Amp benching & testing

[psycho72 10+ year member]

I am in the market for used amps. As you guys know you never can tell what you are getting when you buy used. I need to take the amps to an audio shop or an electronics repair place but what exactly do I need to have tested (I know I can do it myself but I don't want to deal with "oh you broke it" blah blah blah)?

Running full power? For how long? At what ohmage? All supported? Lowest only? How about output signal, checking for clipping? How would this be done? What else?

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[maylar 10+ year member]

Ugh. What are your intentions? Are you trying to pre-test a used amp before committing to buying it?

Practically... get your car setup with all wiring ready to rock & roll. Hook the amp up, crank the gain up and have a listen. Does it ~really~ matter that it puts out rated power if it's loud enough and sounds good?

See if anything rattles. No smoke is a good sign. No funky smells.

But unless you're buying used high end stuff for lots of money, I wouldn't bother benching it. Just plug it in and see that it works as you want it to.

 

[psycho72 10+ year member]

Ugh. What are your intentions? Are you trying to pre-test a used amp before committing to buying.....unless you're buying used high end stuff for lots of money, I wouldn't bother benching it. Just plug it in and see that it works as you want it to.

PPI art series A404 and a A600.2 as well as a Viper 2500.1D. I am not so concerned if it puts out rated but I want to test them to make sure it is a nice clean signal coming out of the amp and that all is basically well. My speakers are not even ordered yet so a setup ready to go is not possible. Hell as a matter of fact the car it's going in is'nt even purchased yet. I am still about a month out from that.

 

[psycho72 10+ year member]

anyone else?

 

[namster44 10+ year member]

As long as it works, it should probably put out the power that it was rated at birth.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

Any competent shop with a power supply, dummy loads, and a 'scope should be able to give you a basic functional test.