Amplifier Wish List

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

I have decided to go with an AQ2200D. The DC is a better amp, however right now the cheaper price was the right choice for me. I'll be putting the money I saved towards a new alt. From what I've read I won't be disappointed with that amp though.

I got around to pulling out the old amp and opening it up. Pictures are attached. I am not real familiar with the individual components. Can someone school me on this? It burnt on both sides of the heatsink, directly opposite each other. So same position on both sides. What does this mean?

View attachment 26534573View attachment 26534574

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

burnt fets from either too low voltage or ohms looks like

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

Well I took some readings off the 4 channel I have back there. The sub amp and the 4 channel shared the same positive lead and grounding block, so all readings, minus the amp load should be the same. At idle, I was getting a steady 14.1V. When I would turn the 4 channel up to the point of distortion from the speakers, it was only dropping to 13.9. Now I know the sub amp is going to put a bigger strain on everything, but could low voltage really be the problem? I didn't have the gain very high when it toasted, I got it up to 18V out of the possible 34.4V output before clipping. Exactly what voltage is considered "low voltage" anyway?

 

[Timmothy Web 10+ year member]

mainly not enough battery power most cases. but when your amp hit 11v-10v u cause the amp to pull twice the current for the voltage being dropping. the more current goes through the amp the more heat the amp creates. most cases driving fet's and the gate resistors that control them.

 

[Austin175 10+ year member]

Can't go wrong with the dc amps I have an older pai 2k an it's doing work on my sa 15s

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

****. Alright looks like I have some work to do. If it wasn't just a bad amp looks like it was electrical. Need to fix that before I drop something better and bigger in here. Alternator is next up. I'm about to get a 180 amp. Would I be ok with a single battery for now? I have a yellowtop up front. For now, I will not have the gain up very far on the 2k I get, as I am only driving a single RE SX now. I'll adjust gain for about 1100 watts.

Rough way to learn -_- But guaranteed I won't make the same mistake again. And I do appreciate all the help.

 

[I<3AudioTechnix 10+ year member]

1 ohm and sound quality huh? Interesting....

Sound Quality @ 1ohm, and 2-3k power

At the OP. Look into Mmats. Most efficient in the game. Tiny profile. Phenomenal build quality. If you're looking new, they will be out of your price range. If you look used, you can probably find one around $350.

Just read the thread: Apparently you already got the AQ2200. Good amp, most certainly. Make sure it's OFC 1/0 though unless you do dual runs.

As for the amp blowing. I can't imagine it being a voltage related issue. You had it at that gain setting for a while with no problems... Went to set it, and didn't even get it to the initial level it was set at, and it smoked. It just doesn't seem likely this could be related to voltage. Especially on a well set-up electrical like that. I wouldn't consider voltage to be worrisome low, until it's below 12v.

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

Sound Quality @ 1ohm' date=' and 2-3k power
At the OP. Look into Mmats. Most efficient in the game. Tiny profile. Phenomenal build quality. If you're looking new, they will be out of your price range. If you look used, you can probably find one around $350.

Just read the thread: Apparently you already got the AQ2200. Good amp, most certainly. Make sure it's OFC 1/0 though unless you do dual runs.

As for the amp blowing. I can't imagine it being a voltage related issue. You had it at that gain setting for a while with no problems... Went to set it, and didn't even get it to the initial level it was set at, and it smoked. It just doesn't seem likely this could be related to voltage. Especially on a well set-up electrical like that. I wouldn't consider voltage to be worrisome low, until it's below 12v.[/quote']

I had decided on the AQ2200D, but was waiting until Monday when they opened to order it. In the meantime, I found a slightly used DC 2.0k that I have paid for, and the guy said he will be shipping it out within the next couple days. So looks like I am going with that instead. I'm happy about it.

I do have a single OFC 1/0ga running to the trunk. And that's exactly what I was thinking about it not being a voltage issue. It doesn't make sense to me how it would be fine 20 minutes earlier, and then I just turn it down and back up and suddenly it's horrible. I am going to get a bigger alternator, as the DC is going to need it. I will most likely be going with a 180 amp. I know my single yellowtop is good. For now, I won't be pushing the DC hard, so I am not going to get a second battery yet. But outside of these two, the only thing I can think of that would be under the "electrical" category is my ground in the trunk. What are some ways to test a ground, or some ways to notice a bad ground? I know of the "thump" when you turn of the amps, and I am definitely not getting that.

I still want to say that it was just a bad egg amp, but pinning it to that leaves me with possibly another smoked amp. Are there any ways of testing electrical with little to no load on it?

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

not really, a load test, while reading the voltage is how you test it.

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

So you think I need a capacitor then?

KIDDING

But looks like I will just have to closely watch all voltages once I get the new amp in. I'm not putting it in until I have put a new alternator in there, and after that I will just initially have to closely monitor it. I appreciate all the help!

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

get a load on the power cables to the amp, even if you just use an amp pumping to do so. or, you can clamp a battery load tester on it. if there is a bad ground, then while there is a load, there will be a noticeable voltage drop, which you can measure, by pacing a meter on the ground terminal of the amp, and a bare peice of body metal, similar to where you grounded to. or, you can place the meter probe positive, on the positive in on the amp, and check what it reads for power at the negative terminal, and bare body metal, even the ground point. there should be no real voltage difference under load, and the voltage should never read 10.5v or less at the amp. diddn't notice if you said, but did you do the "big 3"? the main factory battery grounds are primarily just to the engine for starting, and a small gauge to the body/frame, with a small-medial sized ground strap from the engine to body, and barely 8/10awg fed from the alt. the battery is just a storage device. the alt. is what keeps feeding power.

 

[CAT MAN 5,000+ posts]

Straight up hands down
Rockford Fosgate t2500-1bdcp...make sure its the cp.

mine the birth sheet is over 3300 at one and 2 ohm.

FYI birthsheets are a bunch of junk when it comes to real world. hell i put my old *** hifonics amp on a dummy load rated at 700rms@1 got 12 and ome change. thats what the companies do broseph. been said 1000000times too . :beathorse:

 

[kramer_212 10+ year member]

FYI birthsheets are a bunch of junk when it comes to real world. hell i put my old *** hifonics amp on a dummy load rated at 700rms@1 got 12 and ome change. thats what the companies do broseph. been said 1000000times too . :beathorse:

well my t1500-1bdcps both were within 50 watts of the birth sheets when i clamped them.

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

get a load on the power cables to the amp, even if you just use an amp pumping to do so. or, you can clamp a battery load tester on it. if there is a bad ground, then while there is a load, there will be a noticeable voltage drop, which you can measure, by pacing a meter on the ground terminal of the amp, and a bare peice of body metal, similar to where you grounded to. or, you can place the meter probe positive, on the positive in on the amp, and check what it reads for power at the negative terminal, and bare body metal, even the ground point. there should be no real voltage difference under load, and the voltage should never read 10.5v or less at the amp. diddn't notice if you said, but did you do the "big 3"? the main factory battery grounds are primarily just to the engine for starting, and a small gauge to the body/frame, with a small-medial sized ground strap from the engine to body, and barely 8/10awg fed from the alt. the battery is just a storage device. the alt. is what keeps feeding power.

I did do the big 3, alt to battery positive, battery negative to body, and engine to body. I did not replace the engine to battery, as it is impossible to get to without disassembling a lot, and it is about a 4ga cable, just a little less. Plus this should be unnecessary as long as my other grounds are good. I will have to do some testing at what is currently there, my 4 channel amp is still running off of what was in place before, as I have not changed anything yet. I've got a DC Power 230A alternator on the way, and my new sub amp won't be connected besides to make sure it powers on before that alt goes in.

 

[akheathen Premium Member]

you don't need to remove the stock 4awg and i suppose you could get away with the engine ground strap atm, but remember, your alternator is really what is supposed tp power everything, the battery is just for storage, and ripple dampening. personally, i would be running a 2awg+ from the battery ground, to the bolt-hole on the alt. casing.