The LM386 is an integrated circuit containing a low-voltage audio power amplifier. [1] It is suitable for battery-powered devices such as radios, guitar amplifiers, and hobby electronics projects. The IC consists of an 8-pin dual in-line package ( DIP-8) and can output 0.25 to 1 watts of power, depending on the model, using a 9-volt power supply.
There are three different models of the LM386 that have slightly different specifications, outlined below.
Part number |
Supply voltage, V | Min Speaker impedance, Ω | Output power, mW | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min. | Max. | Min. | Typical | ||
LM386N-1 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 250 | 325 @ Vs=6V, Rl=8Ω |
LM386N-3 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 500 | 700 @ Vs=9V, Rl=8Ω |
LM386N-4 | 5 | 18 | 4 | 700 | 1000 @ Vs=16V, Rl=32Ω |
Almost identical versions of the device are available from Unisonic (Unisonic Technologies Co. or UTC) as the LM386 [2] and the New Japan Radio Co. Ltd. (JRC) [3] as the NJM386 [4] and NJM386B. [5]
The JRC devices are also available in a single-in-line package. [6]
JRC devices, marked as 386 JRC, are sometimes misleadingly referred to as the JRC386.
Although National Semiconductor and Texas Instruments (who bought National Semiconductor in 2011 [7]) do not provide an official SPICE model for the LM386, there are two independently developed models freely available:
The LM386 is very commonly used in the audio amplifier of low power QRP amateur radio rigs such as the Pixie.