Before we start DIY we must plan our voltages and components. Hence the question, 9V or 18V.

I want to use TLE2426 for CMOY power rail splitter.

I am not sure of its device name designation. While I know C, I and M indicates temperature tolerance, what is E4?

For example,

TLE2426IP
TLE2426IPE4

I have looked into its datasheet but no information about 'E4'. Is it an optional pin for noise reduction?

Thanks jazzy939. A chat with you twitched my senses for more DIY amps

I getting free from TI, so whichever doesn't really matter.

I'm comfortable with PDIP, no problem.

Need another advice from you guys, I want to use a microcontroller (PIC16F887) to be in charge of gain or volume. While I guess there must be some chip that takes digital signals and control its passing analogue signal, any idea which chip is available for our use?

Thanks. I swear I should have asked much earlier. Didn't know we have great resource here.

Anyway, I actually remember seeing a very simple chip which simply modifies the volume by its a input signal voltage. PGA2310 is quite complex. Have you used it successfully?

Looks nice and I'll be waiting for his full description once it's done

Okay, sounds convincing. I'll make an order of PGA2310 tomorrow. It's do-able but it just seems to take several IO ports of my PIC already. Well, for the sound quality, worth a try.

Owai-, what SPI mode? I haven't been told about this SPI thing in microcontroller.

I didn't learn 8051 because while others are learning it over diploma, I did A-levels in biology. But my final year project has PIC microcontroller using PS/2 keyboard. I don't recall about SPI though.

I don't do atmel as well. The programmer is scarce compared to PIC, hence I literally used PIC for life.

The PIC16F887 datasheet does not seem to have mentioned explicitly about SPI or master/slave mode. I will try to take a look at it again but chances are, it doesn't have SPI (?).

Oh lol, looks like I'm so old-minded to think about PS/2 interface.

Create PWM clock like in PS/2 keyboard, that I know. SPI... I really need to investigate if PIC16F887 has such thing.

Mmm. LittleGhost and mess o' wrecko, it would be really great to have both of you in my MSN contact list.

Very nice indeed. The alpha 10 uses modules instead of one large board, easing any future addons I suppose. I have looked into some PCB layout of his. For some reason, I don't have confidence doing dual layer PCB.

Remember I was mentioning about TLE2426 for power rail splitter? Now I might have slight changes on my amplifier design to accommodate specially for low impedance headphones. I am planning to have 2 op amps to provide large currents but TLE2426 would peak at 20mA. Can I put two TLE2426 in parallel or would it upset the splitter's stability?

Tangentsoft's virtual grounding notes are like my bible. I used the page for 2 years. Adding another buffer doesn't seem to be part of my plan.

I've seen many shortcuts that people are using to produce more instantaneous current, like using capacitors from rails to virtual ground, or even simpler, rail to rail. However tangentsoft's website advices not to use capacitors after the active rail splitter as capacitive load would disrupt the "bandwidth".

Probably I would have to put them into prototype and listen to decide the better arrangement.

How does your YAHA sound?

I received 5 pizza boxes from Texas Instruments containing most essential components of my headphone amplifier project. I'll start putting it to work tomorrow.

I haven't got myself to Jalan Pasar for component shopping yet. So far I'm using the components I have in toolbox. How well does Rubycon capacitors do? I have a set of various Rubycon capacitor

It isn't Rubycon blackgate. Just YXA marking.

Edit: Now that I've googled about Rubycon YXA, apparently there are imitation capacitors in the market. I have no idea of the origin of my set of capacitors. Lol... Well, lets just see then.

This post has been edited by mengsuan: Dec 22 2010, 02:19 PM

TLE2426 rail voltage is not exactly as ideal as I thought. Can deviate up to 0.01V at any time. But well, comparing to resistor divider, it's heavenly

If it drifts in 0.01V- 0.02V region? Sometimes it is perfect balance, sometimes it drifts a bit.