2N3904 Amplifier

xanadu

I'm impressed with the stand (very cool). I need something flatter (in physical size) for use with my EMIC 2. I will need to drive a small 1" 8 ohm 1 watt speaker. I'm aiming for enough volume to hear in a quiet room, from a few feet away at the most. 
Is the 2N3904 a good choice for a super small amp? 

Edit: My font changed mid post. 

Tymkrs

The 2n3904 is a transistor, so if you wanted to make a multiple gain stage amplifier with caps/transistors, etc, you could do it that way.  Or even more simply, use the LM386 amplifier.
https://www.tindie.com/products/tymkrs/tymkrs-amplify-me-clean/ - is one of our kits which is in a super small package which may work for the EMIC2

xanadu

Thanks, that is funny because I forgot I have LM386s! Of course mine are DIPs with the extra components I'm not sure on the size.  
Your board on Tindie looks great! I may end up using (or selling) some in the future.  

Peter Jakacki

The LM386 was old when the much simpler TDA7052 BTL amplifier came out in the 80's, and even that chip is very old though still good for new designs. However for a more up-to-date amp chip there are such ones as the PAM8302 available in an MSOP8 package delivering 2.5W at 5.5V as a filterless class-D amplifier. What does these mean? You only need a 1uF decoupler, no huge output capacitor of course, and only two small resistors and caps for the differential input where one is grounded for single-ended apps.

The price? One-off they are listed at 68 cents a piece.

xanadu

Peter,
That looks very nice. I ordered one on a board. For my application mono is preferred, I should have mentioned that. It is much flatter without the output cap. Thanks!