First design

[Dave H]

I've looked at LTSpice, but that's all I've done. The learning curve seems steeper than what I'd like.

Here's your starter for 10 Install LTspice, extract the attached zip so that both the files are in the same directory then double click wouter.asc to run up LTspice. Click on the running man on the top bar to start the sim. When it has finished click on any point in the circuit to see the waveform at that point (a voltage or current probe will appear when you hover over a suitable point).

wouter.zip

[überfuzz]

A Bodé plot is just a couple of clicks away.


Bodéplot of the amp simulation Dave H added.

[Chuck H]

Noteworthy in the plot shown, and one of the first things I noticed, is that LTSpice provides phase information. This is great if one wanted to make something like a hi fi or PA amp where more global NFB might be employed because it allows even guitar amp goobers like me to predict stability without so much head scratching.

[wouter]

Thank you for the simulation dave.
I think überfuzz has a good point with the section for this kind of programs.

[Tooboob]

The user interface on LTSpice is great, but apparently they were worried that some users might not be able to read English, so they used icons quite a bit. Now no one know what the buttons do.

They now include a "getting started" guide with the download, though you'll have to search it out with Windows Explorer. As Dave H. points out, to simulate, you have to click on the running man. Then a window opens and no results are displayed until you click on a node in the circuit. Once you gat a bit of the hang of it though, schematic entry and simulation are very fast and straightforward. The father of the project at Linear does or did travel the world every year giving a seminar/demo. He's a wizard.