EC29008: Analog Electronic Circuits Laboratory

Experiment IV: Audio Power amplifiers

Objective:
(i) Observe limitation of power efficiency of a CE-CC class A amplifier
(ii) Design a class-B power amplifier
(iii) Simulate and observe performance of class-B power amplifier
(iv) Design a class-B push-pull power amplifier
(v) Simulate and observe performance of class-B push-pull power amplifier
(vi) Design a class-AB push-pull power amplifier
(vii) Simulate and observe performance of class-AB push-pull power amplifier

Part A: CE-CC as class –A Power amplifier

CE-CC amplifier driving a resistive load

Experiment Steps:
(i) Connect a 1 kΩ load resistor at the output node of the CC stage to a d.c. voltage
source of 5.4V (same as the d.c. voltage of the circuit) (Refer Fig 4.1)
(ii) Observe the d.c. operating point of the transistors
(iii) Apply an input signal having frequency in the mid-frequency range (say 10kHz)
and measure the maximum output signal swing (without distortion)

Calculation Steps:
(i) Analyze the change in the operating point of the transistor in the CC stage
(ii) Analyze the circuit driving resistive load to find theoretical values of maximum
output swing and compare it with the observed value in simulation.
(iii) Using the simulated observation, calculate the output signal power (without
significant distortion) and the power dissipation in the CC stage to find the power
efficiency of the CC stage

VCC

R1 RC

C1
Q1 Q2
Vout
vin RE1 RL
R2 CE RE2
VDC

Fig 4.1: Circuit diagram of CE-CC amplifier driving a resistive load

Part B: Class-B amplifier

Experiment Steps:
(i) Disconnect resistor (RE2) at the output node of the CC stage from the above circuit
(Refer Fig 4.2)
(ii) Observe the d.c. operating point of the transistors
(iii) Apply an input signal having frequency in the mid-frequency range (say 10kHz) and
measure the maximum output signal swing

Calculation Steps:
(i) Analyze the change in the operating point of the transistor (Q2) in the circuit
(ii) Analyze the circuit driving resistive load to find theoretical values of maximum
output swing and compare it with the observed value in simulation.
(iii) Using the simulated observation, calculate the output signal power and the power
dissipation in the Class-B stage to find the power efficiency of the Class-B stage
(iv) Repeat the experiment for Fig 4.3

VCC

R1 RC
Q2
C1
Q1 Vout

vin RE1 RL
R2 CE
VDC

Fig 4.2: Circuit diagram of Class-B amplifier for positive output signal
VCC

R1 RC
Vout
C1
Q1
Q3 RL

vin
R2 RE1 CE VDC

Fig 4.3: Circuit diagram of Class-B amplifier for negative output signal
Part C: Class-B push-pull and Class-AB push-pull power amplifiers

Experiment Steps:
(i) Use both PNP and NPN transistors from the concepts of above two circuits (Fig 4.2
and Fig 4.3), then it becomes Class-B push-pull amplifier as shown in Fig 4.4
(ii) Observe the d.c. operating point of the push-pull transistors (Q2 and Q3)
(iii) Apply an input signal having frequency in the mid-frequency range (say 10kHz) and
measure the maximum output signal swing without distortion at peak levels. But,
observe the cross over distortion at crossing levels of the signal.
(iv) To overcome the cross over distortion, use two diodes – D1, D2 and resistor – RD (≈
100 kΩ) as shown in Fig 4.5. Repeat the experiment for this circuit. Observe dc
operating point and measure the maximum output signal swing without distortion

Calculation Steps:
(i) Analyze the change in the operating point of the push-pull transistor (Q2 and Q3) in
the circuit
(ii) Analyze the circuit driving resistive load to find theoretical values of maximum
output swing and compare it with the observed value in simulation.
(iii) Using the simulated observation, calculate the output signal power (without
significant distortion) and the power dissipation in the Class-B push-pull stage to find
the power efficiency of the Class-B push-pull stage
(iv) Repeat the experiment for push-pull class – AB amplifier as shown in Fig 4.5

VCC

R1 RC
Q2
C1
Q1 Vout

RL
vin RE1 Q3
R2 CE
VDC

Fig 4.4: Circuit diagram of Class-B push-pull amplifier

VCC

R1 RC
Q2
C1
Q1 D1 Vout

D2 RL
vin RE1 Q3
R2 CE
RD VDC

Fig 4.5: Circuit diagram of Class-AB push-pull amplifier