Sundown SIA3500 Amp Problem

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

Is anybody else having a problem with the SIA3500 getting stuck in protect mode? It always happens at weird times. I drove to Wally World and was listening to the radio on a very low volume (13). I usually do demos at 27-29 for comparison. It's only a ten minute drive to Wal-Mart. I shopped for about 20 minutes and when I started my truck the amp was in protect. The voltage is 14.0 at the amp. I also have a AGM, 320a alternator, and one bank of lithium. Any thoughts? BTW, I've disconnected everything and got it out of protect twice, but now it seems to be stuck for good.

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[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Everybody that I personally know that has played with these amp types have gone back to more regular/traditional amps, like the Salt series. These amps just seem to be finicky and from what a few have told me, they get quite a bit worse musical performance. That will depend on what you’re playing, of course, but these amps just seem to be problematic.

 

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

Everybody that I personally know that has played with these amp types have gone back to more regular/traditional amps, like the Salt series. These amps just seem to be finicky and from what a few have told me, they get quite a bit worse musical performance. That will depend on what you’re playing, of course, but these amps just seem to be problematic.

I don't have room for a "surfboard" Korean in my truck. So, I might have to dump the 3,500 watts and go down to a 1K Korean if it will fit. It will totally screw the system that I've built. I guess it is what it is.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

I don't have room for a "surfboard" Korean in my truck. So, I might have to dump the 3,500 watts and go down to a 1K Korean if it will fit. It will totally screw the system that I've built. I guess it is what it is.

Yeah man, I know a lot of people struggled with the decision, like trying to get it to work. I’m not sure if there’s any tricks to these, if that would even be a thing.

In my opinion, it’s just the way they are wired. The extra size of a Korean board is where all the goodies are that make the amp better, for sure. I think capacitors act like smooth energy regulators that helps control spikes based around impedance changes. I think that’s part of it, but I don’t design amps.

 

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

Yeah man, I know a lot of people struggled with the decision, like trying to get it to work. I’m not sure if there’s any tricks to these, if that would even be a thing.

In my opinion, it’s just the way they are wired. The extra size of a Korean board is where all the goodies are that make the amp better, for sure. I think capacitors act like smooth energy regulators that helps control spikes based around impedance changes. I think that’s part of it, but I don’t design amps.

The SIA line supposedly has Korean capacitors. I was told that the SIA line has a smaller version of the SALT board. What baffles me is that I can give demos for an hour and the amp is fine. The next day I can run to 7-11 and not have any bass after grabbing a soda. It just doesn't make any sense in my mind at all.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

It’s gotta be some sort of heat issue. That’s what my mind would say. All electronics go through heating and cooling cycles through usage, and it sounds like there’s components in there that aren’t connecting properly after expanding and contracting. Something very small could probably cause your amp to mess up like that. Circuits not connecting properly at some point. Those amps are jsut really inexpensive. Idk their quality totally, but I’m very not surprised when people have issues with these types of amps. I know how I like my bass, I probably would mess this thing up too somehow lol. I don’t think it’s anything you’ve done really.

 

[MattinMO]

Ehhh I had mine at 2ohms and it did fine, my brother talked me into selling it to him last Friday and he plans on running it at 1 ohm so we shall see.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Sounds like you just got a dud. Let us know how you make out on warranty service.

There's a reason these boards are coming so cheap and there's a reason you pay a little more for the Sundown name on them. You will have an outstanding opportunity to experience both for yourself.

 

[Clifff150 10+ year member]

Just send it in, get a new one and see what happens. I love me some surfboard amps. They are just so sexy

 

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

It’s gotta be some sort of heat issue. That’s what my mind would say. All electronics go through heating and cooling cycles through usage, and it sounds like there’s components in there that aren’t connecting properly after expanding and contracting. Something very small could probably cause your amp to mess up like that. Circuits not connecting properly at some point. Those amps are jsut really inexpensive. Idk their quality totally, but I’m very not surprised when people have issues with these types of amps. I know how I like my bass, I probably would mess this thing up too somehow lol. I don’t think it’s anything you’ve done really.

I don't think that $400 is really inexpensive for an amp. Maybe I shouldn't have bought the first version of the amp.

 

[Bobbytwonames 5,000+ posts]

Just send it in, get a new one and see what happens. I love me some surfboard amps. They are just so sexy

No room for a surfboard amp. I'm hoping that Down4Sound will exchange it out for me.

 

[SlugButter]

The Brazilian style amps put a 1$ fan it it that sounds like a jet engine and stays running all the time, even when cold. I was considering going in the direction you went also and trying the Korean line, but I think I’m going back to my traditional class D amplifiers. I abused those mercilessly and never had a problem that wasn’t my fault.

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

I don't think that $400 is really inexpensive for an amp. Maybe I shouldn't have bought the first version of the amp.

SALT 3 retails for 999.99$
SAZ3500 (discontinued) had MSRP of 1,199.99
Everybody who has been around the block a while expected a higher than normal rate of failure on these Chinese Soundigital knockoffs.

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

The Brazilian style amps put a 1$ fan it it that sounds like a jet engine and stays running all the time, even when cold. I was considering going in the direction you went also and trying the Korean line, but I think I’m going back to my traditional class D amplifiers. I abused those mercilessly and never had a problem that wasn’t my fault.

My smart 3 doesn’t do that. When it comes on, the fan runs for a couple of seconds and then turns off. Beyond that it is thermostatically controlled. It comes on after I turn it way up. After I turn it down to a normal level the fan will stay running for a minute or so.
I drive a hatchback, so the fan running full time would be a deal breaker for me too. But it doesn’t work that way.

 

[SlugButter]

My smart 3 doesn’t do that. When it comes on, the fan runs for a couple of seconds and then turns off. Beyond that it is thermostatically controlled. It comes on after I turn it way up. After I turn it down to a normal level the fan will stay running for a minute or so.
I drive a hatchback, so the fan running full time would be a deal breaker for me too. But it doesn’t work that way.

I’m also confused about the fuse ratings on this Brazilian amp. It has 60 amps worth of fuses, dual 30 amp fuses onboard, but is rated at 1400 watts rms. Maybe I need to go back to math class, but I’m not seeing 1400 watts and 60 amps jiving with each other. I’m running a 600 watt rms sub on it right now with a lot of gain left to turn up at the moment. I’m just very skeptical that I can actually put my bigger 1200 watt rms subs on this, so I’ve avoided even trying yet. I accidentally blew my little 300 watt Dayton by clipping the **** out of it like an idiot yesterday with the gain under 1/4 way up. I just lost a 140$ sub yesterday, but my plan was to see if it can do 1400 rms for a few full songs on rap, and just eat the cost if I burn the amp up. Now, since the Dayton 8 was so impressive all by itself, I’m ordering 4 of those and not sure if I want to add another 200$ for new amp this week also. The 4 channel full bridge I have isn’t half bad though, but I am running a digital signal processor also, so I’m very skeptical on running mids and highs on these also. I don’t have an RTA yet (I know it’s completely necessary and I’m not getting the full benefit of the DSP), but my mids and highs seem more difficult to process through the DSP by ear when using these full range class D amps than I’ve had in the past. Maybe it’s just a psychological deal, but it sure seemed that my old class AB amps made it seem easier to tune the DSP. I’m just constantly back there adjusting it every time I switch to a different style of music. Again, it could just be psychological. I went into this looking for problems with these amps before even hearing them.