Senior Design I Paper Draft.Docx
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Guitar Amplifier with Analog/Digital Effects Fall 2013 Senior Design Project Group 5 Members Alex Chen (EE) Audrey Hernandez (EE) Brittany Delose (EE) Robert John (EE) 1 Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 1.1 Project Motivation 1 1.2 Project Objectives 2 1.3 Project Specifications 2 1.4 System Block Diagram 2 2. Research 2.1 Tubes vs. Transistors 2 2.2 Pre Amplifier 3 2.2.1 Why Need A Pre Amplifier 3 2.2.2 Op Amp or Discrete 3 2.2.3 Selection of IC Op Amp 4 2.3 Power Amplifier 2.3.1 Choice between discrete and IC power amplifier 5 2.3.2 Input Stage 5 2.3.3 Voltage Amplifier Stage ` 6 2.3.4 Output Stage 6 2.4 Analog Effects 2.4.1 Introduction 8 2.4.2 Fuzz Box 8 2.4.3 Octave Up 9 2.4.4 Orange Squeezer 9 2.4.5 Tremolo 11 2.4.6 Big Muff 11 2.4.7 Distortion with Stutter Effect 11 2.4.8 Combination of Effects 13 2.5 Digital Effects 2.5.1 Introduction 13 2.5.2 Guitar Output Characterization 14 2.5.3 Prototype Board Selection 21 2.5.4 Prototype Board Discussion 22 2.5.5 Guitar Input Processing 23 2.5.6 Audio Algorithms 24 2.6 Graphical User Interface 2.6.1 Java Programming Language 24 2.6.2 Java IDE’s 26 2.7 Low-Power Wireless Technologies 2.7.1 Introduction 27 2.7.2 Evaluation Boards 28 2.7.3 Bluetooth Protocol Architecture 28 2.8 Power Supply 2.8.1 Functions of a Power Supply 31 2.8.2 Components of a Power Supply 31 2i i 3. Design Details 3.1 Pre Amplifier 3.1.1 Block Diagram 32 3.1.2 Simulation in SPICE 33 3.1.3 Parts Required 35 3.2 Power Amplifier 3.2.1 Block Diagram 36 3.2.2 Simulation in SPICE 37 3.2.3 Heat Sink Selection 40 3.2.4 Parts Required 40 3.3 Analog Effects 3.3.1 Fuzz Box 41 3.3.2 Octave Up 43 3.3.3 Orange Squeezer 46 3.3.4 Tremolo 49 3.3.5 Big Muff 51 3.3.6 Distortion with Stutter Effect 54 3.4 Digital Effects 3.4.1 No effect 56 3.4.2 Reverberation 58 3.4.3 Fuzz 60 3.4.4 Echo 63 3.4.5 Tin Can 65 3.4.6 Phase 67 3.4.7 Robot 68 3.4.8 Fuzzy Tube 69 3.5 Graphical User Interface 3.5.1 Design Summary 72 3.5.2 DSP Bootloader 78 3.5.3 Accessing eZdsp USBSTK in Java 80 3.6 Bluetooth 3.6.1 Module Description 81 3.6.2 On-board Bluetooth Protocol Stack 83 3.6.3 Hardware Setup/Connection via USB 83 3.7 Power Supply 3.7.1 Block Diagram 86 3.7.2 Simulation in SPICE 87 3.7.3 Parts Required 89 ii3 4. Design Summary 4.1 Pre Amplifier 89 4.2 Power Amplifier 91 4.3 Power Supply 95 4.4 Analog Effects 4.4.1 Fuzz Box 96 4.4.2 Octave Up 97 4.4.3 Orange Squeezer 98 4.4.4 Tremolo 100 4.4.5 Big Muff 101 4.5.6 Distortion with Stutter Effect 102 4.5 Digital Effects 4.5.1 Reverberation 104 4.5.2 Fuzz 105 4.5.3 Echo 106 4.5.4 Tin Can 107 4.5.6 Phase 108 4.5.7 Robot 110 4.5.8 Fuzzy Tube 111 4.6 Bluetooth Module 114 4.7 Cabinet Housing 115 5. Testing 5.1 Pre Amplifier 116 5.2 Power Amplifier 116 5.3 Power Supply 117 5.4 Analog Effects 117 5.5 Digital Effects 117 5.6 User Interface 118 5.7 PCB Manufacturing and Assembly 118 6. Administrative Content 6.1 Milestone Chart Discussion 118 6.2 Budget and Finance 119 7. Conclusion 120 8. Appendices A. Copyright Permissions 121 B. Acknowledgements 122 iii4 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Project Motivation Music is an art form that can be expressed in many forms and is derived from various origins. The choice to design a guitar amplifier is to explore both music and technology. When appreciating music, it is not always apparent what is producing the notes, chords, and rhythms that are enjoyed. Exploring the technological side of this art form is the overall goal of this project. The guitar amplifier project can be broken into four main systems these include the power system, analog effects, digital effects, and the user interface. These four systems encompass a wide variety of design concepts and challenges. In order to research, test, and finalize a design requires numerous electrical and computer engineering skills. A main feature of the guitar amp is that it will have two built in effects systems. There will be an analog effects channel and a digital effects channel. These require the knowledge and application of many electrical engineering concepts that will be thoroughly explained throughout the design report. The purpose of the combination of the analog and digital implementations will give a nice contrast to each other. Typically, there is a distinction between the digital and the analog effect systems, the choice to include both will be a unique feature of the design. The power system requires many electrical engineering concepts. It is a custom design and requires the knowledge of designing multiple stages that will come together to power the amplifier. The system includes the power supply, pre-amplifier, and post-amplifier. The system is vital to hearing the output of the guitar and to ensure there is low noise. The last component of the guitar amplifier is a custom user interface. This will be used to control the digital effects system. The design will cover software engineering concepts at both the low and high levels. The musician will select the effects from the interface and will be able to control certain aspects of the effects, giving the user more control over the sounds. The guitar amplifier housing contains two main elements. The first element is the cabinet, which contains the speakers. The second element is the head, which contains the main electrical system. The type of guitar amplifier that was chosen be designed was a “practice” amplifier. This would keep the overall cost down but still proved a high quality sound. A “half stack” amplifier system contains four speakers in the cabinet. When considering the budget and overall goals of the design, the “half stack” design was determined to not be needed. Overall the guitar amplifier is a challenge that our group was willing to take on. It provided a medium to apply many different design concepts and examine how they could all come together into one. 1 1.2 Project Objectives This design project will fulfill the following objectives: ● Head and cabinet one piece, easily moveable ● Controlled output power ● Quality output that is low noise over a wide volume range ● Wireless (low-power) connected user interface ● Complete user range on cabinet 1.3 Project Specifications This design project will satisfy the follow specifications: ● Output power rating: 50 Watts ● Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 100 kHz ● Distortion THD: 0.1% (1 kHz at 30 Watts) ● Input impedance: 500 k ● Output impedance: 4 - 8 ● Signal to noise ratio (S/N): 80 dB ● Bluetooth Range: Less than 50 meters ● One and a half feet to two feet tall for cabinet ● One and a half to two feet wide for cabinet ● Eight analog effects ● Eight digital effects 1.4 System Block Diagram A functional block diagram of the system was constructed to dictate the flow of information through the system and highlight how each system will interact with each other. It describes the big picture of the design that will be explored in detail throughout the report. The first step of the diagram shown in Figure 1.4.1 is the input; this comes from the guitar. After the guitar is played the signals goes to either the digital or the analog effects block. If the digital portion is utilized then the user interface comes into play. Both effect blocks require the power’s supply as well as a wireless component for the user interface. After the guitar input has been processed either by the analog or the digital block it is passed through the pre amplifier. This will have volume and tonal control. The next block is the power amplifier; it is what regulates the power that drives the last block, the speaker. The power supply provides the power to the pre amplifier, power amplifier, analog effect, digital effect, and the wireless component to share data between the PC and the digital effects. Figure 1.4.1 System Block Diagram 2 Research 2.1 Tubes vs. Transistors It is very often to hear people say that tube amplifiers have better tone than solid state amplifiers because of the more “natural” and “warm” sounds produced by tube amplifiers. Tube amps have a long standing reputation for being the definitive guitar sound. The first amplifiers built specifically for guitar were all tube and are still highly sought after today. Many people describe the overall sound as “warm” because of the softer highs and mids mixed with solid bass response. They also have a tendency to clip fairly easily, which became known as “overdrive”, and in today’s case, the almighty distortion. However, there are a few drawbacks about all tube amps.