ECE 113 FRU

12 February 2016

Design Experiment 1: Design of an Audio Amplifier with Signal

Conditioning
Monikka Roslianna Busto, 2012-35280
John Carlo Caranguian, 2012-35553
Nylinel Coligado, 2011-22169
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute
University of the Philippines, Diliman
Abstract In this experiment, we were tasked to
design and build the first few stages of an FM transmitter
namely, the pre-emphasis filter, the variable volume control
and the limiter, which form the audio conditioning circuit for
the said transmitter.
Data
This is the data we gathered during the experiment while
Vin

V0

Actual
Gain (dB)

Theoretical
Gain (dB)

200

0.11

2.72

27.863524

27.73460511

500

0.11

2.8

28.115307

27.9302066

800

0.11

2.92

28.479803

28.27140962

1000

0.11

28.714571

28.56397976

1500

0.06

1.72

29.147544

29.44818922

1800

0.06

1.88

29.920132

30.0382596

2000

0.068

29.370422

30.44166771

2120

0.068

2.12

29.876539

30.68498328

2200

0.06

2.08

30.798242

30.8471711

2500

0.06

2.24

31.441935

31.45136642

2800

0.06

2.36

31.895215

32.04311207

3000

0.06

2.44

32.184772

32.42792189

3500

0.06

2.74

33.191986

33.34958211

10000

0.06

6.24

40.340667

40.9029551

20000

0.024

2.16

39.08485

45.64171654

25000

0.024

2.44

40.143572

46.86924521

30000

0.024

2.6

40.695242

47.72335871

50000

0.024

2.8

41.338936

49.38443641

100000

0.024

38.416375

50.33971141

250000

0.024

0.74

29.78041

50.65024482

500000

0.024

0.32

22.498775

50.69649648

100000000

0.024

0.176

17.306029

50.71202454

f (Hz)

Figure 1 Plot of theoretical vs. actual data

Figure 2 [Low Frequency Response]

500mV/div 1.52Vpp; (CH1) 50mV/div; 64mVpp (CH2) 500Hz

operating the design from 200 Hz to 1 MHz.

Figure 3 [3dB point]

500mV/div 2.08Vpp; (CH1) 50mV/div; 68mVpp (CH2) 2.17kHz

ECE 113 FRU

Simetrix Data

Figure 4 [Response at 30kHz]

1V/div 2.6Vpp; (CH1) 20mV/div; 21.6mVpp (CH2) 30.1kHz

Figure 7 Audio Conditioning Circuit Design

Figure 5[Response at ~100kHz]

500mV/div 2.6Vpp; (CH1) 10mV/div; 21.6mVpp (CH2) 98.0kHz

Figure 8 Magnitude (dB) vs. Frequency Plot

Required Discussion

Figure 6 [High Frequency Response]

500mV/div-760mVpp (CH1); 10mV/div-16.8mVpp (CH2)
250kHz

Design Approach:
We built the audio conditioning circuit by separately
analyzing and characterizing the stages. So we started by
computing the gain for the pre-emphasis filter such that the
3dB point will be at 2.12 kHz.
Using the transfer function that we derived for the given
circuit, we have set one of the components (the capacitor) for
a value that was available to us, and computed for the resistor
values since we know well encounter less problems obtaining
standard values close to whatever result we get from the
computations.
Below are in-depth analysis of the stages. We used the LF353
since it is a dual op-amp which makes the circuit simpler when
building.
1. Microphone Biasing and RC filter
The biasing is designed such that a 1V drop is across R.

ECE 113 FRU

We set the cutoff frequency to 2 kHz for the RC filter.

1
=2 kHz
2 RC
Set

C=0.01uF

R=

1
3

2 ( 2 1 0 ) ( 0.01 1 06 )

Figure 9 Pre-Emphasis Filter

R=7957 =8 k

f (kHz)
f << 2.12 kHz
2.12 kHz
20 kHz
30 kHz
f >> 30 kHz

R
1
=
RB+ R 5
RB =4 R
RB =31830 =32 k

2. Pre-emphasis Filter
The PEF is basically a filter designed to allow a
considerable magnitude (with gain, linear to be exact) of a
signal within a frequency band, and in the case of this design
experiment, it allows to pass frequencies above around 2.12
kHz (3dB gain) i.e. attenuation below this frequency and gain
flatness above 30 kHz. This filter, in general, sets up a
frequency response, which we can vary and design depending
on what frequencies we may wish the signal to be attenuated,
passed with or without gain.

Design of the PEF:

V0
=H =1+
Vi

RB
R A+

1
sC A

s C A R A + s C A R B +1
s C A R A +1

From given Transfer Function:

C A R A=

1
2 ( 30,000 )

C A R A +C A R B=

Set

1
2 (2120)

C A =390 pF

R A =13,603 13 k

|H|
1 (0 dB)
1.411 (~3dB)
7.894 (17.95 dB)
10.031 (20.03 dB)
14. 125 (~23dB)

ECE 113 FRU

RB =178, 892 180 k

Gain=23.93=1+

3. Variable Gain Control

This stage of the audio conditioning circuit allows us to vary
the gain of the output from the pre-emphasis filter.

R pot
Ri

R pot =100 k
Ri=4361 4.3 k
Procedure:

Figure 10 Variable Gain Control

During the lab experiment, we built the circuit such that we

may check the output per stage to avoid complications when
debugging.
We didnt build the RC filter setup yet for the microphone
since we only used the signal generator to test the design.
We checked the response of the pre-emphasis filter first and
compared with the simulation results before connecting its
output to the variable gain control setup.
We then swept the frequency from DC to 1MHz, and taking
note of the 3dB point and in what frequency it occurred.
Different values of peak-to-peak voltage were used across
frequencies to better see the input to output voltage of the
conditioning circuit.
Results
In this table, we tabulated the results from Simetrix to have indepth comparison between our simulations with the actual and
theoretical data.

Theoretical Gain=20 log

Freque
ncy

Actual
Magnitude
Gain (dB)

200

27.863524

500

28.115307

800

28.479803

1000

28.714571

1500

29.147544

1800

29.920132

2000

29.370422

f 2
+1
2120
2
f
+1
30 000

(
(

Theoretical
Magnitude
Gain (dB)
27.73460
511
27.93020
66
28.27140
962
28.56397
976
29.44818
922
30.03825
96
30.44166
771

)
)

Simulated
Magnitude
Gain (dB)
26
27.93
28.28
28.599
29.46
30.14
30.55

ECE 113 FRU

2120

29.876539

2200

30.798242

2500

31.441935

2800

31.895215

3000

32.184772

3500

33.191986

10000

40.340667

20000

39.08485

25000

40.143572

30000

40.695242

50000

41.338936

100000

38.416375

250000

29.78041

500000

22.498775

100000
000

17.306029

30.68498
328
30.84717
11
31.45136
642
32.04311
207
32.42792
189
33.34958
211
40.90295
51
45.64171
654
46.86924
521
47.72335
871
49.38443
641
50.33971
141
50.65024
482
50.69649
648
50.71202
454

List of Components
Microphone

RB

LF353
180k

RA

10k + 3.3k

Rb

33k

R
R1

5.1k +
3.3k
1k + 3.3k

R2

10k

0.01F

CA

390 pF

D 1D4

1N4148

30.659

Potentiometer

100k

31
31.47
32.1
32.48
35.96
41.09
46.17
47.38
48.29
49.89
49.176
41.99
32.22
27.79

Summary and Conclusion

According to our data, near the 3dB point, the desired
gain is close to our simulated results. We had no problems for
gain flatness below cut-off and above high cut-off. Our limiter
is also working fine. However, the linear gain after the 2.12
kHz fell short at around 10 kHz. We learned that we had to
recalculate for the pre-emphasis filter to set up the response
again properly. The long wires and component legs also may
have also introduced parasitic capacitances to the circuit
response. We are still to verify this on the honeycomb PCB,
otherwise we would recalculate the filter response of the preemphasis stage.
Insights and Experiences
It was a fulfilling learning experience to design and
build this circuit. It was only troublesome to debug the circuit
when it didnt work the way we wanted it to the first time.
Only after replacing the LF353 for the fourth time did we
realize that all the other previous op-amps we were using were
not functional anymore.

ECE 113 FRU