TentLabs Shunt Regulators
Tentlabs shunt regulators are designed to upgrade power supplies of both analog and digital circuits, mostly found in CD/DVD players, DACs and similar audio equipment. Substituting, or adding these regulators enhances the sound quality in terms of transparency and resolution, at reasonable price. Connections in general are easilly made. This type of upgrade requires little knowledge of electronics hence is accessible for every enthousiastic audiophile DIY.
Purpose
Tentregs are designed to be applied as an upgrade in analog and digitale playback equipment like (SA)CD players, DACs and alike. The shunts drop in instead ofcommonly used industrial types of regulators. Having much lower noise, true wide bandwidth and linear output impedance, they'll bring improvement to sound in terms of:• Higher resolution
• Better transparency
• Clean low ends
• Increased dynamics
Traditionally used voltage regulators never have been designed for audio applications. As an example, the very popular 7805 initially was designed as a voltage regulator for digital logic and low micro controllers - who cared about bandwidth or output noise. Derrivatives like 7815 and 7915 are widely used to supply the analogue output stage of CD players. About time for an upgrade!
Technology
The shunts consist of an active, wide band, current source to isolate the input from the output. The output is regulated by an active shunt regualtor with both low output noise and wide (typically > 200kHz) bandwidth. For RF frequencies, a Wima capacitor is integrated on the board, which in total measures 15*35 mm.Application
Read the application note here for more information.Available Versions
• -15V• -5V
• +3.3V
• +5V
• +15V
Specifications
Electrical• Supply input: typically 2 V above output voltage, maximal 6 V above output to minimise heat.
• Higher input voltage are allowed when a series resistor is place at the back of the regulator, see application note.
• Output voltage within +/- 5% of rating
• Bandwidth (all versions) > 250 kHz
Output noise • 3.3 versions: < 15 nV/SqrrtHz
• 5V versions: < 11 nV/SqrrtHz
• 15V versions: < 32 nV/SqrrtHz
Output impedance (over total bandwidth)
• 3.3 and 5V versions: <10m-ohm
• 15V versions: <40m-ohm
Output current
• 3.3 versions: 100mA
• 5V versions: 80 mA
• 15V versions: 30 mA
All versions are short circuit proof
Mechanical
• Size: 15*35*8 mm^3
• Weight: 5 gram
• Mounting: 3 pin header
• Header pitch: 2.54 mm