An Unconventional Loudspeaker system
Latest
change 2019-01-22
Control Amplifier.
Block Diagram.
One of 8 stereo inputs can be selected. Depending on the channel a
volume correction is applied to match different output levels of
the audio sources.
After this correction the signal goes to the line drivers for
music elsewhere in the house, via a volume control to the
headphone jack and via another volume control to the loudspeakers.
4 extra channels allow surround-sound signals to be
volume-controlled in sync with the loudspeaker volume.
The whole thing is controlled by an Arduino Mega and an interface
board. The Mega also has an ETHernet shield to allow communication
with the Configuration Tool.
For a description of the software see the Software
page and / or the Messages page.
Front view. The amplifier is housed in a 2U high 19"
cabinet.
From left-to-right:
- Mains power switch. Also switches power to other equipment in my
audio rack.
- Switch for power to the speakers.
- Red led's give error status from the power amplifiers.
- Nixie tube indicating the selected input channel.
- Channel selector. A quadrature switch, because channel selection
can also be done over IR.
- IR sensor. (needs cosmetic improvement)
- Green led indicating activity on the volume pots. Flashes during
Mute.
- Volume control for the speakers. It is a motorized pot because
volume control can also be done over IR.
- Volume control for the headphone output.
- Headphone output.
Backside view.
From left-to-right:
- 8 stereo input channels.
- 4 inputs and outputs for volume control of surround signals,
synchonized with the speaker volume setting.
- 4 low impedance line outputs for music elsewhere in the house.
- 2 RJ45 connectors to the loudspeakers.
- USB input for programming the Arduino processor.
- RJ45 connector to the local area network.
- Switched mains output to other equipment in the audio rack.
- Mains input.
Screenshot of the Configuration Tool.
The Configuration Tool is a software program that runs on a PC or
Laptop. It is used to set the relative sensitivities of the 8
audio inputs and the effect volume controls, and the matching of
Bass en Midrange to the Tweeters. Besides that it has some
diagnostic features.
Top left we see the actual settings of the input channel selector,
the latest code from the IR remote and the potmeter settings (8
bit ADC-values) for the speakers and the headphone.
Check boxes to enable communication with the Control Amplifier and
the Loudspeakers.
Relative channel sensitivity settings in dB, with up-down buttons
and a radio button indicating which channel is selected.
At the bottom some diagnostic info from the messages exchanged
with the Control Amplifier.
Just right of the center we see controls to adjust the volume of
the Bass and Midrange channels in the loudspeakers.
To the right diagnostic information from the loudspeakers. Supply
voltages and error status.
Inside view in the direction of the front panel.
Inside view in the direction of the backpanel.
Upper right: 2 selector boards for the 8 input channels.
Upper mid: Connectors for surround in / out and the line outputs.
Upper left: Arduino MEGA and interface shield. The ETHernet shield
sits below the Arduino and is not visible in this picture.
Upper far left: Mains in- and output.
Center: The gain control PCB with the PGA2311 IC's.
Left: power supplies.
Bottom: the front panel controls.
Selector PCB's in close-up.
Download the schema
in PDF, the board
in PDF and / or the zipped
Eagle files.
Selector PCB.
This board provides input selection for 4 stereo channels. Two of
these boards in tandem provide the 8 input channels in my system.
Note that the board has a GND plane on the top side. (The dotted
line).
Principle of the operation (subset of the schema, right
channel of X2B )
The right channel signal enters through R13. If the channel is
selected (CH4=low, Q18=off, Q20=on) the signal goes through Q20 to
the collector line CHR.
Compared with the 10 kOhm of R13 the Rd-on of these fet's is so
low that the non-linearity of it will not produce noticeable
distortion. More over, the voltage between drain and source is
very, very small.
The collection line is on the inverting input of the opamp, being
virtual GND. The non-linear input capacitance of the opamp will
not produce distorsion because there is no noticeable signal
voltage there. (even at 20 kHz the voltage gain of this opamp is
over 300).
When deselected (CH4=high) Q17 short-circuits the input signal to
GND, so there is only an extremely small signal on the drain of
Q20 which will not produce noticeable crosstalk via the
capacitance of Q20. Q18,R14 is a logic inverter.
C4 limits the bandwidth to approximately 100 kHz. The signal gain
is -1.
The PCB is designed such that two (or more) boards can be mounted
side-a-side to provide more input channels. Only one board should
be populated with the opamp and its surrounding components.
PGA board.
Download the schema in PDF,
the board layout in PDF
and / or the zipped Eagle files.
Relevant
datasheets: OPA4134.pdf
DRV134.pdf
PGA2311.pdf
The PGA-board contains the volume control circuits and the drivers
for headphone, line outputs and the differential drivers for the
signals to the loudspeakers.
The stereo signals from the Selector boards enter on IC2, SLI and
SRI. IC2 provides the channel dependent correction for the input
sensitivities.
IC 5 does the volume control for the signals to the loudspeakers.
These go trhough the rumble filters with IC1A,B ( 10 Hz, 3rd
order) and the differential drivers IC3,4.
IC7 does the volume control for the headphone, the signals go out
via the drivers IC9B,C.
IC8 and IC10 control the volume for surround effects. Currently I
do not use these channels.
Arduino and interface shield.
Download the schema
in PDF, the board
layout in PDF and / or the zipped Eagle files.
Below the Arduino is an Ethernet shield, not visible in the
picture.
The interface shield contains the RS422 drivers/receivers for
communication with the loudspeakers (upper right), below that the
IR decoder chip HT12D, and in between the cables the Nixie driver
SN74141.
The board has not been routed, Only the components were placed to
help handwiring the board.
Power supply.
For the + and - 5 Volt I used the inner stuff of two Mains-USB
adapters and some extra capacitors.
The high voltage for the Nixie tube is derived with two PCB
transformers for mains separation.
There is no schematic made for this board.