Blown Amp
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BC6
Posts: 109
I did something stupid and need to know how bad it is and what to do to fix it.
I just installed an infinite baffle subwoofer (not the stupid part - the subwoofer is awesome). I was setting up to eq it, and I thought it would be much easier to hear the sub if I unplugged the speakers. So I unplugged the cable from the speakers but not from the integrated amp, thinking it wouldn't hurt the amp because the subs were running through the pre-out and I have a dedicated amp for the subs. I was testing it with a song and about two minutes in, it just stopped playing. I'm assuming it's bad to run the amp with speaker cable in the outs, but no speakers attached? I've never heard that, but it's all I can think of.
I opened the amp to see what happened and noticed a couple blown fuses, so I decided to replace them, but I only see with one eye and have no depth perception, and while using a tiny screwdriver to get the fuse out, I bumped the big silver thing on the left channel and caused a spark. I attached a picture so you'd know what the big silver thing looks like. My wife replaced the bad fuses, but now the left channel won't play. We opened it back up and noticed the new fuses were blown again. I'm letting it sit until tomorrow because I'm freaking out that I destroyed a $4000 amp (for a second time) and don't trust my judgement. How bad is it? Is there an easy fix? Should I just not have nice things?
I just installed an infinite baffle subwoofer (not the stupid part - the subwoofer is awesome). I was setting up to eq it, and I thought it would be much easier to hear the sub if I unplugged the speakers. So I unplugged the cable from the speakers but not from the integrated amp, thinking it wouldn't hurt the amp because the subs were running through the pre-out and I have a dedicated amp for the subs. I was testing it with a song and about two minutes in, it just stopped playing. I'm assuming it's bad to run the amp with speaker cable in the outs, but no speakers attached? I've never heard that, but it's all I can think of.
I opened the amp to see what happened and noticed a couple blown fuses, so I decided to replace them, but I only see with one eye and have no depth perception, and while using a tiny screwdriver to get the fuse out, I bumped the big silver thing on the left channel and caused a spark. I attached a picture so you'd know what the big silver thing looks like. My wife replaced the bad fuses, but now the left channel won't play. We opened it back up and noticed the new fuses were blown again. I'm letting it sit until tomorrow because I'm freaking out that I destroyed a $4000 amp (for a second time) and don't trust my judgement. How bad is it? Is there an easy fix? Should I just not have nice things?
2 Channel: Atohm GT-1 speakers, Atoll IN400 integrated amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon Bronze cartridge, SotM sMS-200 ultra streamer, SotM sPS-500 power supply, and homemade infinite baffle subwoofer with two Fi Audio IB318 drivers.
HT: All Polk: SDA 2.3tl fronts, CSiA6 center, 500-LS ceiling, RT/FX, RTi8, Monitor 4 rears, plus Yamaha CX-a5100 AV Preamplifier/Processor, Yamaha MX-a5000 11.1 channel amplifier, and Sony XBR55-AE1 OLED TV.
HT: All Polk: SDA 2.3tl fronts, CSiA6 center, 500-LS ceiling, RT/FX, RTi8, Monitor 4 rears, plus Yamaha CX-a5100 AV Preamplifier/Processor, Yamaha MX-a5000 11.1 channel amplifier, and Sony XBR55-AE1 OLED TV.
Comments
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It should not hurt a SS amp to have it on without speakers connected. Tube amps are a different story. Is it possible the +/- ends of a speaker cable touched?
I have no idea what the silver box is. Did you unplug the amp before messing with the fuses?
Looking at a full size pic of your amp there are two fuses for each channel. Did you replace all 4?Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
I think the right channel cables touched when I pulled them, but it kept playing so I thought it was ok.
Yes, it was unplugged. I'm not sure why it would have sparked.
I replaced all 4 fuses to be safe. The fuses on the right side work fine.2 Channel: Atohm GT-1 speakers, Atoll IN400 integrated amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon Bronze cartridge, SotM sMS-200 ultra streamer, SotM sPS-500 power supply, and homemade infinite baffle subwoofer with two Fi Audio IB318 drivers.
HT: All Polk: SDA 2.3tl fronts, CSiA6 center, 500-LS ceiling, RT/FX, RTi8, Monitor 4 rears, plus Yamaha CX-a5100 AV Preamplifier/Processor, Yamaha MX-a5000 11.1 channel amplifier, and Sony XBR55-AE1 OLED TV. -
What are the markings on the board for the silver box?
Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
I can't find any markings on the box or the board. It looks like it's covering something. Maybe I fried the fuse housing by connecting it to the metal on the box.2 Channel: Atohm GT-1 speakers, Atoll IN400 integrated amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon Bronze cartridge, SotM sMS-200 ultra streamer, SotM sPS-500 power supply, and homemade infinite baffle subwoofer with two Fi Audio IB318 drivers.
HT: All Polk: SDA 2.3tl fronts, CSiA6 center, 500-LS ceiling, RT/FX, RTi8, Monitor 4 rears, plus Yamaha CX-a5100 AV Preamplifier/Processor, Yamaha MX-a5000 11.1 channel amplifier, and Sony XBR55-AE1 OLED TV. -
Sounds like the speaker wires are still touching together from when you unhooked them from the speakers. Like @F1nut said to re-check.Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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I double checked. They were back in the speakers.2 Channel: Atohm GT-1 speakers, Atoll IN400 integrated amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon Bronze cartridge, SotM sMS-200 ultra streamer, SotM sPS-500 power supply, and homemade infinite baffle subwoofer with two Fi Audio IB318 drivers.
HT: All Polk: SDA 2.3tl fronts, CSiA6 center, 500-LS ceiling, RT/FX, RTi8, Monitor 4 rears, plus Yamaha CX-a5100 AV Preamplifier/Processor, Yamaha MX-a5000 11.1 channel amplifier, and Sony XBR55-AE1 OLED TV. -
I can't find any markings on the box or the board. It looks like it's covering something. Maybe I fried the fuse housing by connecting it to the metal on the box.
The fuse holder is just two metal clips, each end soldered to the board. You didn't damage any of the fuse holders. Maybe try contacting the company to at least find out what those silver boxes are.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
What brand/model are you having issues with? My advice would be to get it back to them and have them sort it out and do whatever upgrades that can be done at the same time.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
One strand of wire is all it takes crossing the terminals. I've seen that happen on quite a few receivers that people told me wouldn't work anymore. Heck, I had a center channel wire from one terminal that I left LONG for some unknown reason, lean over after 2 years or more from gravity and touch the other terminal during a demo. My Yamaha shut down and posted check wires in the display screen. I quickly found it. All went back to normal after fixing that wire shorting.
I really hope it's just a wire touching across terminals SOMEWHERE.Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
The distributer for Atoll is awesome and has always been responsive. I was hoping to avoid talking to him though, because this is my second bout of idiocy and I'm a bit embarrassed. If I can't fix it by Monday I'll call him. Maybe I'll ask him about upgrades first, and then throw in 'oh, by the way I think I broke it again...'
I'll poke around in there with a magnifying glass tomorrow and see if I can find any loose wires.
I liked that website. I hadn't seen it before. It's hard to find information on Atoll amps. I translated the website from Chinese and it said this:
'I want to ask the farmer what the two boxes are?'
No one on that forum seemed to know, although even with the translation, I had a hard time understanding what they were talking about. Like this:
'When a lot of D SET is good, there is no requirement, it will be quiet, and ATOLL will be more wild.'2 Channel: Atohm GT-1 speakers, Atoll IN400 integrated amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon Bronze cartridge, SotM sMS-200 ultra streamer, SotM sPS-500 power supply, and homemade infinite baffle subwoofer with two Fi Audio IB318 drivers.
HT: All Polk: SDA 2.3tl fronts, CSiA6 center, 500-LS ceiling, RT/FX, RTi8, Monitor 4 rears, plus Yamaha CX-a5100 AV Preamplifier/Processor, Yamaha MX-a5000 11.1 channel amplifier, and Sony XBR55-AE1 OLED TV. -
If/when you find out please let me know WTH they are.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
If the wires were shorted when powered up and the new fuses also blow you may have nuked an output transistor (s). The silver boxes look like an RFI shield to reduce radiated noise. Possibly covering rectifier diodes.
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Thank you all for the help and input. I don't post often, but I love this forum. You all have enriched my audio life immensely.
I tried putting in a new fuse today and it immediately sparked and blew. I'll call the distributor tomorrow and ask him what the silver boxes are.
Now I'm involuntarily doing what I read in a thread that @Nooshinjohn is voluntarily doing by listening to music on my Yamaha CX-A5100/MX-A5000 setup. It really doesn't sound too bad, and if I didn't have the Atoll to compare it to, I'd be pretty happy. The IB subwoofer sounds amazing. When I have time, I'll post another thread with pictures.2 Channel: Atohm GT-1 speakers, Atoll IN400 integrated amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon Bronze cartridge, SotM sMS-200 ultra streamer, SotM sPS-500 power supply, and homemade infinite baffle subwoofer with two Fi Audio IB318 drivers.
HT: All Polk: SDA 2.3tl fronts, CSiA6 center, 500-LS ceiling, RT/FX, RTi8, Monitor 4 rears, plus Yamaha CX-a5100 AV Preamplifier/Processor, Yamaha MX-a5000 11.1 channel amplifier, and Sony XBR55-AE1 OLED TV. -
Sorry to hear that the short is still going on.
Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them. -
I talked to the distributor today. I’ll be sending him the amp. He said no one has ever asked about the silver box so he didn’t know what it is, but he’ll ask someone with the company in France.2 Channel: Atohm GT-1 speakers, Atoll IN400 integrated amp, PS Audio DirectStream DAC, PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter, Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB with Ortofon Bronze cartridge, SotM sMS-200 ultra streamer, SotM sPS-500 power supply, and homemade infinite baffle subwoofer with two Fi Audio IB318 drivers.
HT: All Polk: SDA 2.3tl fronts, CSiA6 center, 500-LS ceiling, RT/FX, RTi8, Monitor 4 rears, plus Yamaha CX-a5100 AV Preamplifier/Processor, Yamaha MX-a5000 11.1 channel amplifier, and Sony XBR55-AE1 OLED TV. -
Oui oui
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Ce qui est dans la boîte d'argent?
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BC6
Peace, everyone on this forum has made a mistake or two at one time or another."Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"
Harry / Marietta GA
