Replacement for TBA820M audio amplifier chip

[CaptainJack]

Hello all,

it seems the TBA820M chip is no longer available with my supplier, they say it is out of production. It's a 1.2 W audio amplifier, mono, with some peripherals (resistors, capacitors). It works well with a 8 ohm speaker. The price for the chip was about 40 cents. My supply voltage is 5 V.

I have tried the LM386N, though it's only a 0.5 W amplifier, meant for a 4 ohm load. Indeed I find the volume too low.

I have tried the TDA2822M, a 1 W amplifier, but also meant for a 4 ohm load; again: volume too low

I'm looking for a good replacement in the same price range. Any suggestions are welcome.

The application is sound for a laser tag gun.

Cheers,

Jack

[bosleymusic]

Are you looking for something that is a Pin for Pin replacement or just similar specs? Maybe you said this, but surface mount or through hole?

I just did a search on mouser and it appears there are quite a few alternatives, although not necessarily quite as cheap : http://www.mouser.com/Semiconductors/Audio-ICs/Audio-Amplifiers/_/N-4gxtf?P=1z0wau2Z1yzse09Z1yxe419Z1yxe41b&Ns=Pricing|0

[CaptainJack]

Just similar specs will do, anything that will crank out about the same volume. I do prefer through hole. The chips on mouser all seem smt.

[pito]

LM380N-8

[JakeSoft]

I read the spec sheet for the LM380N-8. I don't think that will work for him, it needs at least a 10V supply and he is working with 5V.

I am also interested in this topic. I've been working with a WT588d voice module that puts out 0.5W via PWM. I'm a little dissatisfied with the sound quality and the volume. The module has a DAC output, so I was hoping to feed it into an amplifier like those discussed here. It has the potential to simultaneously increase volume and sound quality.

Just like CaptainJack, I'd like to find a good through-hole IC that can give me anywhere between 1.0 Watt and 2.0 Watts with an 8 Ohm load. Also, I am working with a 5V system.

The best I've found so far is an LM4889. It looks good because I have limited space in my project and it does not require bulky coupling capacitors. I can only find it in SMT form factor, though, which does me no good. Has anyone ever seen this or a similar IC in a through-hole package?

[Jiggy-Ninja]

WIth a single ended load and 5V, the maximum power you can get out of a pure sine wave test tone is 390 mW from an 8 ohm speaker. The max you could get from a pure square wave is 780 mW. You're not going to get one or two Watts without a bridge-tied load.

The LM386 has adjustable gain between 20 and 200. How were you using it? What are the characteristics of your signal source?

[JakeSoft]

LM4889 uses a bridge-tied load. That must be why they are able to make the claim of 1+ Watts with a 5V supply.

I also found this: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11044

It's a breakout for TPA2005D1. It's not exactly what I was looking for, but it might fit in my application. Maybe it would work for you to, CaptianJack. It's not 40 cents, though.

[CaptainJack]

Thank you all for your kind replies.

The LM380-N indeed requires a too high supply voltage.

It's interesting that you offer a TPA amplifier, because I just ordered one and tried it to my satisfaction. It's the TPA6203A1, 1.25 W Into 8 ? From a 5-V Supply:

http://nl.farnell.com/texas-instruments/tpa6203a1dgnr/class-ab-audio-amp-1-25w-8msop/dp/1697161

for about 50 cents incl. tax. I have the luxury I can make my own breakout boards, though a dip version would be less of a hassle. My arduino coughs out 10 kHz 8 bit sounds with PWM and the result is more than adequate for my project (loud pew pew sounds from a laser tag gun).

I already was afraid it would be hard to find a good dip version replacement, but this smd amplifier will satisfy my needs.

Cheers,

Jack