Can your set up pass the test?

Krazyz1
Krazyz1 Posts: 256
edited February 2010 in The Clubhouse
:rolleyes:The Rob Zombie Spec

One specification you will not see on any amplifier specification chart is the Rob Zombie test. The Rob Zombie test is something our engineers (we call them ‘lab rats’) cooked up. It seems for whatever reason to be the most effective way to test a power amp... In this case we take a worst combination of low impedance (within the IEC spec) and reactive (phase shifted) impedance and find the meanest music we can. This simulates the worst case operating conditions an amplifier may see in the field.

It is important that the speaker has a large heavy voicecoil to remain cool and keep the impedance low over time. We play Rob Zombie’s ‘Hillbilly Deluxe’ CD, Track 6 ‘Demonoid Phenomenon’ and see how long it takes for the amp to trip its internal protection or shut down. Demonoid, it seems, shuts down amps faster than white noise, Whitesnake, pink noise, Pink Floyd or Metallica. (With the rare exception of the one amp that shut down during an extended ‘Celine Dion’ test ... but we think that might have been a suicide.)

As odd as this test sounds, we used a Bruel and Kjaer 2304 audio analyzer to investigate amplitude distribution and found that the toughest music was Rob Zombie (harder on your power system than typical AM radio source material) in terms of punishing an amplifier. This program material spends the most time at an amplitude that we've found overheats amplifiers. It is an opportunity to drive the amp in a real world application, in less than the ideal circumstances of a laboratory and test equipment. It forces the amplifier to play real music source program material (not theoretical source material) into an impedance shifting / phase shifting speaker load. This is a test of the real world capabilities of the amplifier, in conditions you could easily see in a nightclub, a rave or a rock concert ... not a design lab.

We always run this test, among others on our products, and occasionally competitive products, just to see where we stand. We have seen competitive amplifiers with impressive specifications not pass the Rob Zombie test either in the lab, or in a nightclub.

The truth is, current trends in music like super low bass synths and massive samples now commonly used can be far more punishing than popular program music was in the past. A good amplifier has to have the ability to cope with whatever source material you choose to use, even if it is Rob Zombie.
Copyright © 2010, Yorkville Sound. All Rights Reserved
Post edited by Krazyz1 on
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Comments

  • TouchOfEvil
    TouchOfEvil Posts: 967
    edited February 2010
    so i should test this out right.....;)
    Living Room Rig:D
    Rotel RSP-1069/Rotel RMB-1095/Rotel-1072/Polk lsI15's W/modded xoverW/DBsubs/Polk LsiC/lsI7's/Klipsch sub-12"the weak link"/DLP Mitsubishi 65"
    Xbox360/PS3/WII
    M.Br. setup:)
    Emotiva MMC-1/Rotel RMB-1075/Polk BlackStone TL350's/Velodyne SPL1000/Samsung 51" Plasma
    Computer Rig:
    Rotel RB1050/Tannoy DC4's/Klipsch RW-10d/ImodIpod/HK AVR230 for now....
    Headphones-Ultrasone-HFI780's w/LittleDot MK Vamp Portables Panasonic HJE-900's
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  • Krazyz1
    Krazyz1 Posts: 256
    edited February 2010
    I just found it interesting that a PRO audio amp. manufacturer actually found some specific music that lets them know to a extent the quality and severity the amp will take. I've played it on my system LOUD and could see where it might crop up some deficiencies in the amplifier design
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  • Demiurge
    Demiurge Posts: 10,874
    edited February 2010
    Call me crazy, but I don't try to trip out my amps.
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  • tommyboy
    tommyboy Posts: 1,414
    edited February 2010
    Krazyz1 wrote: »
    and keep the impedance low over time. We play Rob Zombie’s ‘Hillbilly Deluxe’ CD, Track 6 ‘Demonoid Phenomenon’ and see how long it takes for the amp to trip its internal protection or shut down. Demonoid, it seems, shuts down amps faster than white noise, Whitesnake, pink noise, Pink Floyd or Metallica. (With the rare exception of the one amp that shut down during an extended ‘Celine Dion’ test ... but we think that might have been a suicide.)

    Hell yeah! I remember getting that cd back when I was in middle school, loved it. Phantom stranger (I think track 11) is still one of my favorites. Probably a little much for you old timers;)

    By the way, its hellbilly not hillbilly :p
    AVR: H/K AVR240
    Fronts: Monitor 50s
    Center: CSI3
    surrounds: R15s
    Sub:Velodyne DPS10
    Dvd/Cd: Samsung HD upconverter (for now)
    TV: 50" Sammy Plasma
    game hardware: 360 and gcn.
    Gamertag: kovster27
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited February 2010
    Demiurge wrote: »
    Call me crazy, but I don't try to trip out my amps.

    Same here and nor have I ever tripped mine.
    HT setup
    Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
    Denon DBP-1610
    Monster HTS 1650
    Carver A400X :cool:
    MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
    Kef 104/2
    URC MX-780 Remote
    Sonos Play 1

    Living Room
    63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
    Polk Surroundbar 3000
    Samsung BD-C7900
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  • Krazyz1
    Krazyz1 Posts: 256
    edited February 2010
    I'm not into blowing up my stuff either , but ya got to find some comfort in the fact they are kicking the **** out of their product BEFORE you get it and not using the consumer to play guinea pig with and do the R&D on your coin!
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  • Krazyz1
    Krazyz1 Posts: 256
    edited February 2010
    Nope! Track 12
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited February 2010
    I think the only time my amp has tripped is when Nik was using it to play with his 1.2TLs...

    Worth mentioning that the XPA-2 tripped at about the same point?
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

    HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2010
    I love Rob Zombie and every rig I've owned has passed that test.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Krazyz1
    Krazyz1 Posts: 256
    edited February 2010
    I would like to try it on my CROWN Macro Reference amp. 760+ @8 ohm. Just got no speakers to handle that much power. Would smoke my A9's pretty quick I be thinking
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  • raidersrule76
    raidersrule76 Posts: 471
    edited February 2010
    GREAT now I want to go jam to some Zombie but I to am not about to see if I can trip my amps!?!

    Mark
    Sig to be updated after dealing with the insurance company:(:(:(
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2010
    I've tried to kill my computer monitors to no avail...good luck.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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