Philips Semiconductors
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TDA1562Q application note
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© Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. 2004. All rights reserved.
Application note
Rev. 01.02 — 05 May 2006
3 of 62
1. Introduction
1.1 Amplifier description
The TDA1562Q is a mono BTL amplifier, capable of delivering 70W into a 4
Ω
load at a
supply voltage of 14.4 V, without the need to use an external DC-DC converter to
achieve a higher supply voltage. The high output power is achieved by means of a Class
H circuit, which enables the amplifier to almost double its supply voltage at moments
when more than 20W output power is needed. Since the supply voltage will only be
raised when it is necessary, the TDA1562Q will dissipate less power than a comparable
Class AB amplifier operating at a constant high supply voltage.
Although originally designed for automotive applications, the high efficiency, high output
power and simple application make the TDA1562Q very suitable for applications where
high output powers and small size are important, such as active loudspeakers or small
Hi-Fi sets.
This document describes how the TDA1562Q class H amplifier can best be applied.
Information will be given about the principle and advantages of class H amplifiers and the
properties and features of the amplifier will be explained. Furthermore, information will be
given about the design of an application that will achieve the best possible performance
with the device.
1.2 The Class H principle
Class H is basically a further development of the class G concept.
A class G amplifier uses two separate power supplies, one with a relatively low voltage
and one with a high output voltage.
As long as the signal is at a low level, only the low supply voltage is used. Only when
more output power is needed than the amplifier can deliver with the low supply voltage,
the amplifier is connected to the high supply voltage.
Music signals consist for a great part of low level signals, so with a music signal, the
amplifier is mainly using the low supply voltage.
The main advantage of this principle is that the power dissipation of the amplifier is lower
than that of an amplifier which is constantly connected to a high supply voltage, since the
supply voltage is one of the main factors which determine the power dissipation in an
amplifier.
In a car, only one supply voltage is available, 14.4V, so for higher output powers than
25W into 4
Ω
the supply voltage must be raised artificially. This is often done by means
of DC–DC converters. These circuits have a number of disadvantages. First of all, a
number of extra components are needed. Secondly, most DC–DC converters use high
switching frequencies which may cause interference, so the correct design of a DC-DC
converter is a difficult task. Since the supply lifting circuitry in the TDA1562Q follows the
input signal, no extremely high frequencies will occur in the supply.