
VNE Vacuum Tube Compression Amplifier
HAZELRIGG INDUSTRIES
17
THEORY OF OPERATION
Input section
Line level (low source impedance, balanced, +4 dBm nominal) audio enters through the XLR-3 female
INPUT connector to a bridging input transformer. The load imposed on the source is 32k ohms and is
constant regardless of the frequency.
Input transformer
The input transformer is made by Jensen Transformers, Inc. and represents the state of the art in
transformer design. It exhibits extremely flat frequency response, low phase shift, excellent square wave
response, low distortion, and high noise immunity. The secondary of is connected directly to the grid of the
first amplifier stage.
Input Amplifier
First
stage
The first stage is a 6072a configured as a Class A voltage amplifier with a gain of approximately
20. Negative feedback from the plate of the second stage reduces distortion, flattens the frequency
response, and makes the gain of the first two stages less dependent on individual vacuum tube
characteristics.
Second stage
The output of the first stage is coupled to the grid of the second stage through a polypropylene
capacitor. This stage operates as a Class A voltage amplifier with a gain of approximately 15.
Output Stage
The output stage operates as a cathode follower, presenting a comparatively low output
impedance (approximately 450 ohms). The cathode output is coupled through a polypropylene
capacitor to the Pulse Width Modulator board.