Parasound overheated!

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I-SIG
I-SIG Posts: 2,238
edited April 2007 in Troubleshooting
On Monday, the UPS guy didn't show up until 845P with all my parts to fix the binding posts on my amp and upgrade the posts on my SRS's.

Fast forward to tonight...I'm finally able to finish upgrading the posts on the SRS's. I decide to try out the new IC's from Vampire.

I get some tunes fired up and while I'm typing on the computer, I thought I saw the one of the "problem" LED's flash very briefly. I figured I was tired form concentrating on working on the SRS's.

About a minute later, the whole amp just shuts down! :eek: The amp is hotter than I can ever remember it getting.

After muting and shutting everything down, I start feeling around and the only thing warm is the amp itself so I feel okay about all my binding post upgrades on the speaker.

The only thing I can think of is that I maybe crosswired the SDA cable? Or, I have a better SDA connection that is somehow messing with the dual-mono amp? (I doubt this as I never had a problem before.)

Anyway, here's a list of what all I did:

1) New Vampire OEM replacement binding posts on the amp. The posts on the interior are smaller than the factory (this is my second suspect)
2) New binding posts for the tweets, mids, and SDA's.
3) Vampire CCC IC's to experiemnt with.
4) New AQ Type4 PSC SDA cable. (again maybe I crosswired the SDA drivers)

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Wes
Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42" HDTV | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Wyred 4 Sound STP/SE Pre | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
Post edited by I-SIG on
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,855
    edited April 2007
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    Hmmm....go back and recheck all of your wiring. Black or blue is positive, Green or white is negative. I can't see the smaller interior size on the amp posts as being any problem.
    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

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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,238
    edited April 2007
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    On my SDA binding posts, I did connect both the Blue/Black and green wires to the new posts. I did notice that the green wire was soldered on the factory SDA post and the blue/black wire was a slide on connector. I left a pigtail to reconnect the SDA wires back to the factory blade/blade posts if need be. Perhaps I should try that after checking all my wiring.

    I also noticed that my Leads to the binding posts had slide on connectors at the crossover and weren't soldered as mentioned in Raife's (DarqueKnight) SRS upgrade post.

    Thanks, Jesse.

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42" HDTV | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Wyred 4 Sound STP/SE Pre | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,855
    edited April 2007
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    Dual mono, eh? Do you have the negative amp posts tied together or is the amp still a common ground type even though it's dual mono?
    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

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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,238
    edited April 2007
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    F1nut wrote: »
    Dual mono, eh? Do you have the negative amp posts tied together or is the amp still a common ground type even though it's dual mono?

    It is apparently a common ground despite the overall dual-mono design. I took a multi-meter set to ohms and got continuity on the negative posts. I never had problems with the SDA-1C's I had and had never had problems with the SRS's until last night.

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42" HDTV | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Wyred 4 Sound STP/SE Pre | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,238
    edited April 2007
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    Sure enough I had the left channel SDA swapped. I decided, to differentiate, to make the SDA positive/negative opposite the stereo drivers.

    So far so good. I can definitely hear a difference from last night and it sounds a lot more like I remember it sounding. I'm checking the amp by feel frequently to be sure and catch it if it were to overheat before the protection circuits open.

    This weekend....bi-amping the highs! BWAHAHAHAHAH!!! (thanks, Joe)

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42" HDTV | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Wyred 4 Sound STP/SE Pre | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 49,855
    edited April 2007
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    Glad to hear you found the problem. Enjoy!
    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

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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,238
    edited April 2007
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    I did for about 3 hrs last night! Thanks, Jesse!

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42" HDTV | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Wyred 4 Sound STP/SE Pre | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited April 2007
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    Congrats! I'm glad you fixed it and are enjoying the speakers. BTW, that Parasound is my dream amp!
    polkaudio RT35 Bookshelves
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    polkaudio RM6750 5.1

    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited April 2007
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    I picked up an HCA-1500 from the 'Gon, got it home, vertically bi-amped a pair of SDA SRS 2.3TL. There was absolutely no reason to do it, but I had 3 others them handy due to a snafu....why not.

    I connected everything, double checked sat in my chair and hit "Power". The 12v triggers worked as expected, relays click click click click... SSCCRREEAACCHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

    It had to be at least 120db and you would be suprised how fast you can move with a remote control in one hand and a Pug in your other arm. It was like forgetting you had your volume control up really high than all of a sudden turning your gear up.....ring a bell?

    Anyways, found that the new amp I bought had shorted internally and caused a massive DC backfeed. As I was moving forward to shutdown, all the red lights click on in succession and shutdown one by one as the current rolled thru them. It was a humbling experience.

    In the end, everything did exactly what it should have done and I ended up with one bad amp. It was the scariest moment of my audio life.

    I feel your pain Wes.
    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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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,238
    edited April 2007
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    Wow, Mark. I woulda been scared shitless too. Your situation literally sounds a lot worse than mine!

    I got some Santana Shaman fired up right now. Overall Santana's seems fairly above average recording quality-wise.

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42" HDTV | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Wyred 4 Sound STP/SE Pre | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited April 2007
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    :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

    I'm glad nothing was permanantly damaged Mark!

    dorokusai wrote: »
    I picked up an HCA-1500 from the 'Gon, got it home, vertically bi-amped a pair of SDA SRS 2.3TL. There was absolutely no reason to do it, but I had 3 others them handy due to a snafu....why not.

    I connected everything, double checked sat in my chair and hit "Power". The 12v triggers worked as expected, relays click click click click... SSCCRREEAACCHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

    It had to be at least 120db and you would be suprised how fast you can move with a remote control in one hand and a Pug in your other arm. It was like forgetting you had your volume control up really high than all of a sudden turning your gear up.....ring a bell?

    Anyways, found that the new amp I bought had shorted internally and caused a massive DC backfeed. As I was moving forward to shutdown, all the red lights click on in succession and shutdown one by one as the current rolled thru them. It was a humbling experience.

    In the end, everything did exactly what it should have done and I ended up with one bad amp. It was the scariest moment of my audio life.

    I feel your pain Wes.
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited April 2007
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    cfrizz wrote: »
    :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

    I'm glad nothing was permanantly damaged Mark!

    ya never know Cat, I had a wire arc once, blew a pre and sucked a gonad so high its never has quite settled..............tough hobby.

    Glad the parasound is running well.

    RT1
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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,238
    edited April 2007
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    reeltrouble1 wrote: »
    Glad the parasound is running well. RT1

    Thanks, Ted. I had a wonderful night listening last night.

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK 42" HDTV | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Wyred 4 Sound STP/SE Pre | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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