Test Beeper For Your Stereo

The test beeper generates a sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 1,000 Hz, a common test  frequency for audio amplifiers.  It consists of a classical Wien- Bridge oscillator (also known as  a Wien-Robinson oscillator). The network that determines the  frequency consists here of a series connection of a resistor and  capacitor (R1/C1) and a parallel connection (R2/C2), where  the values of the resistors and  capacitors  are  equal  to  each  other. This network behaves, at  the oscillator frequency (1 kHz  in this case), as two pure resistors. The opamp (IC1) ensures  that the attenuation of the net- work  (3  times)  is  compensated  for.  In  principle  a  gain  of  3 times should have been sufficient to sustain the oscillation,  but  that  is  in  theory.  Because  of tolerances in the values, the  amplification needs to be (automatically) adjusted.

Circuit diagram:

Test Beeper For Your Stereo circuit Diagram

Instead of an intelligent amplitude  controller  we  chose  for  a  somewhat simpler solution. With  P1, R3 and R4 you can adjust  the gain to the point that oscillation takes place. The range of P1 (±10%) is large enough the cover the tolerance range. To sustain  the oscillation, a gain of slightly  more than 3 times is required,  which  would,  however,  cause  the amplifier to clip (the ‘round-trip’ signal becomes increasingly  larger, after all). To prevent this  from happening, a resistor in se-ries with two anti-parallel diodes  (D1 and D2) are connected in  parallel  with  the  feedback  (P1  and R3). If the voltage increases to the point that the threshold  voltage of the diodes is exceed-ed, then these will slowly start to  conduct.

The consequence of this  is that the total resistance of the  feedback  is  reduced  and  with  that  also  the  amplitude  of  the  signal. So D1 and D2 provide a  stabilising function. The distortion of this simple oscillator, after adjustment of P1 and  an output voltage of 100 mV (P2  to  maximum)  is  around  0,1%.  You can adjust the amplitude of  the output signal with P2 as required for the application. The  circuit is powered from a 9-V battery. Because of the low current  consumption  of  only  2 mA  the  circuit will provide many hours  of service.

Author :Ton Giesberts  - Copyright : Elektor Electronics