SSM2164 but higher noise, and the opposite is true for less current. The a low cutoff frequency. The main exception to this is in increased noise is due to higher current noise in the gain core dynamic processing applications, where faster attack or decay transistors as their operating current is increased. THD has the times may be needed. opposite relationship to collector current. The lower distortion is due to the decrease in the gain core transistors’ emitter +5V impedance as their operating current increases. 100pF3VC This classical tradeoff between THD and noise in VCAs is 100k usually expressed as the choice of using a VCA in either Class A 1µF30kIIIN24IOUTVCA1 or Class AB mode. Class AB operation refers to running a VCA 30k1/4VOP482VOUT1 with less current in the gain core, resulting in lower noise but IN1500 higher distortion. More current in the core corresponds to 560pF Class A performance with its lower THD but higher noise. +5V100pFVC6 Figures 11 and 12 show the THD and noise performance of the 100k SSM2164 as the bias current is adjusted. Notice the two 1µF30kI7IOUT5 characteristics have an inverse characteristic. IINVCA230k1/4VOP482VOUT2 The quiescent current in the core is set by adding a single IN2500 resistor from the positive supply to the MODE pin. As the 560pF simplified schematic shows, the potential at the MODE pin is +5V100pFVC11 one diode drop above the ground pin. Thus, the formula for the 100k MODE current is: 1µF30kIIIN1012IOUTVCA330k1/4VOP482VOUT3 I = (V +) − 0.6V IN3 MODE R 500 B +5V560pF100pFVC14 With ± 15 V supplies, an R of 7.5k gives Class A biasing with a B current of 1.9 mA. Leaving the MODE pin open sets the 100k1µF SSM2164 in Class AB with 30 µA of current in the gain core. 30kIIIN1513IOUTVCA430k1/4Basic VCA ConfigurationVVIN4OP482OUT4 Figure 24 shows the basic application circuit for the SSM2164. 500 Each of the four channels is configured identically. A 30 kΩ 560pFPOWER SUPPLY resistor converts the input voltage to an input current for the AND BIASING CIRCUITRY VCA. Additionally, a 500 Ω resistor in series with a 560 pF 98161 capacitor must be added from each input to ground to ensure V–GNDV+MODE stable operation. The output current pin should be maintained 0.1µF0.1µFRB (7.5k Ω CLASS A) at a virtual ground using an external amplifier. In this case the (OPEN CLASSAB) OP482 quad JFET input amplifier is used. Its high slew rate, –15V+15V wide bandwidth, and low power make it an excellent choice for the current-to-voltage converter stage. A 30 kΩ feedback resistor is chosen to match the input resistor, giving unity gain Figure 24. Basic Quad VCA Configuration for a 0.0 V control voltage. The 100 pF capacitors ensure stability and reduce high frequency noise. They can be Low Cost, Four-Channel Mixer increased to reduce the low pass cutoff frequency for further The four VCAs in a single package can be configured to create a noise reduction. simple four-channel mixer as shown in Figure 25. The inputs and control ports are configured the same as for the basic VCA, For this example, the control voltage is developed using a OBSOLETE but the outputs are summed into a single output amplifier. The 100 kΩ potentiometer connected between +5 V and ground. OP176 is an excellent amplifier for audio applications because This configuration results in attenuation only. To produce both of its low noise and distortion and high output current drive. gain and attenuation, the potentiometer should be connected The amount of signal from each input to the common output between a positive and negative voltage. The control input has can be independently controlled using up to 20 dB of gain or as an impedance of 5 kΩ. Because of this, any resistance in series much as 100 dB of attenuation. Additional SSM2164s could be with V will attenuate the control signal. If precise control of C added to increase the number of mixer channels by simply the gain and attenuation is required, a buffered control voltage summing their outputs into the same output amplifier. Another should be used. possible configuration is to use a dual amplifier such as the Notice that a capacitor is connected from the control input to OP275 to create a stereo, two channel mixer with a single ground. Because the control port is connected directly to the SSM2164. gain core transistors, any noise on the V pin will increase the C output noise of the VCA. Filtering the control voltage ensures that a minimal amount of noise is introduced into the VCA, allowing its full performance to be realized. In general, the largest possible capacitor value should be used to set the filter at –8– REV. 0