[raif]

Has anyone had any problems with their portable amp blowing out a channel?

I had one that I was using with a samlex 13.8v regulated supply.(3 amp continuous, 4 amp max) I was listening with the volume on the amp maxed out but never fed it too strong a signal. After blowing the right channel, I switched the dac-1 to line out mode(instead of pre-amp) and it was easily twice as loud as I had ever listened to it. I had it hooked up to Athena as-b1 speakers through speaker wire made from a Home Depot extension cord. I had everything hooked up fine. I was listening to music, turned off only the amp, then, after waking up from a nap, turned just the amp back on to a blown right channel.

Should I listen to it for awhile at lower volumes(on the amp) before cranking it. Is the power supply too beefy?

I don't want to blow another amp.

Any suggestions?

 

[raif]

anybody?

I am listening to this setup again.(this time with a pyramid power supply) I put some electrical tape around the speaker leads just in case they accidently touched and caused the blowout on the amp and have the amp at lower volume.

Hopefully things will work out.

Maybe this is an easier question, how many people listen to their amp maxed with a pre-amp feeding and 13.8 supply? Maybe it is like overclocking where some components can hang and others can't.

 

[comabereni]

I read somewhere recently that you should try to limit voltage to around 13.2V. I don't know about Pyramid PSUs, but I did some checking and Astron RS series PSUs can be adjusted down to 11V or up to 15V. There's a dial (trim pot?) on the underside of a circuit board inside the case. I'm going to do this, but need a digital multi-meter to dial it in correctly.

Good luck.

-coma

 

[skullguise]

I have been playing mine with a Dared tube preamp, and using the rat Shack 13.8V PS mentioned in another thread.

I've only putperhaps 50-60 hours on it, but it has not had any problems. FYI, I am driving Athena S.5 speakers with it, so my setup may not be too dissimilar to yours.

I keep my SI volume set to max, and control output through the pre.

It may indeed be the speaker wire that shorted, though it's surprising that it would do it without a bump or movement of the amp in some way. That Home Depot stuff is fairly thick guage wire....

I'm using either Mapleshade Helix or 47 Labs OTA cables, both thin, and each can easily fit in the spring clips of the SI amp.

Thanks,

Todd.

PS - I have a second SI amp just in case I did somethign stupid with the first

 

[agile_one]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raif anybody? I am listening to this setup again.(this time with a pyramid power supply) I put some electrical tape around the speaker leads just in case they accidently touched and caused the blowout on the amp and have the amp at lower volume. Hopefully things will work out. Maybe this is an easier question, how many people listen to their amp maxed with a pre-amp feeding and 13.8 supply? Maybe it is like overclocking where some components can hang and others can't.

raif ... I have not used a preamp ahead of the t-amp yet, but I plan to. So far, just using as integrated, controlling output with the t-amp's pot. I have experienced clipping at high volumes (too high), but no damage of any kind.

I think with a 13.8V PS, we are riding right at the ragged edge of acceptable voltage for the t-amp, and as coma and others have commented, the quality of voltage regulation is critical. The ability to dial it down a bit to 12V or so seems desirable, as with the Astron PS that coma mentions here.

Whenever I get the time, I will run with preamp(s) and do some comparisons to my Acurus A200 power amp. In that vein, gsferrari and mikeg had a micro meet yesterday with some fascinating results.

I think you are correct with your assertion that the amperage capacity of the PS is inconsequential, as long as it is greater than the minimum required. The actual amps supplied will be whatever is needed by the load, so a 3 or even 6 amp PS will do no harm as long as the output voltage is well regulated - sort of like the difference in a 15A or 20A house circuit - lamps, TV's, etc work fine in either.