{"id":651,"date":"2017-10-14T11:52:45","date_gmt":"2017-10-14T09:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ljudmila.org\/~savskib\/?p=651"},"modified":"2019-06-22T12:55:00","modified_gmt":"2019-06-22T10:55:00","slug":"progressive-audio-limiter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/?p=651","title":{"rendered":"Passive audio limiter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It happens that experimental approaches have victims. These are amplifiers and especially loudspeakers. Two amplifiers and a couple of loudspeakers of Cirkulacija 2 are now dead. What was needed is an effective audio compressor\/ limiter. This is it. After recent changes seems to work well.<\/p>\n<p>The nature of limiter is that it instantly changes the amplification factor &#8211; the moment the input peak signal surpasses a certain voltage level &#8211; all the sound is than pushed down at the output. This produces a pumping effect on the lower level sounds in complex sound waveform &#8211; however, the overall level is instantly back to normal &#8211; after the peak is over. This pumping is not to be mixed up with the pumping of a compressor &#8211; which uses attack and release time relaxation principle. The progressive limiting that staggers the amplification factors in multiple stages overcomes somewhat the idea of simple sound limiting.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-651 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/CAM00215.jpg' class=\"thickbox no_icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/CAM00215-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00889.jpg' class=\"thickbox no_icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00889-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00893.jpg' class=\"thickbox no_icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00893-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00900.jpg' class=\"thickbox no_icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00900-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00899.jpg' class=\"thickbox no_icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00899-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00904.jpg' class=\"thickbox no_icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CAM00904-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/SimpleAudioLimiter2.jpg' class=\"thickbox no_icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/SimpleAudioLimiter2-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl>\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><strong>Background:<br \/>\n<\/strong>The basic principle I used is something called <a href=\"http:\/\/prairieboxes.blogspot.si\/2015\/04\/the-nachbaur-diode-limiter-part-1-basics.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Nachbaur Diode Limiter<\/a> <span class=\"st\">found here (<a href=\"http:\/\/prairieboxes.blogspot.com\/2015\/04\/the-nachbaur-diode-limiter-part-1-basics.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/prairieboxes.blogspot.com<\/a>) that points to Fred <em>Nachbaur&#8217;s<\/em> Dogzilla Guitar Amplifier- and especially the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.dogstar.dantimax.dk\/tubestuf\/dzart-6.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">limiter<\/a>. It is a relatively modern day tube design. <\/span>I had the intention to build a tube compressor some day, but maybe now i will not. This limiter has a progressive attenuating effect depending of the signal level, so it does not miss the transients. I decided on six stages of progressive peak attenuation.<\/p>\n<p>I also decided to use discrete transistor design, hopefully finding one discrete transistor preamplifier schematics by Jean Hiraga (powered by 200V) &#8211; that i remember from the old times. But no luck, so I settled for a two transistor amplifier design &#8211; with enough local feedback. The power supply is a 48V switching mode block that i happen to have had &#8211; it gives enough of dynamic headroom. For now i use a pi filter to bring down the remains of high frequency still visible on the oscilloscope.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The configuration is simple:<br \/>\n<\/strong>&#8211; input\/output stereo jack is compatible with the insert connectors on most mixing desks. Otherwise the stereo cinch to jack adapters are used. Recently I added the input \/ output cinch pairs at the back;<br \/>\n&#8211; potentiometer is double &#8211; one at the input and one at the output &#8211; but in reversed\/ complementary action: input signal is attenuated by the input potentiometer to get the signal to some predefined low level (0.1Vrms) level &#8211; then gets amplified by a factor of around 30 &#8211; to get to some 3Vrms &#8211; and attenuated at the output in reverse proportion &#8211; to come back to about\u00a0 the original level. The maximum input voltage of the signal is about 3V~ (4V peak to peak). In such case the attenuation at the input pot is maximum \/ and no attenuation at the output pot.<br \/>\n&#8211; a LED indicator is the visual information of the level of limiting effect &#8211; it should just visibly blink on normal sound levels. If it lights constantly the input level is set too high &#8211; the potentiometer should be turned down.<\/p>\n<p>The unit has been tested and after some adaptations of resistor values it seems very good indeed. It should now go into &#8220;saving the loudspeakers&#8221; business.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Circuit:<br \/>\n<\/strong>&#8211; Q1 is the output source follower (BS170 mosfet) &#8211; buffering the output from the output part of double potentiometer and the diode limiter divider<br \/>\n&#8211; Q2 (BC560) and Q3 (2N4501) is a two stage amplifier with local and global feedbacks applied<br \/>\n&#8211; Q4 and Q5 is a differential pair comparator<br \/>\n&#8211; R14 is the first part of voltage divider<br \/>\n&#8211; diodes D1 to D12 are schottky diodes that form the passive &#8211; level-dependent &#8211; second part of voltage divider with staggered resistor values for progressive level-dependent voltage division.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/SimpleAudioLimiter2.jpg\" class=\"thickbox no_icon\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-1103 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/SimpleAudioLimiter2-1024x537.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/SimpleAudioLimiter2-1024x537.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/SimpleAudioLimiter2-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/SimpleAudioLimiter2-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/SimpleAudioLimiter2.jpg 1321w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Experimental approaches have victims: amplifiers and loudspeakers&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1106,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,9,1,28,3],"tags":[22,40,38,34],"class_list":["post-651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-devices","category-turboblog","category-archive","category-concepts","category-tech","tag-bands","tag-builds","tag-music","tag-turboblog-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/651\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turborebop.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}