Audio Amplifier with TDA2050
Thomas Bethe built an audio hi-fi amplifier using two TDA2050 integrated chips. I haven’t seen these chips used in projects in a while, because it’s pretty known that TDA2030, TDA2040, TDA2050 chip family is not the best so to say. I remember some years ago, a local factory was building hi-fi amps using these chips and how often i needed to replace the destroyed TDA’s. Their Pentawatt package is not very good. These ICs are more suitable for TV sound amplification, radios, applications in which they drive some small full range speaker.
The speakers Thomas wants to use with his amplifier are a pair of Klipsch RB-51, which are pretty small and well behaved. In the TDA2050 datasheet it is proudly stated that the small chip can deliver 32 Watts RMS into 8 ohms with 10% THD. At this level of distortion those Watts are actually WHATS?! From graphs we can see it can actually deliver about 18W into 8 ohms and stay in the hi-fi area of 0.1% THD.
The schematic used is the split power supply version from the datasheet with an additional feature, headphone output. Thomas used a MKP capacitor at the input of the amplifier circuit. Although it’s always best to use high quality components, i wonder if any differences can be noticed with the TDA. The construction is pretty simple, just a few external components are needed but as the author says the layout is very important in reducing noise. So follow the advices he points in his article.
The amplifier is connected to +/- 25V supply rails, therefore it is not recommended for this amp to be used with 4 ohms loads. If you have low impedance speakers use +/-18V supply. Thomas’ power supply seems to me an overkill but i guess it does the job. If you plan on building this amp yourself screen the power supply and avoid crossing the wires carrying audio signal above power supply.
As far as how it sounds Thomas seems to be happy, even calls it a “mini gainclone”. To me the TDA’s don’t stand at the same level with National Semiconductor LM chips but it’s purely subjective opinion. Anyways anything you build by yourself is ten times better than what you find in the market for the same price as your investment so happy soldering.
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Muy buen proyecto, simple y potente. Es lo que estaba buscando.
Very good project, simple and powerful. It’s what I was looking for.
August 24th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Glad you found it useful. Happy soldering.
September 4th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Well – i’m using the amp for nearly two months without any problems now. It’s daily used to listen music in my work-room. I had the chance to build an other amp with the LM3886 and surely did some tests to compare the differences between the TDA2050 and the LM3886. The TDA (IMHO) can hold it against the LM3886. OK – it sounds a bit different, but i can say, that the sound is very good and clean, with a wide stage, deep bass, fine mids and very clear (sometimes sharp)heights. Yep – the PSU is a bit overkill and the supply voltage is right at the limit. Maybe that’s one reason for the good sound. I’m very happy with the sound and i did not regretted the amp build. Maybe other stuff is more like “high end”, but i didn’t pay 10000 bucks ore more to be happy! This amp didn’t cost much, but the result imho was impressive.
Greets and cheers,
Tom.
September 6th, 2009 at 10:38 am
thanks for sharing the experience Thomas.
September 7th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Hey Thomas, i will alwayas appreciate DIY spirit. I’m sure that match with right speakers this amplifier can make most people happy. By the way what speakers are you using?
November 13th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
I’ve built the same amp with +/- 25V rails and I love it! It plays REALLY good, maybe because of the big power supply?
The bass is clear and deep, heights are really strong and clear. I find it missing just a tiny bit in the mid. Otherwise I don’t regret a minute building this amp.
Really good DIY first time project, cheap and plays surprisingly well!
March 4th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
at 10% distortion….whats the point? im suprised you didn’t refer to THD as TMP another bull shit analogy……..more than 1% and theres no point ask any real audio engineer………
September 13th, 2010 at 12:48 am
I built the Tda 2050 amp using the Tda 2030 pcb from Rs, of course using the correct parts required for the 2050 chip as specified on the data sheets about 7 years ago!!
I have had not one fault in anyway in 7 years,my heatsink is quite large though, about 200mm length x 65mm height x 60mm depth.
The sound quality exceeds my other production line amps costing £250+
March 4th, 2012 at 9:04 am
TDA 20… series rockz its a power pack in small size its just the size of a regulator ic yet its capable of driving even 10 inch subwoofers with low distortion and i think u wont even want 2 cross the limit of 1 percentage of distortion b cuz u may fry ur speaker coil if u add an additional fan 4 the heat sink it can do wonders and im from india here i only have experienced the clear deep bass from stk series and irf mosfet series and i have just used tda 2040 when its going 2 b tda 2050 i think with a 5 amp transformer and huge heat sink and fan i be it can may go head 2 head with stk 4141 and with a 2 ic bridg its even better
March 4th, 2012 at 9:09 am
but i have a doubt . the same pcb that be used of tda 2030 can be used 4 tda 2050?
March 7th, 2012 at 4:18 am
Yes it can! as my previous post. You have to use the dual rail config, using the correct componants for the tda 2050,mine is 9 years old and going strong still.You do have to use 2 diodes as marked on the circuit board of the 2030 board,or you can just put links in to complete the circuit,or find out the value on the data sheet on the 2030 amp for the diodes value.