[net.analog] Can't get the LM383 to work

rees@apollo.uucp (Jim Rees) (01/20/86)

I recently needed about 5 watts of audio in a small space, so I went down
to the local rat shack and bought a LM383.  It is supposed to put out
8 watts or so into a 4 ohm load.

I wired it up just like the little diagram on the back, but all it does
is oscillate.  I played with the negative feedback a bit and even tried
a new chip.  I re-did the layout to give more separation between input
and output, and put in bigger bypass capacitors.  Nothing helped.  I
looked up the chip in a National data book and it gives the same circuit
as the one I got off the back of the rat shack package.

Does this chip work or not?  Has anyone tried it?  Is there some easier
way to get 5 watts of audio?  Distortion up to about 1% is not a problem,
and I have a split supply plus/minus 8 volts.

don@umd5.UUCP (01/21/86)

> I recently needed about 5 watts of audio in a small space, so I went down
> to the local rat shack and bought a LM383.  It is supposed to put out
> 8 watts or so into a 4 ohm load.
> 
> I wired it up just like the little diagram on the back, but all it does
> is oscillate.
> .
> .
> .
> Does this chip work or not?  Has anyone tried it?  Is there some easier
> way to get 5 watts of audio?  Distortion up to about 1% is not a problem,
> and I have a split supply plus/minus 8 volts.

You say you looked at the National Semiconductor Handbook and you've got
your LM383 hooked-up the same way ??
My Handbook says use a single positive supply, not a split supply...
Futhermore, the Handbook says, ".. the amplifier is unconditionally stable
for all values of closed loop gain ..". Try the single supply -- bet it works!

Enjoy Aural Hedonism !!

-- 
--==---==---==--
"What happened ?"
"It seems the occipital area of my head impacted with the arm of the chair."
"No, I mean, what happened to us ?"
"That has yet to be surmised."

  ARPA: don%umd5@{ maryland.ARPA, umd2.ARPA }
BITNET: don%umd5@umd2
  UUCP: ..!{ seismo!umcp-cs, ihnp4!rlgvax }!cvl!umd5!don

(NOTE: Please mail to  umcp-cs!cvl!umd5!don  NOT  umd5!cvl!umcp-cs!don)

larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) (01/23/86)

> I recently needed about 5 watts of audio in a small space, so I went down
> to the local rat shack and bought a LM383.  It is supposed to put out
> 8 watts or so into a 4 ohm load.
> 
> I wired it up just like the little diagram on the back, but all it does
> is oscillate.  I played with the negative feedback a bit and even tried
> a new chip.  I re-did the layout to give more separation between input
> and output, and put in bigger bypass capacitors.  Nothing helped.  I
> looked up the chip in a National data book and it gives the same circuit
> as the one I got off the back of the rat shack package.
> 
> Does this chip work or not?  Has anyone tried it?  Is there some easier
> way to get 5 watts of audio?  Distortion up to about 1% is not a problem,
> and I have a split supply plus/minus 8 volts.

	The chip works.  The 0.2 uF bypass capacitors from V_s to ground
and V_output to ground should be tanatalum to present a good low impedance
path.  I suspect that you have used some inappropriate bypass capacitors.
A brute force large bypass capacitor is not the answer since a crappy 100 uF
aluminum electrolytic is not as good as a 0.2 uF tantalum.

==>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York        <==
==>  UUCP    {decvax|dual|rocksanne|rocksvax|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry  <==
==>  VOICE   716/741-9185                {rice|shell}!baylor!/             <==
==>  FAX     716/741-9635 {G1, G2, G3 modes}    duke!ethos!/               <==
==>                                               seismo!/                 <==
==>  "Have you hugged your cat today?"           ihnp4!/                   <==