Very simple Audio compressor for FM transmitter

[Willen]

The compressor does not have input or output coupling capacitors so its DC voltages near 0V might mess up your signal source and amplifier.
Now you wrongly show the (+) input connected to ground and the "Common" as a (+) input.

When the wiring is fixed then the (+) input and output can be the live audio signals and the commons are the shielded grounds of their cables.

Your SMPS probably is noisy but its different voltages will not matter.

Ok I fixed input and used a capacitor at input and output live audio line to block DC.
- Can you assume correct value of the capacitor? I have 100nF film, 0.33uF and 2.2uF polarized tantalum. Polarized is not good but I will measure voltage across the cap and will fixed polarity.
- Another: PC has Mic in and has 3 pins- L, R and Gnd. Most of the time people record audio by shorting L and R. So PC gets same audio to L and same audio to R. Now the compressor has (+) out and (-) out. Is it better to use these (+) and (-) as L and R input to the PC? Or has no benefit? (If it improves nothing then I will use (+) audio for L and R (shorting L and R input of PC) as I said above.

 

[audioguru]

The + and - inputs and outputs are balanced mono inputs and outputs, not stereo. Balanced means differential. When the + input goes positive then the - input goes negative and if the + input goes negative then the + input goes positive. Because they are differential then they cancel common-mode interference like mains hum picked up by the cable. Common-mode interference is picked up by both wires and when fed to an amplifier that has balanced differential inputs then any signal that is the same at both inputs is cancelled.

A telephone line is also balanced. When the signal on one wire goes positive then the same signal on the other wire goes negative and vice-versa. The telephone pairs of wires are not shielded and do not pickup mains hum or common-mode interference from other pairs of telephone wires.

If you want to convert stereo to mono then shorting outputs might overload and destroy their output opamps. Use mixing resistors instead, a 1k resistor from the L source and another 1k resistor from the R source. Join together the free ends of the resistors to make the mono signal of L and R mixed together safely.

 

[Willen]

And about value of coupling capacitors?

 

[audioguru]

The value of a coupling capacitor has the RC -3dB response at the frequency the reactance of the capacitor equals the resistance of the source plus load resistances. The -3dB frequency is called the cutoff frequency where the level is down to 0.707 times the level of higher frequencies and is heard as a small but noticeable drop in level.
Calculate it as C= 1 divided by (pi x R x f). So the capacitance for a very low impedance source driving a 20k load at a cutoff frequency of 30Hz is 267nF. Use a 270nF or 330nF film capacitor.
I cheat a little since 1/divided by pi is almost 0.16 so I do it as 0.16 divided by (20k x 30Hz).

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

I was talking to someone yesterday and another idea came up: using a digital pot and microcontroller for an audio compressor. The micro would measure the output (and maybe the input too) and change the gain of the amplifier stage by changing the pot setting.
Just another way of doing it

 

[ronsimpson]

MrAl, Good idea.
Your can here some thing very well and other things not at all.
When I tried it, you hear a "zipper" sound in the background.
Used separate PCB for micro to keep the micro noise out.
Used opto isolators on the data lines so noise stays out.
Tried "digital pots" and "digital gain amps" and "multiplying DAC". All had problems.
Found a bad effect of any DC was in the audio. Had to trim out any input offset in the opamps.
The "zipper" sound was still there.
Can't remember how big a step I had in the POTs. I know some had only 64 steps and some had 256 steps. The zipper sound is related to step size.
Tried multiplying DAC. Pretty good but only tried 8 bit and should have started with 12 bit or more.
Most POTs are linear. There are some that are audio taper. There is a good one that is 1/2 db steps. Can't remember 7 or 8 bit.

My conclusion: In a mixer where the gain is adjusted by "hand", the zipper noise is not bad. (If designed well) So I do like digital pots.
In a limiter where the gain is adjusted 1000 time a second the noise to too much.

When the gain jumps from 8db to 8.5db to 9db to 9.5db the steps get into the sound.

My last try was to use an analog voltage controller gain amplifier. The "THAT corp." part.
Use a 16 bit DAC. Update it very fast. Put a RC on its output to smooth out the steps.
I did not get finished.
What I did get finished is the peak detector/ RMS circuit with variable attack and release, and multi attack/release speeds/squelch detector, etc.
I used a little 8 bit micro with a built in ADC. It is amassing how much analog functions can be put into software. It took two instruction to get the absolute value of the audio (same as full wave rectifying). An RC is only a small subroutine away. The time constant is a variable so it can be changed on the fly. The software for the VU meter is very similar to the audio processing software.

I did not finish the project. When I saw it was working and cold be done in a very small micro, and no one was going to pay for the project I moved on to a paying project. Would love to finish but must stay on paying projects.

 

[Willen]

Hi again all,
Time to time I get hit by simpler compressor. Many of them known as very bad design. I just feel that the 'Elektor' magazines are good source of designs.

I found a pretty accessible compressor made by two transistor and an OpAmp. Do anyone have experience about such circuitry?

The ebook (pdf) 'Elektor 303 Circuits' has included the compressor with detailed description at 12th page.

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

Where is the circuit?

 

[Willen]

Hi MrAl,
From an hour I am trying to do it from my vintage cellphone! I am clicking on 'Upload a File' button but not getting upload window. I was talking about a compressor found in 12th page of the file: https://archive.org/details/Elektor_Electronics_303_Circuits
I will try with other's cellphone soon, if it works I will be able to show schematic soon.

EDIT: [color= red] I guessed it's system error. I tried from Android phone's Operamini and from UC browser too. Not getting upload file picker window! [/color]

 

[audioguru]

The "file" has 338 pages and I will not download all of those pages to see only the 12th page.
Please attach here only the compressor project.

 

[AnalogKid]

That is a typical peak-detecting feedback compressor. Its main drawback is that it can cause background noise to "pump" up and down as it compresses and releases. Maxim has a single-chip microphone preamp with that circuit built-in. Ada Fruit has it as a module.

ak

 

[Willen]

The "file" has 338 pages and I will not download all of those pages to see only the 12th page.
Please attach here only the compressor project.

Sorry that I am still not being able to upload files to the ETO. I must need to contact moderators.

That is a typical peak-detecting feedback compressor. Its main drawback is that it can cause background noise to "pump" up and down as it compresses and releases. Maxim has a single-chip microphone preamp with that circuit built-in. Ada Fruit has it as a module.

Hi AK,
May I request with you to upload that one circuit here. In the case of single chip compressor, I have access limit. Someone from Canada have given got some THAT chips though. Being a hobbyist, always I get attraction on simple circuit to which I can understand.

 

[Tony Stewart]

if you want a good free compressor, look at audacity, it has many standard s curves or customizable compression variables and decompressors too. Then listen to an mp3 and compare THD to a very distorted poor design such as this.

 

[AnalogKid]

What wattage soldering iron should I use with audacity?

ak

 

[AnalogKid]

Someone from Canada have given got some THAT chips though. Being a hobbyist, always I get attraction on simple circuit to which I can understand.

THAT products are the gold standard for audio compression and expansion. They are more complicated to use, but THAT has excellent application notes. If I had them I wouldn't consider anything else.

ak

 

[Tony Stewart]

What wattage soldering iron should I use with audacity?

ak

0Watts just need cables

 

[Tony Stewart]

THAT2252 was very good but obsolete.
see new chips with all features in 1 chip , suitable for hearing aids etc

http://www.thatcorp.com/Datasheets.shtml

 

[MrAl]

The "file" has 338 pages and I will not download all of those pages to see only the 12th page.
Please attach here only the compressor project.

Hi,

It's worth the download if you like circuits, or you can view it online with their viewer.
I downloaded the pdf and saw that there were a lot of circuits, although dated (circa 1988).
If you like some of the older circuits, you'll like the download (303 circuits).
Not sure if it violates the copyright to post the circuit here, but since it is only one page probably not.

 

[audioguru]

How do I see only the audio compressor project?

 

[Willen]

Hi,
Here I found exact link of the schematic I was asking about (already has been posted to next.gr): http://www.next.gr/uploads/135-11110.png

if you want a good free compressor, look at audacity, it has many standard s curves or customizable compression variables and decompressors too. Then listen to an mp3 and compare THD to a very distorted poor design such as this.

Did you mean the software program can do all, same as hardware limits and compresses?

THAT products are the gold standard for audio compression and expansion. They are more complicated to use, but THAT has excellent application notes. If I had them I wouldn't consider anything else.
ak

I have got some of the THAT2252 (RMS detector) and THAT2155 (VCA). And yes these are little complicated, specially for beginner/hobbyist. So waiting to learn little more analog before using these. So trying to play with simple designs.