Superpower compared to a Jung super regulator

NOTE: This page has not been updated for lower noise Superpower

The Jung regulator has 3* serious compromises:

  1. When output current demand exceeds the maximum available from the regulator, the regulator's internal control loop opens and all internal nodes become unstable. This is because the loop amplifier sinks part of a constant current away from the base of the output transistor. When high Iout requires all the constant current as base current, none remains for the loop amp to control, thus the loop is uncontrolled.
  2. The regulator control amplifier is connected to ground, which limits Vout to the power supply range of this control op amp., typically 30V or less. It also prevents the use of awesome new op amps with lower power supply range, for example you can't use a 12V op amp to make a 15V Jung regulator.
  3. All those capacitors! Three 100µF or more capacitors take a lot of space. They also can cause stability issues depending on the PCB layout and the op amp you use.
  4. *We say 3 because this compromise is optional—the pre-regulator. By using a monolithic pre-regulator, you limit dynamic output current delivery to whatever can be sourced by the LM317.

Superpower solves these problems:

  1. Superpower uses a voltage to control base current to the output transistor. When base current reaches its maximum, the loop still has control voltage.
  2. Superpower uses a floating reference and control amplifier, allowing Vout as high as BVceo of the output transistor.
  3. Superpower needs only a 22pF loop and 4.7µF (none for SPM) output capacitors for stability. It fits on a PCB only a little bigger than a TO-220 package.
  4. Superpower needs no pre-regulator.

With clever design, Superpower has all the advantges of a Jung boot-strapped regulator and none of the disadvanges. Following are oscillograms of a "Jung 2000" derived super regulator created by Andrew Weekes and found here, referred to as ALWSR regulator, compared to Superpower. Both devices were tested with as nearly identical conditions as possible, with both devices using the same input supply. Vout = 10V for both regulators.

Current was tested at 700mA with the standard Superpower device, which begins to limit current at approximately 700mA. To allow direct comparison, the ALWSR circuit is also tested at 700mA.

The tested ALWSR circuit does not have the pre-regulator, and uses a D880Y pass transistor instead of a D44H11. It requires an additional 10pF capacitor across the 499Ω low pass resistor for stability at all output currents as seen in a photo below; this extra capacitor is not specified for the stock ALWSR.

Superpower, 700mA pulse

Superpower 700mA dynamic responseSuperpower delivering 700mA into 8Ω. Notice the clean, fast rise and fall of the load voltage (bottom). The top Vout transients are quite low, a step less than 2mV that returns to DC.

Superpower, 250mA pulse

Superpower 250mA dynamic response

A less demanding test, pulling 250mA from the Superpower, shows a super clean load transient and an output with a very small step and almost no transient behavior.

ALWSR, 700mA pulse

Jung Super Regulator 700mA pulse
ALWSR regulator delivering 700mA. The load transient response is clean and quick with no ringing. The output has a leading spike of less than 18mV (not fully visible) and a 2mV step.

ALWSR, 250mA pulse

Jung Super Regulator 700mA pulse
This regulator also performs well at lower currents. The thickness of the trace is due to a low level 90MHz oscillation in the circuit.


ALWSR with load instability

Jung Super Regulator unstable
The ALWSR as tested has an instability at some load current levels as seen here. This was remedied with a 10pF capacitor across the 499Ω resistor that feeds the positive input of the AD797.

NOTICE

This site is being gradually updated. If you have any problems please email super@belleson.com

The Industry Standard SPX

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  • 5V to 30V output
  • World's lowest output impedance
  • Superb ripple rejection (135dBV)
  • Instant step response
  • Extreme low noise
  • TO-220 footprint
  • No thermal pad needed!

High Voltage!

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  • Variable output 5V to 450V
  • Up to 500mA output current
  • Super low 0.5V drop-out at 100mA
  • Small TO-220 footprint!
  • Low output impedance
  • Fast response
  • Low noise

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SPHP—1000 Watts for your music server!

SPHP, a 10A Superpower with adjustable output voltage from 5V to 100V

  • Same low noise
  • Same blazing step response
  • Same great ripple rejection.
Just lots more current and much higher output voltage. For sale on our order page See more information in the data sheet here.

Build a power supply

A PCB and parts list for building a compact dual positive or positive+negative power supply are on this new page.

Transformer Calculator!

Use the Belleson Transformer Calculator to calculate the minimum Vrms voltage of a transformer for your Superpower based supplies.

It's Official

We're proud to announce the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted patent 8,294,440 to the Superpower design.

Use the Superpower regulator in...

  • Headphone amps
  • DACs
  • Buffers
  • Clocks and reclockers
  • Preamps
  • Microphone preamps
  • Phono stages
  • Phono motors
  • Tube preamps and input stages
  • Line powered guitar effects boxes
  • Anywhere an extremely clean, quiet, dynamic power source is needed