Hi, I use an original JDS Atom amp with an original Topping E30 DAC to drive my HD800S. I haven't had any issues with them for 3-4 years that I've been using this setup now. Recently I read that the Atom didn't have DC protection for headphones or something like that (sorry I am not really good with electronics terms of that sort) in the rare case something happens and it's not completely protecting the headphones. Should I buy something like the Atom II which has better protection from what I've read or is it not a big deal?
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Should I change my Atom Amp?
- Thread starter BillyD
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There's a section on the DC offset issue in this excellent review thread (despite the Topping fanboy stuff Lol)
www.audiosciencereview.com
Cheers,
JDS Atom Amp 2 Headphone Amplifier Review
This is a review, listening tests and detailed measurements of the JDS Labs Atom Amp 2 headphone amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $129. The solid metal case makes an instant impression, erasing memories of the plastic case of the previous generation. A white LED...
www.audiosciencereview.com
Cheers,
The original Atom amp uses the TI LME49600 current buffer as its output driver. If JDS Labs followed the TI reference design, it would have a DC servo to minimize DC in the output.
Below is taken from the TI LME49600 data sheet.
Below is taken from the TI LME49600 data sheet.
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Sorry I am kinda illiterate when it comes to the nitty gritty science of electronics like this. Does this mean that if they followed this reference design it should be minimizing the potential of damage?The original Atom amp uses the TI LME49600 current buffer as its output driver. If JDS Labs followed the TI reference design, it would have a DC servo to minimize DC in the output.
Below is taken from the TI LME49600 data sheet.
View attachment 399231
Assuming JDS Labs indeed followed TI's reference design...
The DC servo provides some protection against steady DC in the source signal. It acts just like a first order (6dB/octave) high pass filter with a very low (0.16 Hz) cutoff frequency. Because of this very low cutoff frequency, the DC servo acts quite slowly.
For example, if I inject a step change of DC into the source signal, the rapid initial rise of the step is all high frequency components, and the DC servo will let them through. That means the initial step height will be the input step height multiplied by the amplifier gain, which is no protection. The step will slowly decay at the time constant of the filter (τ = 2π/Fc, where Fc is the cutoff frequency in Hz, which in this case τ is 1 second). That means for every 1 second, the step height will reduce by 0.37× (see chart below). This may be OK for source signal with a steady level of DC in it, but likely not enough protection against a sudden fault upstream. It also does not protect against faults in the headphone amplifier itself.
The DC servo provides some protection against steady DC in the source signal. It acts just like a first order (6dB/octave) high pass filter with a very low (0.16 Hz) cutoff frequency. Because of this very low cutoff frequency, the DC servo acts quite slowly.
For example, if I inject a step change of DC into the source signal, the rapid initial rise of the step is all high frequency components, and the DC servo will let them through. That means the initial step height will be the input step height multiplied by the amplifier gain, which is no protection. The step will slowly decay at the time constant of the filter (τ = 2π/Fc, where Fc is the cutoff frequency in Hz, which in this case τ is 1 second). That means for every 1 second, the step height will reduce by 0.37× (see chart below). This may be OK for source signal with a steady level of DC in it, but likely not enough protection against a sudden fault upstream. It also does not protect against faults in the headphone amplifier itself.
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