Si-C Mosfets on Audiozen amplifiers
Audiozen is high-end innovation
In high fidelity and high end world often commonplaces are so deeply rooted in audiophiles that many manufacturers, on the other hand, do not bother to go beyond, looking for new devices to renew their products.
We are not talking about controls and circuits that can make easier the management of the appliances, but about the research of new devices that can hide unexpected positive listening performances.
Audiozen also from this point of view is a rare bird, and especially in recent years invested many resources in research and development of solid-state power stages that adopt modern devices: it begins in 2015 with the use of IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) and the excellent feedback obtained also overseas gave reason to this first challenge.
However, the real breakthrough comes in 2019 when, after months of testing, Audiozen decided to ditch the IGBT for the new silicon carbide (Si-C) Mosfet.
Silicon carbide (Si-C), also known as carborundum, is a semiconductor containing silicon and carbon.
The key features and benefits of Si-C mosfets include:
- Very high temperature handling capability leading to simplified thermal management as well as improved system reliability;
- Significantly minimal variation versus temperature resulting in more compact designs (smaller heatsinks);
- Higher system efficiency.
The Si-C Mosfet is synonymous of reliability and power, and it can get its best qualities when implemented in a well designed power stage, with unrivalled speed, transparency and control.
Thanks to the foresight of Nino Pistone (Audiozen’ founder and project designer), at present Audiozen is probably the only manufacturer in the world that chose to equip its class AB power stages with silicon carbide Mosfets.
Audiozen bets continuously on its own innovative choices and, after further investments, has decided to equip from January 2022 the monophonic power amps Yin – Yang and the dual mono power amp P-Stone I with a new evolved Si-C Mosfet, called SIC FET 2 to distinguish it from the previous one.
Embrace power stage has been totally redesigned and from January 2023 also the Audiozen bestseller product is equipped with new SIC FET 2. Aquarius integrated amplifier is also equipped with the same power stage.
The comparative table summarizes in a few lines the first-in-class characteristics of the new SIC FET 2.
The musical event is thus extremely realistic, with an astonishing separation of the three dimensions of the sound planes, enriched by an amazing speed and control of the low frequencies.
Audiozen is high-end innovation.
Please note that the comparative table is viewable also on smartphone, just rotate screen.
| Standard Silicon Mosfets vs Audiozen Si-C Mosfet & SIC FET 2 - comparative table | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
STD silicon mosfet (IRFP240)
|
STD silicon mosfet (IRFP250)
|
audiozen si-C mosfet (2019 – 2021)
|
audiozen SIC FET 2
|
|
drain – source max voltage
|
200 v
|
200 v
|
650 v
|
700 v
|
|
max current
|
20 a
|
30 a
|
21 A
|
38 a |
|
RDS ON1 |
180mΩ
|
85mΩ
|
120mΩ
|
75mΩ
|
|
threshold voltage2
|
2 v
|
2 v
|
2,7 v
|
1,8 v |
|
input capacitance3
|
1300pF
|
2800pF
|
460pF
|
655pF
|
|
current rise time4
|
51nS
|
86nS
|
21nS
|
9nS |
|
current fall time4
|
36nS
|
62nS
|
14nS
|
10nS |
|
total gate charge5
|
70nC
|
140nC
|
38nC
|
38nC |
1: The resistance value between the Drain and Source of a mosfet during operation (ON) is called the ON Resistance (RDS ON).
The smaller this value is, the lower the power loss.
2: Gate – Source threshold voltage VGS(th) is the voltage required between the Gate and Source to turn ON the mosfet. In other words, supplying a voltage greater than VGS(th) will turn ON the mosfet.
3: Capacitances affect the performance of a power mosfet. The smaller this value is, the better its performance will be.
4: Si-C mosfets are more than 7 times faster than silicon mosfets. The faster the better.
5: The Total Gate Charge (Qg) is the amount of charge that needs to be injected into the gate electrode to turn ON (drive) the mosfet.
The unit of Qg is the Coulomb (C), and if the total gate charge is large, it will take time to charge the capacitor necessary for turning ON the mosfet, increasing energy loss.
Audiozen creations equipped with Si-C mosfets
Yin & Yang
Embrace
P-Stone I
Aquarius
