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Swansea University has signed a deal that makes Space Forge Ltd of Cardiff, South Wales, UK (which is pioneering space-based advanced materials manufacturing via fully returnable satellites) the first firm to be physically hosted in the Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials (CISM), where it will undertake work on manufacturing in micro-gravity. Space Forge will be CISM’s first incubation client with a dedicated cleanroom incubation bay and access to a full suite of semiconductor processing and characterization tools...

USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) now offers faster, more efficient, and more versatile power handling solutions. As we can all see, it’s an exciting advancement that significantly enhances the capabilities of USB connections.

This mechanism uses the USB configuration channel (CC) to allow a device to request a specific voltage. While this might seem complex at first, it’s pretty easy to utilize in practice.

Figure 1 The module has several jumpers to set the DC output voltage at multiple levels. Source: Author

What makes it easy nowadays is that we can buy compact USB-PD Trigger/Decoy modules that do the complicated background tasks for us (Figure 1). You can see such a module has a number of jumpers to set the DC output voltage to 5 V, 9V, 12 V, 15 V or 20 V.

This module acts as a trigger or decoy to request specific power profiles from USB-PD power sources such as USB-C chargers, power banks, and adapters. So, with this module, you can trigger USB-PD protocols and thus, for example, charge your laptop via a PD-capable USB-C power supply.

Note at this point that a USB-PD Trigger, sometimes called a USB-PD Decoy, is a small but clever circuitry that handles the USB-PD negotiation and simply outputs a predefined DC voltage.

Some USB-PD Trigger/Decoy modules are adjustable with a selector switch, or cycle among voltages with a pushbutton press, while others deliver a fixed voltage, or will have solder jumpers (or solder pads to install a fixed resistor) to select an output voltage. The output connection points on these modules are typically just two bare solder pads, or small screw terminals in certain cases (Figure 2).

Figure 2 The output connection points are shown on the modules. Source: Author

For just a few bucks each, these smaller and slenderer USB-PD Trigger/Decoy modules are useful to have in your tool chest, both for individual projects and for use in a pinch. In my view, for most applications, the fixed voltage type power provider is preferable, as this prevents accidental slips that could destruct the power consumer.

I recently bought a set of these fixed voltage modules. As you can see, the core part of these single-chip modules is the IP2721 USB Type-C physical layer protocol IC for USB Type-C input interfaces.

Figure 3 IP2721 is a USB Type-C PD protocol IC for USB input port that supports USB Type-C/PD2.0/PD3.0 protocols. Source: Author

The USB Type-C device plug-in and plug-out process is automatically detected based on CC1/CC2 pins. The chip has an integrated power delivery protocol analyzer to get the voltage capabilities and request the matched voltage.

Figure 4 The schematics shows a design use case built around the USB Type-C PD protocol IC. Source: Injoinic Technology

Surprisingly, the newly arrived module—designed for a single, fixed-voltage output—features the IP2721 controller in a bare minimum configuration without the power-pass element.

Figure 5 The module features the IP2721 controller in a bare minimum configuration. Source: Author

Hence, the output voltage will be whatever VBUS is, and this could be 5 V during initial enumeration or stay at this voltage in case negotiations failed. Luckily, for many applications, this will not be much of an issue. But on paper, to comply with the USB power delivery specifications, the device is supposed to have a high-side power MOSFET as the power-pass element to disconnect the load until a suitable power contract has been negotiated.

For this writing, I needed to test the output of my module. So, below you can see a little snap taken during the first test of my IP2721 USB-PD trigger 9-V module; nothing but the process of testing the module with a compatible power source and a DC voltmeter.

Figure 6 DV voltmeter shows the output of the IP2721-based USB-PD module. Source: Author

Here are some final notes on the power delivery.

• USB-PD is a convenient way of replacing power supply modules in many electronics projects and systems. Although USB-PD demands specialized controller chips to be utilized properly, easily available single-purpose USB-PD Trigger/Decoy modules can be used in standalone systems to provide USB-PD functionality.
• Interestingly, legacy USB can only provide a 5-V power supply, but USB-PD defines prescriptive voltages such as 9 V, 15 V, and 20 V in addition to 5 V.
• Until recently, the USB-PD specification allowed for up to 100 W (5 A@20 V) of power, called Standard Power Range (SPR), to flow in both directions. The latest USB-PD specification increases the power range to 240 W (5 A@48 V), called Extended Power Range (EPR), through a USB-C cable. So, if a device supports EPR expansion commands, it can use 28 V, 36 V, and 48 V.
• Since the most recent USB-PD specification allows to realize up to 240 W power delivery through a single cable, it’s possible to provide ample power over USB to multiple circuit segments or devices simultaneously.
• Electronic marking is needed in a Type-C cable when VBUS current of more than 3 A is required. An electronically marked (E-Marked) cable assembly (EMCA) is a USB Type-C cable that uses a marker chip to provide the cable’s characteristics to the Downstream Facing Port (DFP). It’s accomplished by embedding a USB PD controller chip into the plug at one or both ends of the cable.
• The USB-PD Programmable Power Supply (PPS) was implemented with USB PD3.0. With PPS, devices can gradually adjust the current (50-mA steps) and voltage (20-mV steps) in the range from 5 V to 20 V. PPS can directly charge a battery, bypassing the battery charger in a connected device.
• Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS) was implemented with USB PD3.1 and extended with PD3.2, allowing it to work within SPR below 100 W, down to a minimum of 9 V. AVS is similar to PPS in terms of function, but the difference is that it does not support current-limit operation, and the output voltage is adjusted in 100-mV steps in the range from 9 V to 48 V.

Note that USB-PD, which is combined with USB-C, takes full advantage of the power supply and multi-protocol functions over USB-C. Implementing USB-C for portable battery-powered devices enables them to both charge from the USB-C port as well as supply power to a connected device using the same port.

So, devices using a single or multicell battery charger can now be paired with a USB-C or USB PD controller, which enables the applications to source and sink power from the USB-C port. Below is an application circuit based on MP2722, a USB Type-C 1.3 compliant, highly integrated, 5-A, switch-mode battery management device for a single cell Li-ion or Li-polymer battery.

Figure 7 The application circuit is built around a 5 A, single-cell buck charger with integrated USB Type-C detection. Source: Monolithic Power Systems (MPS)

In the final analysis, it’s important to recall that the USB-PD is not just about the power delivery-related negotiations. Feel free to comment if you can help add to this post or point out issues and solutions you have found.

T. K. Hareendran is a technical author, hardware beta tester, and product reviewer.

Related Content

• Understanding USB Power Delivery 3.2
• USB Type-C PD 3.0 Specification, Charging and Design
• Providing USB Type-C connectivity – What you need to know
• USB Power Delivery: incompatibility-derived foibles and failures
• USB-C PD 3.1 EPR: A Full System Design Solution, Wall to Battery

The post A quick and practical view of USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) design appeared first on EDN.

Mouser Electronics, Inc. announced that it has been named 2024 Distributor of the Year by Bulgin, a leading manufacturer of environmentally sealed connectors and components for various industries, including automotive, industrial, medical and more. Representatives for Bulgin cited Mouser’s strategic support of new product launches and customer growth in 2024.

“Mouser is a valued partner, and we congratulate the Mouser team on this well-deserved award, which celebrates Mouser’s customer service, effective communication, and commitment to meeting our business needs and goals,” said Eric Smith, Vice President of Global Distribution Channel with Bulgin. “Mouser played a key role in contributing to our overall success in 2024, and we look forward to continuing the momentum in 2025 and beyond.”

“We’d like to thank Bulgin for this great honor. This award recognizes our continued efforts to be the industry’s New Product Introduction (NPI) leader, with the latest products from forward-thinking companies like Bulgin,” said Krystal Jackson, Vice President of Supplier Management at Mouser. “We have an outstanding business relationship with Bulgin and anticipate great success together in the future.”

The post Mouser Electronics Named 2024 Distributor of the Year by Bulgin appeared first on ELE Times.

Most cars here in Europe have their rear turn signals as separate amber bulbs. In N. America, it's common to utilize the respective side brake light for this function. I designed a circuit which will take the three inputs (L, Brake, and R) and combine them into outputs for the left and right brake light only. In the picture I used cabochon lights from Halloween special effects to simulate. Works perfectly... now. I had an issue where one of the tiny glass diodes broke, and I think it's because I had a 12v source charging a 680uF capacitor through it... A sudden burst of current. I removed the small glass diodes and replaced them with a couple of beefy silicon rectifier diodes, and the issue was resolved. I didn't have a SPDT relay, so I used a DPDT relay, and simply bridged both sides to act as a SPDT relay. This has the other benefit of doubling the current carrying capability. In my original circuit layout, I had added another relay so that this circuit could be bypassed, restoring original functionality. This is why there are three relays instead of only two on the layout plan. I actually designed this circuit years ago, and it was before I knew the terms common, normally closed and normally open, so the relay contacts are labeled E for energized and R for relaxed being connected to the common pin. submitted by /u/One-Cardiologist-462 [link] [comments]

WIN Semiconductors Corp of Taoyuan City, Taiwan — which provides pure-play gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) wafer foundry services for the wireless, infrastructure and networking markets — has launched its NP12-1B, a 0.12μm gate-length depletion-mode (D-mode) GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) technology on silicon carbide (SiC) substrates...

Чек-лист корупціогенних факторів: що це і для чого kpi ср, 06/04/2025 - 17:52

I got an power adapter of an old notebook, so I used it to build a power supply for breadboards using a DC-DC converter with XL4016 together with a display to show voltage and current, packed in a plastic box for cooked food. Simple but effective! submitted by /u/Livio63 [link] [comments]

For all the other analog-lovers out there here's my K2-W opamp. I can't say for sure but I think it's vacuum tubes are original (they are also marked GAP/R) and the datasheet appears to be original as well. The datasheet in particular is just so cool, it reads much more informally than what I am used to seeing these days. In the application examples specifically it reads as though the author is excited about the prospects of this tool and I can't blame them, I would have been as well. Anyway, hope you all enjoy this. I'll get a proper-scan of the datasheet at work tomorrow and post it here for those interested. submitted by /u/NamasteHands [link] [comments]

Brand new original DSPIC30F2010-30I/SP submitted by /u/Linkunze [link] [comments]

Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication systems and lightning-fast 5G networks are merging to usher in a new era of global mobility. We are getting closer to the promise of safer roads, autonomous driving, and intelligent traffic ecosystems as a result of this convergence, which is changing how cars interact with their surroundings. Tech pioneers like Jio, Alepo, and Keysight Technologies are at the forefront of this change, facilitating V2X implementation across many infrastructures and regions.

V2X: What Is It?

The term “vehicle-to-everything” (V2X) refers to a broad category of technologies that allow automobiles to interact with their surroundings. Networks (V2N), pedestrians (V2P), infrastructure (V2I), other vehicles (V2V), and connected devices (V2D) are all included in this. Every mode has special features that improve driver ease, traffic efficiency, and road safety.

Thanks to vehicle-to-vehicle (v2v) communication, cars can exchange vital information, including direction, speed, and braking condition. This makes collision avoidance systems and early alerts easier, especially in low-visibility situations. Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) enables automobiles to communicate with traffic lights, smart city systems, and road signs. By alerting drivers about impending risks or real-time signal changes, it facilitates traffic planning.

A proactive, as opposed to reactive, transportation system is made possible by the network of intelligent contacts created by this variety of communication channels. An environment where traffic flows are optimized, accidents are reduced, and cars can operate with more autonomy is the end outcome.

The Impact of Jio on India’s V2X Market Dependency

One of India’s top telecom companies, Jio, is actively constructing a strong 5G infrastructure to support V2X in the nation going forward. Jio’s V2X platform aims to create a digital transportation environment in which cars are intelligent, networked machines that can make decisions in real time.

Jio claims that their 5G-based V2X solutions are designed to make important applications like smart traffic control, cooperative collision avoidance, and autonomous driving possible. These uses make extensive use of 5G’s ultra-low latency and high bandwidth characteristics, which enable almost immediate device-to-device communication.

Road safety is still a major concern in India, where Jio’s effort has the potential to be revolutionary. Roadside unit (RSU) deployment and network slicing for V2X services allow the platform to serve latency-sensitive applications, such as danger detection and emergency vehicle prioritising. Additionally, Jio’s efforts are in line with India’s larger goal of developing intelligent transportation systems under the framework of Digital India.

Alepo’s 5G Core: An Expandable C-V2X Backbone

Alepo’s 5G Converged Core platform introduces software-defined intelligence to the V2X space, while Jio’s focus is on connectivity and infrastructure. Alepo’s basic product is capable of managing V2X-specific subscriptions, Quality of Service (QoS) policies, and session orchestration. It also supports the cellular V2X (C-V2X) standard.

Alepo’s platform stands out by enabling two distinct C-V2X communication pathways—PC5 for direct communication and Uu for network-assisted transmission. Direct communication, which allows peer-to-peer transmission between vehicles without requiring a cellular network, usually operates in the 5.9 GHz ITS frequency. In scenarios where milliseconds count, such as platooning or high-speed highway synchronisation, this is crucial.

On the other hand, network-based communication links cars to cloud services and other organisations by leveraging the cellular infrastructure that is already in place. Alepo’s 5G core skillfully strikes a balance between these modes to guarantee uninterrupted connection in any setting.

Alepo’s system’s user equipment (UE) classification is another essential component. Vehicles and pedestrians are distinguished by the system as distinct UE kinds, each with its own QoS characteristics. This makes it possible to handle data requirements and mobility patterns in a tailored way, guaranteeing that a pedestrian warning is handled differently from a vehicle coordination signal. For a sophisticated V2X ecosystem to be supported at scale, this degree of granularity is essential.

The Testing and Validation Ecosystem of Keysight

Thorough validation is essential to the efficacy of V2X systems, and Keysight Technologies is essential in this regard. Testing for compliance and interoperability must change to keep up with the complexity of V2X devices. This need is met by Keysight’s SA8700A C-V2X Test Solution, which supports both protocol and RF testing according to 3GPP Release 14 guidelines.

Manufacturers and developers may validate their V2X devices in controlled laboratory settings thanks to this service. End-to-end simulation of real-world situations, including lane-change assistance, junction collision warnings, and emergency braking alerts, is supported. Keysight’s technologies guarantee that devices not only function but also function under stress, thanks to their comprehensive diagnostic feedback and latency measurements.

Furthermore, Keysight provides the WaveBee V2X Test and Emulation package, which is intended to replicate actual driving situations on test roads and tracks. From early development to field testing after deployment, these solutions provide ongoing validation across the product lifecycle. These testing platforms guarantee user safety, performance, and compliance as international laws tighten and safety-critical applications gain traction.

Obstacles in the Way of V2X Maturity

While the promise of V2X is vast, its full-scale deployment is hindered by several critical hurdles. Standardisation is a significant obstacle. The global automotive landscape is fragmented, with regional preferences varying between technologies like DSRC and C-V2X. To guarantee smooth communication between automobiles made by various manufacturers, these standards must be harmonised.

Privacy and security are important issues to consider. As cars are becoming data nodes, it is important to ensure private data is protected from abuse or leakage. V2X networks need to implement secure authentication methods, end-to-end encryption, and anomaly detection methods to maintain resilience and trust.

Investment in infrastructure is another issue. It is critical to densify roadside units, edge servers, and network slicing in order for V2X systems to provide the best experience. Governments and municipalities need to engage in making smart mobility infrastructure happen and, while telecom has its role through networks and infrastructure developments, the effort must come from all parties. 

Conclusion: It’s Closer Than You Think

Right now, in the transportation space, parts of the ecosystem are finally being redesigned through the fusion of 5G and a new V2X communication standard. At the junction of connectivity with safer cars, smarter roads, and seamless transportation, companies like Jio, Alepo, and Keysight have already begun shaping that future.

As infrastructure continues to grow, and standardization becomes more advanced, V2X will go from a specialized innovation to an essential part of urban mobility. This technology could change everything from increasing safety by lowering traffic deaths to building networks of autonomous vehicles. The time has come for urban planners, politicians, telecom, and automotive industry players to partner up and together invest in V2X.

 

The post 5G-Powered V2X: Using Intelligent Connectivity to Revolutionize Mobility appeared first on ELE Times.

Resonantly tunable quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are high-performance laser light sources for a wide range of spectroscopy applications in the mid-infrared (MIR) range. Their high brilliance enables minimal measurement times for more precise and efficient characterization processes and can be used, for example, in chemical and pharmaceutical industries, medicine or security technology. Until now, however, the production of QCL modules has been relatively complex and expensive...

Frequent contributor Nick Cornford recently assembled an ensemble of cool circuit designs incorporating linear-in-pitch VCOs (LPVCOs). 

• “A pitch-linear VCO, part 1: Getting it going”
• “A pitch-linear VCO, part 2: taking it further”
• “Revealing the infrasonic underworld cheaply, Part 1”
• “Revealing the infrasonic underworld cheaply, Part 2”

These elegant and innovative designs (standard fare for Nick’s contributions) were perfectly adequate for their intended applications. Nevertheless, it got me wondering how difficult it would be to implement an LPVCO with a range covering the full 10-octave audio spectrum, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. I even decided to try for extra credit by going for a tri-wave output suitable for direct drive of one of Nick’s famous squish-diode sine converters. Figure 1 shows the result.

Figure 1 An LPVCO with 10-octave (20 Hz to 20 kHz) tri-wave output comprises antilog pair Q1 and Q2, two-way current mirror Q3 and Q4, integrator A1b, comparator A1a, and buffer A1c. Resistors R1 and R2 are precision types, and T1 is a Vishay NTCSC0201E3103FLHT (inhale!).

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

Vin is scaled by the tempco-compensating voltage divider, ((R1+T1)/R2 + 1) = 28:1, and applied to the Q1 and Q2 antilog pair, where Q1 level shifts and further temperature compensates it. Then, with the help of buffer A1c, it’s antilogged and inverted by Q2 to produce Ic2 = 2(2Vin) µA = 1 µA to 1 mA for Vin = 0 to 5v.

From there, it goes to the two-way current mirror: Q3 and Q4. A description of how the TWCM works can be found here in “A two-way mirror—current mirror that is.”

The TWCM passes Ic2 through to the integrator A1b if comparator A1a’s output is zero, and mirrors (inverts) it if A1a’s output is high. Thus, A1b ramps up if A1a’s output is at 0v, and down if it’s at 5v, resulting in sustained oscillation.

The C1 timing ramp has a duration in each direction ranging from 25 ms (for Vin = 0) to 25 µs (for Vin = 5v). The triangular cycle will therefore repeat at Fosc = 2(2Vin)µA/(25nCb)/2 = 20(2(2Vin) ) Hz.

 So, there’s the goal of a tri-wave LPVCO with an output span of 20 Hz to 20 kHz centered at 640 Hz, and it wasn’t so terribly messy to get there after all!

My thanks go to Nick Cornford for introducing the LPVCO to Design Ideas (DIs), and to Christopher Paul and Andy I for their highly helpful simulations and constructive criticisms of my halting steps to temperature-compensating antilogging circuits. I also thank editor Aalyia Shaukat for her DI environment that makes such teamwork possible for a gang of opinionated engineers, and mostly accomplished without actual bloodshed! 

Mostly.

Stephen Woodward’s relationship with EDN’s DI column goes back quite a long way. Over 100 submissions have been accepted since his first contribution back in 1974.

Related Content

• Seven-octave linear-in-pitch VCO
• A pitch-linear VCO, part 1: Getting it going
• A pitch-linear VCO, part 2: taking it further
• Revealing the infrasonic underworld cheaply, Part 1
• Revealing the infrasonic underworld cheaply, Part 2

 

The post 10-octave linear-in-pitch VCO with buffered tri-wave output appeared first on EDN.

Reflex Drive, a deep tech startup from India has selected power devices from Infineon Technologies AG for its next-generation motor control solutions for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). By integrating Infineon’s OptiMOS 80 V and 100 V, Reflex Drive’s electric speed controllers (ESCs) achieve improved thermal management and higher efficiency, enabling high power density in a compact footprint. Additionally, the use of Infineon’s MOTIX IMD701 controller solution which combines the XMC1404 microcontroller with the MOTIX 6EDL7141 3-phase gate driver IC delivers compact, precise, and reliable motor control. This enables improved performance, greater reliability, and longer flight times for UAVs.

“Our partnership with Reflex Drive is an important contribution to our market launch strategy and presence in India,” says Nenad Belancic, Global Application Manager Robotics and Drones at Infineon. “Our partner has proven its expertise with numerous customers who have obtained aviation certifications. In addition, the company has presented its innovative technologies enabled by Infineon systems at important international industry events.”

“Our collaboration with Infineon has led to significant advances in UAV electronics,” says Amrit Singh, Founder of Reflex Drive. “We believe drones have the potential to transform industries, from agriculture to logistics, and with Infineon’s devices, we can help drive this transformation at the forefront.”

Reflex Drives’s ESCs with field-oriented control (FOC) offer improved motor efficiency and precise control, while its high-performance BLDC motors are designed for optimized flight control and enable predictive maintenance of drive systems. Weighing only 180 g and with a compact volume of 120 cm³, the ESCs can deliver continuous power output of 3.8 kW (12S/48 V, 80 A continuous). Due to their lightweight design, robust power output, and consistent FOC control – even under demanding weather conditions – make them ideal for motors in the thrust range from 15 to 20 kg. Therefore, they are particularly suitable for drone applications in the fields of agricultural spraying technology, seed dispersal, small-scale logistics, and goods transport.

The post Infineon OptiMOS 80 V and 100 V, and MOTIX enable high-performing motor control solutions for Reflex Drive’s UAVs appeared first on ELE Times.

My audio gear

Back in July 2019, I told you about the combo of Massdrop’s x Grace Design Standard DAC:

and its companion Massdrop Objective 2 Headphone Amp: Desktop Edition (Massdrop is now just Drop, by the way, and is now owned by Corsair):

that I’d recently acquired for listening to computer-sourced audio over headphones in a quality-upgraded fashion beyond just the DAC (and amp-fed headphone jack) built into my Mac. That same two-device stack:

remains on my desk and to my right to this very day, albeit subsequently joined by an even higher quality balanced audio stack to my left:

combining a Topping D10 Balanced DAC:

and a Drop + THX AAA 789 Linear Headphone Amplifier:

The Monolith

But I digress. Today’s dissection showcase is of none of these. Instead, I’ll be analyzing the guts of the Monolith by Monoprice Liquid Spark Headphone Amplifier by Alex Cavalli:

It’s comparable in size to the Massdrop Objective 2 Headphone Amp: Desktop Edition I mentioned at the beginning of the writeup:

And what about a companion digital-to-analog converter? That’s a story all by itself. It originally had one, the unsurprisingly named “Monolith by Monoprice Liquid Spark DAC by Alex Cavalli”:

based on an Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) Semiconductor DAC chip. However, in October 2020, just as COVID was in general throttling the tech economy, audio equipment suppliers got a double-whammy: a massive three-day fire at AKM’s semiconductor facility in Japan, which clobbered its output. Some AKM customers, such as Fiio and Schiit (the latter, for example, redesigning and renaming its Modi 3 DAC as the Modi 3e, with “e” short for ESS Technology), redesigned their systems to use chips from other suppliers instead. Others, like Monoprice, threw in the towel. That said, since the Monoprice Liquid Spark headphone amp has conventional RCA (unbalanced) analog line inputs, you can use it with any standard DAC.

A bit of background info

A few definitions before proceeding with the dissection. “Monolith” is Monoprice’s audio products brand. Alex Cavalli is a now-retired, well-known audio amplifier designer who, in addition to selling both self-branded Cavalli Audio equipment (now repaired by Avenson Audio since his retirement) and gear branded by Monoprice (obviously) and Massdrop/Drop, also published complete design documentation sets for others to use in building their own gear, DIY style. Alex is a contemporary of another audio amplifier “wizard” whose name may be more familiar to you: Nelson Pass.

And finally, why do I categorize it as being for “entry-level audiophiles”? The feature set, for one thing. I’ve already noted that it doesn’t offer balanced inputs and outputs, for example, the magnitude-of-benefits of which are debatable, anyway. That said, unlike the Massdrop Objective 2 Headphone Amp: Desktop Edition, it does include preamp outputs, the benefit of which I’ll elaborate on shortly. And its performance is nothing to sneeze at:

• Manufacturer-published spec sheet (PDF)
• Manufacturer-published test measurement graphs (PDF)
• Independently published testing results (Audio Science Review)
• Independently published testing results (Super Best Audio Friends)

And the price, although that’s an imperfect-at-best barometer of quality. That said, Schiit’s current high-end solid-state Mjolnir 3 headphone amp (the company also sells tube-based products) goes for $1,199-$1,299, depending on color. Conversely, when the Liquid Spark Headphone Amplifier was introduced in 2018 (a year after Alex Cavalli announced his retirement, interestingly), Monoprice sold it for $99. Its list price is now $129. But (in explaining how I first came across it) I’ve long subscribed to Monoprice’s periodic promotional emails, and back in March of last year, I stumbled across a smokin’ deal; $32.49 each plus a further 25%-off discount. I bought two at $50.29 total (with tax), one for a buddy’s birthday, the other for me.

What I’ll be taking apart today is neither of these devices, however. Last October, while searching for a Liquid Spark DAC mate to my headphone amplifier, I stumbled across “as-is” Liquid Spark amps on eBay for $29.99 plus tax and $9.99 for shipping. The seller notes said:

Pulled from a professional working environment. Tested for power, no further testing was done. Due to lack of knowledge and having the proper equipment to fully test these units, we are selling AS-IS for parts/not working. Unit shows some signs of scuffs/scratches all around the unit. Please refer to the photos for more detailed information on the cosmetic condition.

As I’ve mentioned (and exemplified) many times before, such “for parts only” listings are perfect for teardown purposes. I ended up getting one for $20.99 (plus the aforementioned sales tax and shipping). I’m not sure how the seller “tested for power”, since it didn’t come with the requisite “wall wart”. And as you may have already noticed from the back panel “stock photo” shown earlier, it’s an uncommon one, outputting 36V at 1.25A min (that said, at least it’s got a DC output; Schiit’s are all just AC transformers).

Overview

I have no idea if this one actually works, and I’m not going to chance zapping my personal amplifier’s functional PSU to find out. That said, here it is in all its cosmetically imperfect glory, as usual accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for size comparison purposes (the unit has dimensions of 4.6″ x 3.7″ x 1.5″/117 x 94 x 38 mm and weighs 9.6 oz./271g):

Left-to-right are the power switch, a ¼” TRS headphone jack, a 3-or-6 dB gain switch (to accommodate headphones of varying impedance), and a rotary volume control knob. Now, about that back panel (following up on my earlier “teaser” comment about the RCA output set):

Most headphone amps in this price range have unbalanced RCA inputs, but their only output is an unbalanced TRS headphone jack (of varying diameter) up front. But this one also has a pair of unbalanced RCA outputs. And they’re not just simple line level pass-throughs, either; they route through the internal preamplifier first, although they (obviously) then bypass the headphone amplifier circuitry. Why’s this nice? Well, you can connect them to an external power amplifier to drive a set of speakers from the same audio source. And, because the preamp is still in the loop, the headphone amp’s volume control manages speaker volume, too.

The one thing I don’t know (and haven’t tested with my unit) yet, and the user manual doesn’t clarify, is whether the two output sets operate simultaneously or (as is the case with Schiit’s device equivalents) in a one-or-the other fashion. Said another way, when you plug in some “cans”, does this also mute the sound that would otherwise come out the connected speakers?

Onward: the left and right sides:

The top:

and bottom:

complete with a label closeup:

I admittedly enjoyed fondling this device, both in an absolute sense and relative to the scores of predominantly plastic-based products I’ve taken apart in the past (and will undoubtedly continue to do so in the future). It’s heft…the solidity of its all-metal construction…very nice!

Teardown time

Speaking of that all-metal construction, let’s start by getting the front panel off, starting with the Torx head screws on both ends:

Part of the way there…

Let’s see what’s behind that volume knob, which was snugly attached but pulled off after a bit of muscle-powered coercion:

Unscrew the nut, remove the washer:

and this part of the total task is successfully completed:

Check out that gloriously thick and otherwise solid PCB!

Now for the back panel. Six screws there and another one below:

And the panel-still-attached PCB slides out the rear:

Voila!

Jumping forward to the future for a moment, I went back and perused the product page after the teardown-in-progress and found this, which I hadn’t noticed earlier:

It wasn’t surprising. It was, conversely, validating. Truth be told, even before I took this amp apart, I’d suspected I’d encounter a discretes- (vs op amp-) based design. And when I saw the horde of tiny ICs scattered all over the top of the PCB, my in-advance hunch was validated.

Before diving in, let’s first flip the PCB over and take a look at the other side:

Not as much to see here, aside from this closeup:

The largest two ICs shown, which curiously don’t have their own PCB-marking notations, versus the resistors and capacitors surrounding them (perhaps the marks are underneath the chip packages) are labeled as follows, along with what I think is a STMicroelectronics logo:

071I
GZ229

Any idea what they are, readers? Back to the front for a close-up of the most interesting section:

The largest packaged parts on this side are a mix of what I believe to be QJ423 p-channel and QJ444 n-channel MOSFETs, both curiously identified in online specs as intended for automotive applications. And look, Alex even brands his PCBs!

I’ll close with a few side views of the solid-construction circuit board:

And that’s all I’ve got for you today. I’ll hold onto the disassembled device for a while in case you have any specific questions on the markings on some of the other, tinier ICs and/or passives. And, as always, I welcome your thoughts in the comments. Bonus points for anyone who is able to dig up an Alex-authored DIY schematic that corresponds to this design!

—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.

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The need for unified networks serving artificial intelligence (AI) training and inference is reaching an unprecedented scale. Broadcom’s answer: The Tomahawk 6 switch delivers 102.4 Tbs of switching capacity in a single chip, doubling the bandwidth of any Ethernet switch currently available on the market.

AI clusters—scaling from tens to thousands of accelerators—are turning the network into a critical bottleneck with bandwidth and latency as major limitations. Tomahawk 6, boasting 100G/200G SerDes and co-packaged optics (CPO) technology, breaks the 100-Tbps barrier while facilitating a flexible path to the next wave of AI infrastructure.

Figure 1 Tomahawk 6’s two-tier network structure, instead of a three-tier network, leads to fewer optics, lower latency, and higher reliability. Source: Broadcom

Ram Velaga, senior VP and GM of Core Switching Group at Broadcom, calls Tomahawk 6 not just an upgrade but a breakthrough. “It marks a turning point in AI infrastructure design, combining the highest bandwidth, power efficiency, and adaptive routing features for scale-up and scale-out networks into one platform.”

First, the Tomahawk 6 family of switches includes an option for 1,024 100G SerDes on a single chip, allowing designers to deploy AI clusters with extended copper reach. Moreover, Broadcom’s 200G SerDes provides the longest reach for passive copper interconnect, facilitating high-efficiency, low-latency system design with greater reliability, and lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

Second, Tomahawk 6 is also available with co-packaged optics, which lowers power and latency while reducing link flaps. Tomahawk 6’s CPO solution is built upon Broadcom’s CPO versions of Tomahawk 4 and Tomahawk 5.

Third, Tomahawk 6 incorporates advanced AI routing capabilities that encompass features like advanced telemetry, dynamic congestion control, rapid failure detection, and packet trimming. These features enable global load balancing and adaptive flow control while supporting modern AI workloads, including mixture-of-experts, fine-tuning, reinforcement learning, and reasoning models.

Figure 2 Cognitive Routing 2.0 in Tomahawk 6 features advanced telemetry, dynamic congestion control, rapid failure detection, and packet trimming. Source: Broadcom

The capabilities outlined above provide essential advantages for hyperscale AI network operators. They also allow cloud operators to dynamically partition their XPU assets into the optimal configuration for different AI workloads. Broadcom claims that Tomahawk 6 meets all networking demands for emerging 100,000 to one million XPU clusters.

Figure 3 Tomahawk 6 can accommodate up to 512 XPUs in a scale-op cluster. Source: Broadcom

While Tomahawk 5 has proven itself in large GPU clusters, Tomahawk 6 takes it a step further in terms of bandwidth, SerDes speed and density, load balancing, and telemetry. Tomahawk 6, compliant with the Ultra Ethernet Consortium, also supports arbitrary network topologies, including scale-up, Clos, rail-only, rail-optimized, and torus.

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