. Please read through this carefully before you
order any parts.

Resistors

All except R12 and R13: 1/8W or 1/4W 1% metal film type
Lead spacing 0.400"

o Vishay-Dale CMF series RN55D (Mouser)

o Yageo MFR-25 or MFR-25S series (Digi-Key)

o Panasonic EROS2P series (Digi-Key)

o Xicon MF series (Mouser)

 o Koa Speer MF series (Mouser)

R12, R13: 2W 5% non-inductive metal oxide or metal film type

Lead spacing 0.700"

o Xicon MO series (Mouser 282-0.47-RC or Mouser 262-0.47-RC)

o Stackpole RSMF series (Digi-Key RSMF2JTR470CT-ND)

Notes about R8 and R10

The voltage gain of the error amplifier is determined by the ratio of R8 and R10. This gain,
multiplied by the D5 zener diode voltage, determines the output voltage of the regulator.

The gain is computed by the formula:

G = (R8 / R10) + 1
When R8 and R10 are both 10K the gain is 2. With a 12V zener diode as D5, then the output
voltage is 24V.

Please do not change the value of R8, because it forms a RC time constant with C16 which
shapes the high frequency response of the error amplifier. These values were carefully tuned to
provide extended bandwidth while maintaining stability.

The following table gives a list of example R10 values and the appropriate zener diode to use for
some common output voltages. Other combinations of D5 and R10 values may be used to
achieve different voltages.

Output
R10 value Zener diode (D5)
voltage
36V 4.99K BZX55C12 (12V)
30V 6.81K BZX55C12 (12V)
27V 7.87K BZX55C12 (12V)
24V 10K BZX55C12 (12V)
18V 20K BZX55C12 (12V)
15V 39.2K BZX55C12 (12V)
12V not installed BZX55C12 (12V)
BZX55C5V1 (5.1V), LM336-5.0 (ADJ pin unused) or LT1029CZ/LT1029ACZ (ADJ
10V 10K
pin unused)
9V not installed BZX55C9V1 (9.1V)
BZX55C5V1 (5.1V), LM336-5.0 (ADJ pin unused) or LT1029CZ/LT1029ACZ (ADJ
5V not installed
pin unused)

Notes about R16:

R16 is the current limit resistor for the LED. The optimum value of these resistors depends on
 your choice of LED. Use this online LED resistor value calculator to determine what value your
R16 should be. Depending on the value of the resistor and the voltage drop across it, you should
be mindful to use a resistor rated at high enough power. The actual power dissipation is
computed by:
Watts = V2 / R

where V is the voltage dropped and R is the value of R16.

For example, if you use a 10K resistor and the voltage dropped is 28V, then the power
dissipation will be about 0.08W. In this case a 1/8W or 1/4W resistor will work fine.

The type of resistor is not critical as long as it fits well.

Capacitors

C1-C4, C16: multilayer ceramic capacitor (NP0 or C0G)

220pF
Lead spacing 0.100" or 0.200"

o Kemet Golden-max C315 series (Mouser 80-C315C221J1G; Digi-Key 399-4163-ND)

o Vishay Mono-Kap series (Digi-Key BC1065CT-ND)

o others

C7, C18: metallized polyester film capacitor

1F
Lead spacing 0.200"

o Wima MKS2 (AMB audio shop; Mouser 505-MKS21/63/10)

o Vishay-BC MKT370 (Mouser 594-2222-370-11105; Digi-Key BC1622-ND)

o Vishay-Roederstein MKT1817 (Mouser 75-MKT1817510064)

o AVX BF/BQ series (Mouser 581-BF074D0105J, Digi-Key 478-3367-ND)

C5: aluminum electrolytic capacitor low-ESR high-reliability

Lead spacing 0.300", 18mm diameter (2 per rail) or
Lead spacing 0.400", 25mm diameter (1 per rail)

o For 30V output or below:

2x 2200F 50V or 1x 4700F 50V

Panasonic FC (Digi-Key P10335-ND)

Panasonic TS-HA (Digi-Key P6682-ND)

 Nichicon HE (Mouser 647-UHE1H222MHD6)

Nichicon PW (Mouser 647-UPW1H222MHD)

Vishay-BC 136 RVI series

o For 36V output:

2x 1500F 63V or 1x 2700F 63V

Panasonic FC (Digi-Key P10356-ND)

Panasonic TS-HA (Digi-Key P7479-ND)

Nichicon PW (Mouser 647-UPW1J152MHD)

Vishay-BC 136 RVI series

C9, C13, C20: aluminum electrolytic capacitor 63V low-ESR high-reliability

100F
Lead spacing 0.200", 10mm diameter

o Panasonic FC (Digi-Key P10343-ND)

o Nichicon HE (Mouser 647-UHE2A101MPD)

o Nichicon PW (Mouser 647-UPW1J101MPD)

o Vishay-BC 136 RVI series

C11: aluminum electrolytic capacitor 63V low-ESR high-reliability

470F
Lead spacing 0.200", 13mm diameter or
Lead spacing 0.300", 16mm diameter

o Panasonic FC (Digi-Key P10351-ND)

o Nichicon HE (Mouser 647-UHE1J471MHD)

o Nichicon PW (Mouser 647-UPW1J471MHD6 or 647-UPW1J471MHD3)

o Vishay-BC 136 RVI series

 C14: metallized polyester film capacitor
3900pF
Lead spacing 0.200"

o Kemet/Evox-Rifa MMK series (AMB audio shop; Mouser 80-MMK5392J63J01TR18)

o Vishay-BC MKT370 series (Digi-key BC1673-ND)

Notes about C5:

The circuit board has holes for two 0.300" pitch, 18mm diameter 1500F 63V or two 2200F 50V
capacitors, or for one 0.400" pitch, up to 25mm diameter 2700F 63V or 4700F 50V capacitor.

Notes about C5, C9, C13, C20: 63V capacitors should be used for 36V output configuration, but
50V parts may be substituted for 30V output or less. Note that some 50V capacitors may have
incorrect lead spacings which lead to poor board fitment. C20 is needed only on 11 v2.0.

Diodes

D1-D4: TO-220 2-pin rectifier diode (8A 100V minimum)

Lead spacing 0.200"

o MUR820 8A 200V ultrafast recovery rectifier (Mouser 863-MUR820G, Digi-Key

MUR820GOS-ND)

o other similar

D5: 500mW zener diode, DO-35 or DO-41

Lead spacing 0.300"

o BZX55Cxx series (AMB audio shop 12V: BZX55C12; Mouser 9.1V: 512-BZX55C9V1, 5.1V: 512-
BZX55C5V1)

o 1N52xx series (Mouser 12V: 512-1N5242B, 9.1V: 512-1N5239B, 5.1V: 512-1N5231B)

o LM336BZ-5.0 or LM336Z-5.0 5V reference diode, ADJ pin unused (Mouser: 926-

LM336Z-50/NOPB, 926-LM336BZ-5.0/NOPB; Digikey: LM336Z-5.0/NOPB-ND, LM336BZ-5.0/NOPB-ND)

o LT1029CZ or LT1029ACZ 5V reference diode, ADJ pin unused (Digikey:

LT1029CZ#PBF-ND or LT1029ACZ#PBF-ND)

This zener diode sets the reference voltage, which, along with the voltage gain of the
error amplifier, sets the output voltage of the PSU. See notes above for the R10 resistor
for details.

Note: The accuracy of 11's output voltage depends on the accuracy of the D5 zener
voltage. Zener diodes have a fairly wide tolerance, so your actual output voltage may not
 be exactly on target. Normally this is inconsequential, because audio circuits are not
usually sensitive to such voltage tolerances. If your application requires a high level of
voltage accuracy, then you should get a handful of D5 zener diodes to pick from. You may
want to use sockets for D5 on the 11 board to allow changing diodes without
desoldering.

D6: 1N5819 schottky diode, DO-41

Lead spacing 0.300"
D6 is needed only on 11 v2.0.

o Fairchild 1N5819 (Mouser 512-1N5819, Digi-Key 1N5819FSCT-ND)

o STMicroelectronics 1N5819 (Mouser 511-1N5819, Digi-Key 497-7053-1-ND)

CR1, CR2: 2.0mA-2.2mA current regulator diode

DO-35, DO-41, TO-92 or TO-18 (see the Instructions section)

o Semitec E-202 (AMB audio shop)

o Central Semiconductor 1N5306 (Mouser 610-1N5306)

o Vishay-Siliconix CR240 (Mouser 781-CR240)

o Vishay-Siliconix J508 (not for 36V configuration)

CR3: 4.7mA-5.6mA current regulator diode

DO-35, DO-41, TO-92 or TO-18 (see the Instructions section)

o Semitec E-562 (AMB audio shop)

o Central Semiconductor 1N5314 (Mouser 610-1N5314)

o Vishay-Siliconix CR470 (Mouser 781-CR470)

o Vishay-Siliconix J511 (not for 36V configuration)

LED:
Lead spacing 0.100"
Your choice of size and color (affects value of R16, see notes above for R16 for details)

Transistors

Q1, Q3, Q4: NPN small signal BJT BC546B (TO-92)

(AMB audio shop, Newark)
 Q7, Q8, Q11: PNP small signal BJT BC556B (TO-92)
(AMB audio shop, Newark)

Q13, Q14: N-channel power MOSFET International Rectifier IRLZ24N (TO-220AB)

(AMB audio shop, Digi-Key, Newark)

Notes about the transistors:

No special transistor matching is necessary.

Do not substitute the transistors and MOSFETs with other types. The compensation
capacitors' values were tuned for optimum performance with the specified devices.
Changing to other types may degrade the performance or cause instability.

Do not mount the MOSFETs off-board on a remote heatsink. The added wiring from the
board to the MOSFETs may cause oscillations.

Heatsinks

Your choice of heatsink will affect chassis case compatibility due to height and other
mechanical/physical attributes.

Board-mount heatsinks:

Aavid-Thermalloy 529802B00000 (onboard, 1.5" tall, screw-mount) (AMB audio shop, Digi-Key)

Aavid-Thermalloy 529802B02500 (onboard, 1.5" tall, pin-mount) (Mouser, Digi-Key)

Aavid-Thermalloy 529902B02500 (onboard, 2" tall, pin-mount) (Mouser, Digi-Key)

Aavid-Thermalloy 530002B02500 (onboard, 2.5" tall, pin-mount) (Digi-Key)

Wakefield 647-15ABP, 657-15ABP or 657-15ABPN (onboard, 1.5" tall, pin-mount) (Mouser,

Digi-Key)

Wakefield 657-20ABP (onboard, 2" tall, pin-mount) (Mouser, Digi-Key)

Off-board heatsinks:

Selections from Conrad Heatsinks

others

TO-220 heatsink mounting kit

If the tops of the heatsinks will be in close proximity to the top metal cover when the board is
installed in your chassis case, then you should mount the MOSFETs to the heatsinks using TO-
220 mounting kits, which electrically isolate the MOSFETs' mounting tabs from the heatsinks. If
you are using offboard heatsinks, then TO-220 mounting kits are also required. Otherwise, you
may mount the MOSFETs to the heatsinks directly.
 Radio Shack 276-1373 (Mica)

Aavid-Thermalloy 4880G (Thermalfilm), 4880SG (Thermalsil) or 4880MG (Mica) (Mouser

532-4880, 532-4880SG or 532-4880M; Digi-Key HS417-ND)

Bergquist Sil-Pad K4-54 (Digi-key BER219-ND)

Heatsink thermal compound

Not needed if using mounting kits with Thermalsil or Sil-Pad isolators.

Radio Shack 276-1372

Wakefield 120-SA (Mouser 567-120-SA; Digi-Key 345-1006-ND)

others

Connectors

PCB terminal blocks (optional, allows easy wiring connect/disconnect to PCB):

Phoenix Contact 1729128 0.200" screw terminal block, 2-circuit

(Mouser 651-1729128; Digi-Key 277-1247-ND)

Phoenix Contact 1729144 0.200" screw terminal block, 4-circuit

(Mouser 651-1729144; Digi-Key 277-1249-ND)

Power transformer

Single-secondary, dual-secondary and center-tapped secondary transformers are supported.

Toroidal type is recommended for minimum stray magnetic field. The following table lists the
transformer secondary recommendations for various output DC voltages.

Output voltage Transformer secondary

36VDC 32V (or dual 16V in series)
30VDC 30V (or dual 15V in series)
27VDC 24V (or dual 12V in series)
24VDC 24V (or dual 12V in series)
18VDC 20V (or dual 10V in series)
15VDC 18V (or dual 9V in series)
12VDC 15V (or dual 8V in series)
10VDC 15V (or dual 8V in series)
9VDC 12V (or dual 7V in series)
5VDC 9V (or dual 9V in parallel)

For other output voltages, a rule of thumb for this PSU is that approximately 7V drop should be
 maintained across the pass MOSFETs under load. This allows for the 2V Vgs of the MOSFETs
plus about 5V of headroom to allow for line voltage fluctuations. Using the 24V output as an
example, the pre-regulator voltage should be 31V. Accounting for a couple of volts drop across
the rectifier diodes, that figure goes up to 33V. The transformer voltage should be 0.707 times
that of the rectified DC voltage, so 33V * 0.707 ~= 23V. Thus, a 24V or dual 12V transformer
should work well.

The appropriate VA rating of the transformer depends on the intended load. The recommended
transformer ratings for a M or Millett Hybrid headphone amplifier is 15VA or 25VA. For a PPA
headphone amplifier, a 15VA transformer is sufficient.

The following are some recommended transformer types:

Amveco TE62000 series

(miniature size for use in Hammond 1455N160x or 1455N220x enclosures)

Avel-Lindberg Y23 series

Richard Sumner Technology

Plitron

Schuro.de

(230V primary only)

Chassis / case

Be sure to use a case that provides enough internal clearance for the heatsinks you choose. If
your heatsinks are not external to the case (exposed fins), then you should cut ventilation slots in
the case (if not already so equipped) to ensure proper cooling. The following are some examples
of case styles that may be used with the 11.

Hammond 1455N1201, 1455N1202, 1455N1601, 1455N1602, 1455N2201 or 1455N2202

Note:
1455N120x for external transformer
1455N160x for small internal transformer (less than 2.3" diameter)
1455N220x for large internal transformer (up to 3.7" diameter and 1.6" high)

Par Metal 20-series

Lansing Graybox B-style

Hifi2000 enclosures (Italy)

THL Audio enclosures (Taiwan)

others

Miscellaneous
 IEC power entry receptacle with fuse

Qualtek 723W-X2/04 (Digikey Q206-ND)

Schurter 6200.4315 (Mouser 693-6200.4315)

SPST toggle, paddle or rotary switch for power on/off (if IEC receptacle doesn't have an integrated
switch)

Before you start

You can print out an image of the circuit board silkscreen layer (PNG format | PDF format), to use as a
guide for installing components.

While you look at the board layout, please also take the time to look at the schematic diagram and
associate each part with their location in the circuit. While this is not normally required to build a working
power supply, one of the opportunities of DIY is to learn about how the circuit works. Try to determine
what each part does and why the particular part or value is chosen. There are many web resources to
help you with this, including the AMB DIY audio forum. You will find the overall DIY experience more
rewarding as a result.

Notes:

Be sure you have chosen an appropriate power transformer, the proper D5 zener diode and R10
resistor value to provide the desired output rail voltage and current. See the Parts list section for
details.

Do not use a single 11 to supply power to multiple devices simultaneously, if one of those
devices has a virtual ground (e.g., the M headphone amplifier). When connected together the
virtual ground will become shorted to V-, potentially damaging the device.

The E-202, E-562, 1N5306, 1N5314 and BZX55C12 diodes are very similar-looking. Take extra
care not to mix up these parts. The typical markings on these parts are as follows:

Part Manufacturer Marking

E-202 Semitec 20
E-562 Semitec 56
1N5306 Central Semiconductor C1N5306
1N5314 Central Semiconductor C1N5314
BZX55C12 Fairchild, Vishay 5C12 or BZX55C12

Circuit board assembly instructions

If you use screw-mount onboard MOSFET heatsinks, they must be tapped for imperial #4-40 or metric M3
machine screws, or you may use self-tapping screws in order to secure them to the board. The screw
holes for the heatsinks on the board will need to be enlarged slightly. You can either use the same tap or
a drill bit for this purpose.
Since each MOSFET's mounting tab is internally connected to the drain pin, it will carry live voltages and
should not be shorted to the chassis, ground or other parts of the circuit. If your onboard heatsinks will be
in close proximity to the top metal cover when the board is installed in your chassis case, then you should
mount the MOSFETs to the heatsinks using TO-220 mounting kits. If you use offboard heatsinks, then TO-
220 mounting kits are also required. Otherwise, you may mount the MOSFETs directly to the heatsinks
using #4-40 or M3 machine screws and hex nuts, after applying some heatsink thermal paste to the
mating surfaces.

The MOSFETs are vulnerable to electrostatic discharge damage when you are handling them, so keep
their pins plugged into anti-static foam while working with them until you're ready to solder them to the
board. Set the heatsinks pre-mounted with the MOSFETs aside for now.

The CRD positions (CR1-CR3) have pads to accommodate several case styles. See the illustrations
below.
If you are using the CRxxx (TO-18 or TO-206AA) devices, be aware that the metal body is internally
connected to the cathode pin. To prevent a short circuit to the anode pad, you should allow a gap of at
least 2mm between the body and the surface of the board. You should also make sure that the body does
not touch any other part.

Clean both sides of the blank 11 board with paper towel and isopropyl alcohol or electronics flux
remover, then solder the components to the board, starting with the lowest profile parts. This means the
resistors and zener diode, then the CRDs, small transistors, small capacitors, followed by the large
capacitors, TO-220 rectifier diodes and connectors. Lastly, install the MOSFETs and secure the heatsinks,
and solder their pins last.

If you use the specified Phoenix Contact 1729128 series terminal blocks, they have tongue-and-groove
channels on each side. Adjacent output terminal blocks should be snapped together before they are
inserted into the board and soldered. Other terminal block types may be similar.

Since the 11 circuit board holes are plated through, you only need to solder the parts from the bottom of
the board. Do not drill or enlarge the holes because that would damage the through-plating.

Make sure the correct part goes into each position on the circuit board. Measure each resistor with your
multimeter to ensure it's the proper value. Pay attention to the polarity of electrolytic capacitors, diodes,
CRDs and transistors.

Clean up the solder flux residue from the board with isopropyl alcohol (or electronics flux remover) and a
brush.

Inspect all solder connections carefully, using a magnifying glass, to make sure there are no solder
bridges or cold solder joints. Use a multimeter in ohms scale to check for short circuits. As a minimum,
you should verify that the V+ and V- outputs are not shorted to each other, and that the transformer inputs
are not shorted. Correct any mistakes before proceeding to the next phase.

Next, proceed to the Wiring & ground section for details about wiring up the connections to the board.

Wiring & ground

WARNING: You will be working with wiring that carries AC mains voltage, which is a shock hazard and
potentially lethal. If you're not sure what you're doing, do not plug in the AC power cord until you resolve
all your questions. When in doubt, ask for help in the forums or get someone more experienced to help
you.

After you finish assembling the circuit board, it's time to work on the chassis case. When ready, mount the
11 circuit board into the case. Make sure none of the leads and traces on the bottom of the board
touches the metal chassis. If your standoffs or spacers are short, you should glue an insulating plastic
sheet beneath the board to prevent board flexture from causing short circuits.

Wire the power indicator LED to the 11 board, pay attention to the polarity. The LED is usually installed
on the chassis front panel.

Mount the power transformer and connect its secondary leads to 11's "Transformer" terminal block. Use
the transformer's supplied documentation or label to identify the color and orientation of the leads.

If your audio circuit being powered is located in the same chassis as the power transformer, keep the
transformer as far away from the audio circuit as possible. This minimizes magnetic leakage from the
transformer from inducing hum and noise into the audio circuitry.

For a single-secondary transformer, use the outer two positions of 11's transformer terminal block. A
center-tapped transformer is similar, except you may either leave the transformer's center-tap
unconnected, or connect it to one of the two inner positions of the transformer terminal block. For a dual-
secondary transformer, connect the four secondary leads to the transformer terminal block in appropriate
order. For example, with the Amveco TE62000 series transformers, the sequence is green-red-brown-
blue (other transformer types have different wire colors). You may connect these to the terminal block
from left to right, or vice-versa.

Next, wire up the transformer's primary leads to the power switch and fuse (if the IEC power entry
receptacle doesn't have these built-in) and then to the IEC receptacle. For the power switch, you could
use a single-pole switch on the "hot" side only, or use a double-pole unit to switch both the "hot" and the
"neutral" lines.
Some transformers have dual primaries, when they are connected in parallel, it supports 120V AC mains;
and when connected in series, it supports 240V. Use the transformer's documentation as your guide.

The 11 PSU is purposely designed without any current limiting in order to allow high current peaks,
therefore, an AC line fuse is mandatory not only for safety, but because it is the only defense against
severe damage when something goes wrong. Therefore, if your IEC receptacle does not have a built-in
fuse, install a fuse holder (either panel-mount or chassis-mount) and wire it inline with the "hot" tab of the
IEC receptacle.

An appropriately rated "slow-blow" fuse should be selected, based on the expected load. For most
headphone systems, a 1A fuse should be sufficient. However, you may need to use a 2A fuse for higher-
powered applications.

Use insulated FastOn connectors on the IEC receptacle, do not allow any terminals carrying live AC
mains voltages to be exposed. You may also use heatshrink tubing to enhance your wiring.

If your chassis is metal, the AC earth ground connection on your IEC receptacle should be tied securely to
the chassis. This is a safety measure, to prevent electric shock if any AC wiring comes loose. If the device
being powered by the 11 also resides in the same chassis, you should isolate the device's signal ground
from the chassis (making sure that all input and output jacks are isolated). Then, connect the signal
ground to the chassis through a "ground loop breaker". This prevents a potential ground loop which would
cause hum and noise. A ground loop breaker is a 10 5W resistor in parallel with a 0.1F capacitor rated
at more than 250VAC. For safety this capacitor should be rated for class X or Y with flame retardant
casing. See the M amplifier wiring instructions for details.

For amplifiers that employ a virtual ground (such as the M, PPA and Pimeta), the PSU's V+ and V-
outputs must be left "floating" (i.e., not be connected to the chassis, virtual ground or AC earth ground).

Do not connect the load (i.e., the amplifier or other device to be powered by the 11) at this time. That will
be done in the next section, after some power-up sanity checks.

Inspect all your wiring to make sure there are no errors. Use a multimeter to check for short circuits. Do
not plug in the AC power cord until you're absolutely sure everything is correct.

Proceed to the Initial check section for power-up sanity checks.

Initial power-up check

Follow this step-by-step procedure to test your 11 PSU after you have completed assembling all parts on
the circuit board. Do not connect the load yet (i.e., the amplifier or other device to be powered by the
11). Read through all steps first and familiarize yourself with what you're about to do before proceeding.

You will need a multimeter for this procedure (a digital multimeter is preferable). If at any point your
measured voltages do not match what is described, immediately remove power and check the board and
wiring for errors. Be careful not to short circuit any component with your test probe leads. Also, if you have
sharp meter probes, take care not to pierce through the circuit board soldermask when making
measurements to prevent a short circuit to the ground plane.

1. Set your multimeter to DC Volts mode. If your meter is not autoranging, select the 100V or 200V
range.

2. Connect the AC power cord and turn on the power.

 3. The indicator LED should glow. If not, power off and check the LED's polarity. Also, check the
fuse to make sure it has not blown. If you have a blown fuse, do not apply power again until
you've identified and corrected the fault.

4. Nothing should get warm at this time.

5. Touch the meter's negative (black) probe on one of the "V-" pads on the output terminal blocks,
and touch the positive (red) probe on one of the "V+" pads. The voltage reading should be very
close to the desired output voltage (i.e., if your 11 was built for 24V output, you should read
approximately 24V).

6. If you have a reasonably good digital multimeter (DMM), repeat the above step, except with the
meter in AC mV mode. Depending on the sensitivity of your DMM, you should read no more than
35V or so. Only the most sensitive meters will register a reading, most would simply read 0mV.
This is the unloaded output noise of the PSU. Many DMMs won't produce an accurate AC mV
reading when it's riding on a large DC offset, so don't worry about this measurement if your result
isn't as expected.

7. If you passed the above steps, then the 11 should be working correctly.

8. (Optional) If you have a 50 50W power resistor, you can run a load test of the PSU. Turn off the
power and wait 30 seconds to let all capacitors drain. Then, connect the resistor across the V+
and V- pads. Re-apply power. The resistor will get quite hot and the MOSFETs should warm up.
Repeat the DC voltage measurements above and the readings should remain stable at the
specified voltages. Run this test for as long as you like.

9. Turn off the power, wait 30 seconds and let all capacitors drain.

10. If all is well, you can now connect the load (i.e., the amplifier or other device that the 11 would
supply power to). Use color-coded hookup wire (heavy gauge recommended for longer wire
runs), and twist each V+/V- wires together to improve the common-mode noise rejection.

11. Re-inspect all wiring and check for short circuits.

12. Apply power and follow the procedure to setup/adjust/test the amplifier/device.

Warning

Due to 11's lack of current limiting protection and very high output current capability, short
circuiting its outputs could result in damage even if there is a fuse on the AC mains.

Do not connect the 11 to the load when the power is already on. This is especially important if
the load has significant rail capacitance. The current surge required to charge the capacitors is
similar to a momentary short circuit condition.

For this reason the 11's power switch should only be on the AC mains before the transformer,
not at its regulated outputs. If the 11 is located in a separate case than the device being
powered and the umbilical power cable becomes disconnected, turn off 11's power and wait for
all capacitors to discharge completely before reconnecting the cable.

If you are going to be moving the board, desolder parts or otherwise work on the board after
turning off the power, be sure to wait enough time to let all capacitors discharge completely.
 Stored charge in the capacitors could damage parts if board traces are short-circuited to each
other by contacting other objects or the soldering iron.

Troubleshooting
In case you encounter difficulties in the power-up check, here are some PDF files showing the 11
schematic diagram and the operating points. All voltages are shown relative to ground. Your actual
measured voltages will vary somewhat from the shown values (due to parts tolerances). Check your
circuit against these voltages to see if there are undue large deviations, which may help localize problem
areas. Note that these diagrams do not show the power transformer, rectifier diodes D1-D4 and their
snubber capacitors C1-C4.

11 operating points (36V output)

11 operating points (30V output)

11 operating points (27V output)

11 operating points (24V output)

11 operating points (18V output)

11 operating points (15V output)

11 operating points (12V output)

11 operating points (10V output)

11 operating points (9V output)

11 operating points (5V output)

Use the 11 and 22 forum for help.