SpecialtyCircuits LLC

We Do Analog

Programmable Picosecond Impulse Generator

Often time, people want to qualify their oscilloscope speed, the most common method is to send a fast pulse into the input and measure the rise time. Assuming Gaussian response characteristics, the bandwidth is 0.35/rise time. There are many commercial solution to this problem. People can either get a full fledged calibrator for $50K+ or get something like this LBE-1320A Fast risetime pulse generator. They generate pulse or square wave with specification like 30ps rise time at 10MHz repetition rate. But, instrumentation is never easy, what if someone want a pulse that has 30ps rise and fall time as a…

Read more

Velocity Servo Headphone Amplifier - a sensor-less motional feedback USB dongle

For Chinese Version: 速度伺服耳机放大器（中文版） For online purchasing visit https://www.ebay.com/itm/317262327698. For test listening, send us message on eBay, we can ship you a loaner unit you for evaluation. Here we are announcing a one of a kind product for the high end audio market, something that had never been done before, a sensor-less motional feedback headphone amplifier. You can also call it ClearSound DAC. Since the product is aiming for Hi-Fi headphone market, it was crammed into a seemingly tiny form factor measuring 1.0 x 2.6 x 0.35 inch ( 25 x 65 x 8 mm in the other part of…

Read more

Chicago LSM HTTP RESTful WebServices Interface 

Chicago Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) provides a RESTful web interface so that the clients and develop their own higher level application. Below are the description and explanation of basic API for general operation. (If you have the executable running on your computer, you can click the link to directly access some of the API call via browser.) { "HostExecutable": { "FileVersion": "25.11.15.2155", "ProductName": "CLSM with RESTful Interface", "InternalName": "CLSM", "CompanyName": "SpecialtyCircuits LLC", "LegalCopyright": "(C) 2014-2025 SpecialtyCircuits LLC", "FileDescription": "CLSM - AppWebServer" }, "Controller": { "SN": "SN:210018BB6E2A", "Model": "Analog Discovery Pro 3450", "DriverVersion": "3.24.64" } } http://localhost:38080/scclsm/get-image-param (GET) get-image-param returns the…

Read more
early release screnshot

Chicago LSM - Product Update

For products supports visit: Chicago Laser Scanning Microscope Controller, aka CLSM, was a software I created for a confocal microscope under $2000. I started it in an apartment in Bridgeport, Chicago with a friend, while we were finishing up our PhD research. A prototype system was built, image acquired, confocal effect shown. So, technically, it all worked. But that was about it. Other priorities in life got us and the project had been left on the shelf for ten years. Recently, an opportunity came, and here we are. Add experiences after ten more years on scanning electron microscope, mass spectrometer,…

Read more

Welcome the new addition of Audio Precision SYS-2722

Since we are working on a major audio project. We procured a de facto standard testing gear, Audio precision SYS-2722. It was state of the art 10-ish years ago and still quite capable these days. Stay tuned for more baseline testing and show case of performance. 

Read more

Chicago LSM Command Line Options

--noguirefresh Disable the image display refresh to save CPU resource. Used when higher application is doing the UI work. --nogui Hide all GUI so user cannot directly control the software by Mouser/Keyboard. The only way to control the system is via RESTful API. In NoGUI mode, there is no UI elements to close the application. Use RESTful API to shutdown the application. --diagnostic Enable hidden hardware diagnostic tab. --config <database path> Assign the configuration database path to override the default path. --data <database path> Assign the configuration database path to override the default path. --health <database path> Assign the configuration…

Read more

Chicago LSM - Autoscaling Methods

CLSM provides a few methods for image greyscale autoscaling. For each image, two scaling steps are applied. The first is done by the image acquisition subsystem. During image acquisition and reconstruction (particularly during serpentine scan), all the acquired raw data must be averaged based on scan pattern and averaging settings. Since CLSM is designed for scientific and industrial applications, it is utterly important any scaling operating between the data acquisition hardware and final image will preserve the maximum amount information and be lossless, in some other fields, this is called bit-perfect reproduction. The hardware returns data in I16 format, and…

Read more

Piggyback Base Carrier

At SpecialtyCircuits, we produce many types of amplifier for oscilloscope or signal sensing applications. A common need of a universal bipolar power source and digital communication interface starts to rise. To minimize repeated development effort on creating functionally similar power and digital circuitry, we created Piggyback Carrier board together with matching enclosure and standardized front panel designs. Application: Highlight: A summary of key feature includes: Isolated DC/DC converters are included to generate necessary voltages for analog daughterboard. The DC ground path of USB power input is completely removed by the isolated DC/DC converter. An optional built-in 300mAh 14250 lithium ion…

Read more

Discrete Bipolar Linear Voltage Regulator

We are glad to announce that SpecialtyCircuits LLC will be offering a discrete linear voltage regulator build on Aluminum substrate. Highlights: Application: Custom Options: Unit price is $99+tax/tariff. Contact us at sales@specialtycircuits.com for volume pricing, OEM, and technology transfer.

Read more

Ion Funnel Offerings

Ion funnel is a device that utilizing ion molecule collision and RF pseudopotential field is collect ions from a high pressure region and transition into a lower pressure region. The device was invented decades ago by PNNL. The patent had since expired. There are a few companies sells custom ion funnels, might as well add another one from SpecialtyCircuits LLC. The most commonly documented ion funnels are build with multiple PCBs, well the most produced ones are not. The big names in mass spectrometer business does not regularly advertise their internal components engineering publicly. The standard-off-the-shelf offering from SpecialtyCircuits is…

Read more

Analog Cascade Dual 4th Order Linkwitz–Riley Filter Module

Here we are glad to offering a module level 4th order Linkwitz–Riley filter, primarily targeted for high-end audio application. Highlight: Application: Custom Option: Unit price at $199+tax/tariff at single piece quantity. Contact us at sales@specialtycircuits.com for volume pricing, OEM, and technology transfer.

Read more

Precision DAQ Solution based on NI-sbRIO

SpecialtyCircuits LLC started as specialized solution provider in instrumentation control business. In a very early product, we encompassed the need of mass spectrometer control, specifically ion trap mass analyzer. In the very beginning of SpecialtyCircuits's endeavor of creating a niche data acquisition product, a precision timed triple channel analog in and out board was conceived. The primary target use case was to drive ion trap mass analyzer at high accuracy and stability. At the end the application is not limited to ion trap control. Highlights: Customization Capacity: Please contact sales@specialtycircuits.com for pricing, customization and OEM.

Read more

Miniature Ion Guide/Funnel Driver Electronics

After the founder of SpecialtyCircuits LLC quit his job in a mass spectrometer company and went to do software engineering, he did not think he was done with mass spectrometer yet. So he spent some time in the evenings before his daughter's birth designing a new set of RF electronics for ion guides with simplification and cost-reduction as the primary goal. Once his daughter was born, this new life priority took charge and the progress of ion guide driver stalled. Now that the daughter has grown big enough, he is now able to restart this project. Highlights: Please contract sales@specialtycircuits.com…

Read more

Yet Another Hobbyist Electrical Calibrator

The founder of this LLC started his endeavor in electronics in mass spectrometer business, which is sort of a metrology thing in some aspect. Later this expensive hobby expanded into electronics metrology. The hobby got more and more expensive over time and the owner of this LLC ended up purchasing a 8.5 digital multimeter and such. In the hobbyist metrology world, there are two most common topics. One is lowest jitter clock, the other is highest stability voltage reference. Some people also expanded their toys into resistance standard and such. As many years of on and off research and trials,…

Read more

Welcome our new addition of HP 34420A

Besides the crown jewel of HP 3458A 8.5 digits multimeter, HP 34420A is another top of the line metrology equipment every calibration lab cherish. Boosting a whooping 100nV resolution at finest voltage range, the 7.5 digital Nano Volt/Micro Ohm meter is yet another iconic instrument. It is noteworthy that 34420A input front end circuitry is proudly being discussed in The Art of Electronics 3rd Edition as an illustration of precision circuit technique. Unlike traditional DVM with binding posts like on 3458A, the 34420A comes with pure copper 1S LEMO plug for minimizing thermal EMF influence for highest measurement accuracy in…

Read more

Recommendation on Hi-Res Audio upsampling settings

The Hi-Res Audio player software plays an important role when one trying to archive the best sounding experience. It is often a muddy business to setup things right. Here we present our recommended condition for our customer to save some time. 1. Audirvana First order of business, make sure upsampling is enabled. Under upsampling panel: 2. Foobar2000 Under DSD Processor Settings Panel, set up the output and SDM type so that PCM audio stream can be upsampled to DSD before sending to the DAC.

Read more

Notes on Evaluating Our Motional-Feedback Headphone Amplifier

Here are a few notes: Start with the HiBy R1 DAP (Digital Audio Player) to minimize configuration work on computer software or smartphone. Hold Power button of HiBy R1 DAP until the device power up. Power Button is on the upper left corner. Plugin the USB-C cable to HiBy R1 DAP and the headphone amplifier. Connect the headphone with the amplifier via 3.5mm plug. Adjust Volume to 10%. Volume Buttons are on the right middle. On HiBy R1 DAP, Click Music, Albums and find the songs you like to hear. (If HiBy DAP does not boot into home screen, sweep…

Read more

Side Note: Why we based many our products on Analog Discovery 

Digilent Analog Discovery is a series of devices that being sold by Digilent. Digilent was bought by National Instrument many years ago, and again, bought by Emerson. It was originally marketed as a device meant for Electronics Engineering Student with subsidies from Analog Devices and Xilinx. The original Analog Discovery (the black one) was sold at $99 to students. The founder of SpecialtyCircuits used it when he was fighting to learn Verilog. Although that battle failed in 2012, but the founder learnt the capacities of it. Later, Digilent released many more updated versions, Analog Discovery 2, Analog Discovery 3, Analog…

Read more

List of Jim Williams Application Notes at Linear Technology

In case of invalid link, please email us at info@specialtycircuits.com. We will get it fixed. Meanwhile, check out our portfolio on the homepage to see if we can help your engineering need. We do analog (and other stuff, of course). In Memory of Jim Williams A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF JIM WILLIAMS Jim Williams at National Semiconductor Reading Jim Williams On March 10 2017, Analog Devices completed the acquisition of Linear Technology. The long run of Linear Technology Application Notes ceased to exist since then. In Memory of Jim Williams

Read more

A few recommendation of recordings for evaluating Clarity Headphone Amplifier

Ririko's Violin Piece Collections are all stereo recorded very well. You hear the violin moving around while she was playing. The instrument used is also a Stradivarius "Lord Borwick" (1702). Note that the first video is a playlist including 160 pieces. This recording of Vivaldi Winter is probably the best on the internet in terms of audio technical perspective. Saturday Night Live in recent years all have very good stereo recording. Turn the CLEAR SOUND switch ON on Clarity Headphone Amplifier, and enjoy the surround sound. Hear the drastic differences in sound stage of the audiences' laughs. The Echo Game…

Read more