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Author Topic: Power amp life expectancy  (Read 12890 times)

Ivan Beaver

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Re: Power amp life expectancy
« Reply #30 on: June 07, 2017, 07:03:58 PM »

a shorted diode can cook a cap faster than squat...
But if you keep the proper sized fuse in the amp-it will blow, making the strain on the caps to a minimum.

I have replaced a good number of bridge rectifiers in amplifiers also.  Mostly on the cheaper amps-trying to same a few cents.
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Ivan Beaver
Danley Sound Labs

PHYSICS- NOT FADS!

Scott (Abrahamson)

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Re: Power amp life expectancy
« Reply #31 on: June 08, 2017, 09:49:44 PM »

I guess I will give the CE4000's a good looking over and keep them if there are no major issues. I am 62 and I don't plan on schlepping gear around for more than about five more years, so hopefully we both hold out.

If an amp goes down I can easily run on two amps since I am biamping in stereo.

Here is a question for the amp experts:
On most gigs I run four tops over two dual 18's. The four tops are on amp #1 in stereo. The two subs are on channel one on amps #2 & #3. I have my subs wired with NL8's so if I need the second pair of subs I can jumper off of the first pair and pick up power for the second pair from channel two of amps #2 & #3. Each sub on a channel.

My thinking being that I have power supplies from two amps on subs instead of one. And both amps are getting the same amount of use at half the load.

On one hand it makes sense to only use one amp on subs and keep the third in reserve, but my gut tells me three running amps gives me options and security.

My question is, is it better to use one amp with both channels driven or two amps with one channel each driven?

Thanks for all the great responses....Scott
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Ivan Beaver

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Re: Power amp life expectancy
« Reply #32 on: June 09, 2017, 07:19:06 AM »


On one hand it makes sense to only use one amp on subs and keep the third in reserve, but my gut tells me three running amps gives me options and security.

My question is, is it better to use one amp with both channels driven or two amps with one channel each driven?

Thanks for all the great responses....Scott
It depends on how hard you are running the amp.

If you are pounding away at the limits, then use 2 amps.  But if you are not hitting the clip lights, I doubt you would be able to hear the difference 2 amps would make.

But I have not tried it on the CE4000, even though I installed quite a few of them back when they were new.
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A complex question is easily answered by a simple-easy to understand WRONG answer!

Ivan Beaver
Danley Sound Labs

PHYSICS- NOT FADS!

John Roberts {JR}

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Re: Power amp life expectancy
« Reply #33 on: June 09, 2017, 10:34:28 AM »

I guess I will give the CE4000's a good looking over and keep them if there are no major issues. I am 62 and I don't plan on schlepping gear around for more than about five more years, so hopefully we both hold out.

If an amp goes down I can easily run on two amps since I am biamping in stereo.

Here is a question for the amp experts:
On most gigs I run four tops over two dual 18's. The four tops are on amp #1 in stereo. The two subs are on channel one on amps #2 & #3. I have my subs wired with NL8's so if I need the second pair of subs I can jumper off of the first pair and pick up power for the second pair from channel two of amps #2 & #3. Each sub on a channel.

My thinking being that I have power supplies from two amps on subs instead of one. And both amps are getting the same amount of use at half the load.

On one hand it makes sense to only use one amp on subs and keep the third in reserve, but my gut tells me three running amps gives me options and security.

My question is, is it better to use one amp with both channels driven or two amps with one channel each driven?

Thanks for all the great responses....Scott
I am inclined to agree that splitting the load between the amps will allow them to operate cooler (a good thing for amps). If one fails you will get better warning than if it failed while waiting to be used as the back-up. 

JR
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Re: Power amp life expectancy
« Reply #33 on: June 09, 2017, 10:34:28 AM »


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