
SSM2166
Data Sheet
Rev. E | Page 10 of 20
The performance of the rms level detector is illustrated for a
In each of these images, the input signal to th
e SSM2166 (not
shown) is a series of tone bursts in six successive 10 dB steps.
The tone bursts range from 66 dBV (0.5 mV rms) to 6 dBV
time of the rms level detector is dependent only on CAVG, but the
release times are linear ramps whose decay times are dependent
on both CAVG and the input signal step size. The rate of release is
approximately 240 dB/s for a CAVG of 2.2 μF and 12 dB/s for a
CAVG of 22 μF.
00
35
7-
01
7
100mV
100ms
–6dBV
–66dBV
–85dBV
100
90
10
0%
Figure 17. RMS Level Detector Performance with CAVG = 2.2 μF
00
35
7-
01
8
100
90
10
100mV
1s
–6dBV
–66dBV
–85dBV
0%
Figure 18. RMS Level Detector Performance with CAVG = 22 μF
CONTROL CIRCUITRY
The output of the rms level detector is a signal proportional to
the log of the true rms value of the buffer output with an added
dc offset. The control circuitry subtracts a dc voltage from this
signal, scales it, and sends the result to the VCA to control the
gain. The gain control of the VCA is logarithmic—a linear change
in the control signal causes a decibel change in gain. It is this
control law that allows linear processing of the log rms signal to
provide the flat compression characteristic on the input/output
Compression Ratio
Changing the scaling of the control signal fed to the VCA causes a
change in the circuit compression ratio, r. This effect is shown
resistor between the COMP RATIO SET pin (Pin 10) and GND.
Lowering RCOMP gives smaller compression ratios as shown in
Figure 19, with values of approximately 0.17 kΩ or less resulting
in a compression ratio of 1:1. AGC performance is achieved
with compression ratios between 2:1 and 15:1 and is dependent
on the application. A 100 kΩ potentiometer can be used to
allow this parameter to be adjusted. On the evaluation board
(see
Figure 26), an optional resistor can be used to set the
compression equal to 1:1 when the wiper of the potentiometer
is at its full counterclockwise (CCW) position.
00
35
7-
0
31
ROTATION POINT
100mV rms
300mV rms
1V rms
1:1
0.1
2:1
8.7
5:1
19.4
10:1
45
15:1
395
N/A
COMPRESSION
RATIO
TYPICAL RCOMP VALUES IN k.
Figure 19. Compression Ratio vs. RCOMP (Pin 10 to GND)
O
UT
P
UT
(
d
B)
INPUT (dB)
VRP
15:1
5:1
2:1
1:1
1
VCA GAIN
00
35
7-
0
19
VDE
Figure 20. Effect of Varying the Compression Ratio
Rotation Point
An internal dc reference voltage in the control circuitry, used to
set the rotation point, is user specified, as illustrated i
n Figure 9.resistor, RROT PT, connected between the positive supply and the
ROTATION SET pin (Pin 11), the rotation point may be varied
by approximately 20 mV rms to 1 V rms. From
Figure 21, the
rotation point is inversely proportional to RROTPT. For example, a
1 kΩ resistor would typically set the rotation point at 1 V rms,
whereas a 55 kΩ resistor would typically set the rotation point
at approximately 30 mV rms.