Tone Control

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This simple tone control can be used in may audio applications. It can be added to amplifers, used as a stand alone control module, or even built into new and exciting instruments. It's one IC construction makes it a very compact circuit, as only a few support components are required. Plus, it does not use a dual power supply. This means that the circuit will run from 9V to 15V (although the bass will be a little weak at 9V). The circuit is by Robert Barg and originally appeared in the Think Tank column of the May 1998 issue of Popular Electronics.

Schematic

Parts

Part	Total Qty.	Description	Substitutions
C1, C3, C5, C7, C15, C16	6	2.2uf Electrolytic Capacitor
C2, C6	2	0.05uF Ceramic Disc Capacitor
C4	1	0.22uF Disc Capacitor
C8, C10	2	0.015uF Ceramic Disc Capacitor
C9	1	100uF Electrolytic Capacitor
C11, C12, C13, C14	4	0.1uF Ceramic Disc Capacitor
R1, R4	2	10K 1/4W Resistor
R2, R5	2	33K 1/4W Resistor
R3, R6	2	4.7K 1/4W Resistor
R7	1	2.2K 1/4W Resistor
R8, R9, R10, R11	4	50K Linear Pot
U1	1	TDA1524A Tone Control IC
S1	1	SPST Switch
J1, J2, J3, J4	4	RCA Jacks	Other connectors of your choice
MISC	1	Board, Wire, Knobs, 18 Pin Socket

Notes

S1 is a contour control. Volume is controlled by R11. Balance is controlled by R10. R9 and R8 control bass and treble, respectivly.

J1 is the left input, J4 is the right input. J2 is the left output, J3 is the right output.

The circuit is designed to accept line level or mic level inputs. if you are going to be using a stronger signal, a voltage divider will be necessary to cut it down to proper levels.

You can, of course, skip J1-J4 if you plan to integrate this circuit into another.

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Comments

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julius c. horfilla Tone Control Sunday, November 01, 2009 11:13:53 PM

this input captain transformer colored blue enhances bass effect to any tone control circuit,transistorized or I.C.type tone control ciruit provided it matches the design. for best results parallel it with .1uf - .2uf mylar capacitor for sharp tweeter effect.

julius c.horfilla Tone Control Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:23:47 AM

one thing that i can advice when using this input captain transformer to improve the performance of any tone control circuit,transistorized or ic design.is to keep it away to a radiating electromagnetic attractio n coming from the power transformer.anywhere you put inside on your audio system or amplifier chassis as long as it will not attract the radiating force of the power transformer.better you connect a long wire to put your input captain in a distance where you could hear a zero presence of humming in audio.but not very far.if you get the perfect location then you excellent results.

julius c.horfilla Tone Control Sunday, October 11, 2009 10:00:08 PM

this input captain transformer not only applicable to enhance the bass effect of any transistorized tone control circuit but also to i.c. circuit provided it matches the design of the circuit.

julius c.horfilla Tone Control Sunday, October 11, 2009 6:32:34 AM

to trimmed up the sharp effect of your tweeter. use 1-2uf/50v non polar series filter capacitor...and parallel your tweeter directly with an inductor or a coil.the data of a coil is around more or less 120 turns #24 magnetwire on a ferrite antenna bar approximately 3/8'' diameter 5''-7''long.you can experiment it by adding or reducing the number of turns of coil.depending on your taste.

anonymous Tone Control Friday, September 18, 2009 1:29:48 PM

This Tone Control looks very cool. Thanks for sharing!

julius c.horfilla Tone Control Wednesday, August 26, 2009 2:17:57 AM

to boost bass effect to any transistorized tone control circuit,you can use input captain transformer connected to the emitter of the npn transistor and the other terminal of input captain transformer to the ground.you can also parallel a .1uf-.2uf mylar capacitor for sharp treble effect.......to double the effect of the input captain transformer you can parallel two input captain transformer for full bass rubberlike effect....this input captain transfomer is available here in cebu city,philippines.this is what our local audio fanatics are doing here in cebu.

Chaos Zen Tone Control Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:17:01 PM

The questions asked here sound like they are from very lazy people who want everything done for them. Read the parts list, it tells what each piece is. The other questions can be simply answered by making simple calculations or looking up parts specs. As for bass boost, that's commonly available in even the simplest pre-amp circuits. Stop being so lazy, look it up!

Tende Tone Control Thursday, May 28, 2009 9:15:15 PM

Please i will like to have a circuit of a tone with heavy bass boost. Thanks....

anonymous Tone Control Wednesday, April 29, 2009 2:33:21 AM

how are you supposed to build it?

socrates Tone Control Wednesday, November 12, 2008 7:20:16 AM

can this circuit be use a tone control for the 100 watt amplifier?

anonymous Tone Control Monday, May 19, 2008 9:26:37 AM

Can this circuit be used as a tone control for a separate 100W Audio Power Amplifier? Email me pls. =) Tnx.

anonymous: ahmed attia Tone Control Saturday, May 10, 2008 4:22:28 AM

can this circuit apply to power amplifier to give us high gain and high triple quality, the VCC will only +9 volts or can us use the rang to +15 V, we need pcb of this circuit. Ahmed Attia

anonymous Tone Control Wednesday, December 12, 2007 12:38:49 PM

Pls, I'll like to know about vocal tone control. Every thing about it if possible. Thanks.

anonymous Tone Control Monday, November 26, 2007 7:51:38 AM

what is the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor of this tonecontrol

anonymous Tone Control Thursday, October 18, 2007 3:34:26 AM

What a lazy bunch of lamers. Why don't they get the spec. sheet and figure it out themselves? http://www.ortodoxism.ro/datasheets/philips/TDA1524A_CNV_2.pdf

Ehsan Tone Control Friday, August 24, 2007 1:06:24 PM

I built this tone control and I installed that in my car. But it is noisy.I omitted the LM7812.How can I reduse noise when car motor is working?

au cacho Tone Control Thursday, August 16, 2007 6:44:14 AM

how can i add a switch for choosing a mono or stereo and wat is the gain of the circuit? would it be good to use this tone control for a 100W amplifier? can you put labels on the schematic.

Jack Daniels Tone Control Saturday, June 23, 2007 3:25:29 AM

Can you please explain what is the gain levels of the frequencies, and what need to tweaked to have higher base gain since the Bass response is slightly low. please provide the technical spec of the U1. Please let us know and share the schematic diagram whether Mid Frequency control can be incoperated in this circuit ....?

victor stanvic Tone Control Friday, June 08, 2007 6:40:03 AM

i only saw one wire on the 9V/ 15V power supply. which wire is positive and which one is negative? . Secondly, among the jacks, which of them is the input and the output? Which kind of plug can one use on it. Thanks, i believe my request for more explaination will be granted in due time.

rerererererrerrerrrerererereeeffef Tone Control Thursday, May 03, 2007 2:52:28 AM

block diagram must be provided and actual drawing

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julius c. horfilla	Tone Control	Sunday, November 01, 2009 11:13:53 PM
this input captain transformer colored blue enhances bass effect to any tone control circuit,transistorized or I.C.type tone control ciruit provided it matches the design. for best results parallel it with .1uf - .2uf mylar capacitor for sharp tweeter effect.
julius c.horfilla	Tone Control	Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:23:47 AM
one thing that i can advice when using this input captain transformer to improve the performance of any tone control circuit,transistorized or ic design.is to keep it away to a radiating electromagnetic attractio n coming from the power transformer.anywhere you put inside on your audio system or amplifier chassis as long as it will not attract the radiating force of the power transformer.better you connect a long wire to put your input captain in a distance where you could hear a zero presence of humming in audio.but not very far.if you get the perfect location then you excellent results.
julius c.horfilla	Tone Control	Sunday, October 11, 2009 10:00:08 PM
this input captain transformer not only applicable to enhance the bass effect of any transistorized tone control circuit but also to i.c. circuit provided it matches the design of the circuit.
julius c.horfilla	Tone Control	Sunday, October 11, 2009 6:32:34 AM
to trimmed up the sharp effect of your tweeter. use 1-2uf/50v non polar series filter capacitor...and parallel your tweeter directly with an inductor or a coil.the data of a coil is around more or less 120 turns #24 magnetwire on a ferrite antenna bar approximately 3/8'' diameter 5''-7''long.you can experiment it by adding or reducing the number of turns of coil.depending on your taste.
anonymous	Tone Control	Friday, September 18, 2009 1:29:48 PM
This Tone Control looks very cool. Thanks for sharing!
julius c.horfilla	Tone Control	Wednesday, August 26, 2009 2:17:57 AM
to boost bass effect to any transistorized tone control circuit,you can use input captain transformer connected to the emitter of the npn transistor and the other terminal of input captain transformer to the ground.you can also parallel a .1uf-.2uf mylar capacitor for sharp treble effect.......to double the effect of the input captain transformer you can parallel two input captain transformer for full bass rubberlike effect....this input captain transfomer is available here in cebu city,philippines.this is what our local audio fanatics are doing here in cebu.
Chaos Zen	Tone Control	Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:17:01 PM
The questions asked here sound like they are from very lazy people who want everything done for them. Read the parts list, it tells what each piece is. The other questions can be simply answered by making simple calculations or looking up parts specs. As for bass boost, that's commonly available in even the simplest pre-amp circuits. Stop being so lazy, look it up!
Tende	Tone Control	Thursday, May 28, 2009 9:15:15 PM
Please i will like to have a circuit of a tone with heavy bass boost. Thanks....
anonymous	Tone Control	Wednesday, April 29, 2009 2:33:21 AM
how are you supposed to build it?
socrates	Tone Control	Wednesday, November 12, 2008 7:20:16 AM
can this circuit be use a tone control for the 100 watt amplifier?
anonymous	Tone Control	Monday, May 19, 2008 9:26:37 AM
Can this circuit be used as a tone control for a separate 100W Audio Power Amplifier? Email me pls. =) Tnx.
anonymous: ahmed attia	Tone Control	Saturday, May 10, 2008 4:22:28 AM
can this circuit apply to power amplifier to give us high gain and high triple quality, the VCC will only +9 volts or can us use the rang to +15 V, we need pcb of this circuit. Ahmed Attia
anonymous	Tone Control	Wednesday, December 12, 2007 12:38:49 PM
Pls, I'll like to know about vocal tone control. Every thing about it if possible. Thanks.
anonymous	Tone Control	Monday, November 26, 2007 7:51:38 AM
what is the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor of this tonecontrol
anonymous	Tone Control	Thursday, October 18, 2007 3:34:26 AM
What a lazy bunch of lamers. Why don't they get the spec. sheet and figure it out themselves? http://www.ortodoxism.ro/datasheets/philips/TDA1524A_CNV_2.pdf
Ehsan	Tone Control	Friday, August 24, 2007 1:06:24 PM
I built this tone control and I installed that in my car. But it is noisy.I omitted the LM7812.How can I reduse noise when car motor is working?
au cacho	Tone Control	Thursday, August 16, 2007 6:44:14 AM
how can i add a switch for choosing a mono or stereo and wat is the gain of the circuit? would it be good to use this tone control for a 100W amplifier? can you put labels on the schematic.
Jack Daniels	Tone Control	Saturday, June 23, 2007 3:25:29 AM
Can you please explain what is the gain levels of the frequencies, and what need to tweaked to have higher base gain since the Bass response is slightly low. please provide the technical spec of the U1. Please let us know and share the schematic diagram whether Mid Frequency control can be incoperated in this circuit ....?
victor stanvic	Tone Control	Friday, June 08, 2007 6:40:03 AM
i only saw one wire on the 9V/ 15V power supply. which wire is positive and which one is negative? . Secondly, among the jacks, which of them is the input and the output? Which kind of plug can one use on it. Thanks, i believe my request for more explaination will be granted in due time.
rerererererrerrerrrerererereeeffef	Tone Control	Thursday, May 03, 2007 2:52:28 AM
block diagram must be provided and actual drawing