problem with my amp

[ikpthegame 10+ year member]

So I think I know what the problem is but wanted to check with others first. Anyways my sub amp sounds like its cutting in and out of the low pass crossover. Im thinking its the switch since it dont feel the best. And if that is the problem, can I just go to the ripoff shack and get a new one? Thanks for anyhelp.

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[Toxic_Acoustiks 10+ year member]

the switch is probably malfunctioning inside the amp, pretty common. What amp is it?

 

[ikpthegame 10+ year member]

its a MA Audio KX-401SX I know nothing all that good but its what I have for now and have had it for a few years. So can I just buy a new switch and solder it in? Soldering is something Im good at lol.

 

[Toxic_Acoustiks 10+ year member]

There always becomes a risk in doing that yourself though. The amp could work worse or not at all after you do the repair.

I say take to to a shop that carriers MA Audio and get a quote on a repair.

Just my 2 cents on the situation anyways.

 

[ikpthegame 10+ year member]

I dont know of anyone that carries them out here. Be sides I dont have a job so I think I trust myself to fix it anyways, I mean I work on Lipo packs lol.

 

[ikpthegame 10+ year member]

Ok so it turned out not to be the switch. I was outside tring to figure it out today and when i tapped on the thing in the red circle it would hit super hard or just stop. So wtf is that thing anyways? And where can you buy them at? I can put it in no problem, just getting it is what I need help with.

 

[McIntosh 10+ year member]

Ok so it turned out not to be the switch. I was outside tring to figure it out today and when i tapped on the thing in the red circle it would hit super hard or just stop. So wtf is that thing anyways? And where can you buy them at? I can put it in no problem, just getting it is what I need help with.

Why that's a wire wound donut, they sell them at the police station. A toroidal choke flux capacitor. A magnetohydrodynamic coil of some sort. Tesla would know for sure. JK. You most likely have either a poor solder joint or a bad PC board trace. Reflow the solder (on the underside of the PC board). Probably just a cold joint. If the board is cracked or a lost trace, a simple jumper will cure it.

 

[ikpthegame 10+ year member]

I reflowed the solder already and that did not help. And I can not find and signs of board damage. Still wtf is that thing anyways? lol

 

[McIntosh 10+ year member]

I reflowed the solder already and that did not help. And I can not find and signs of board damage. Still wtf is that thing anyways? lol

Its a toroidal. No moving or electronic parts. Basically bullet proof. The tapping then it works sure sounds like a cold solder joint/bad trace somewhere. I'd reflow them all as it could be anywhere. Tapping one spot shakes everything to a point and it doesn't take much movement to make/break contact.

 

[ikpthegame 10+ year member]

ok ill try again, but is there somewhere I can buy one at?

 

[McIntosh 10+ year member]

I'm sure there is but you'd have to have the specs. The windings should be a continuous run of copper, but I suppose it could fail. I seriously doubt that's your problem. Reflow the whole board (or at least the components near that toroid) and try again.

 

[MakeshiftAudio 10+ year member]

No, they are not bullet proof, they have problems all the time.

That is one of the SMPS output transformers.

Twist it a small bit to the right or left, be very careful and don't apply too much pressure, it doesn't need much, about 1 degree or half a degree turn, there is a tendency to scrape the epoxy coating off of the magnet wire and short out windings!

This happens on occasion, could be a cold joint, or a shorted winding. If you already (PROPERLY) reflowed the joints connecting to the transformer, it's shorted somewhere. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif Maybe in HV, LV or feedback windings. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

Edit: As to why it's sounding like the sound is only half there, is well... Because it is only half there. Each transformer is made for one side of the rail. Each one has it's own rail after it's rectified and charges the filter capacitors, since it is all based from a reference voltage, and the HV filter caps make a voltage divider by being connected in series. Choppy description, but the power supply is only making one rail, positive or negative I don't know, but the sub(s) is/are only being moved in or out, not both, and therefor half the power is being applied.

Edit 2: DO NOT TOUCH THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS WHILE THE AMP IS HOOKED TO THE BATTERY THERE CAN BE LETHAL VOLTAGE AND POSSIBLY A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF POWER STORED. ie you touch something, the voltage creates an arc to you since there is a voltage difference, then the filter capacitors discharge through you as well. The filter capacitors can also be charged for some time afterwords, depending on the design of the amp.

 

[ikpthegame 10+ year member]

thanks for the info, and i was not touching it with my hands i have plastic tools for working on tvs. now if i could only find the **** ma audio site....

 

[MakeshiftAudio 10+ year member]

Oh, I didn't know. People try it sometimes.

Do you have any spare large flyback transformers or voltage triplers from older TVs?

 

[rizzle1]

im installing a amp and evertime i connect my amp jacks my apm give a red led light protected. do i need to groung my amp jacks? if so where? installing in a 97 cutlass surpreme