Lack of bass with LM3886

maillard · 26th April 2011, 08:19 PM

Hello everybody,

I have built a complete "chipamp" (amp + Psu) kit, double mono, powered by 2X300VA transformers.

Sounds good, but compared to my small "NAD 3020" and to a big "Kenwood" L1000M, using the same loudspeakers, I feel a lake of bass, which is very frustrating.

I was about to upgrade the caps of the PSU to Munsdorf 15000 microF/18mohm instead of the Panasonic 10000 microF/36mhom.

Should I go this way or may be the limitation is part of the LM3886 itself ? In that case would be better to change for another type of amp (4981x or discrete)

Any experiences will be appreciated.

Thank You for the help.

tinitus · 26th April 2011, 09:06 PM

hi

lake ?
do you mean lack of bass

would you want me to correct it ?

moderation

ficklecycler · 26th April 2011, 11:04 PM

How deep is the lake?

infinia · 26th April 2011, 11:25 PM

lake of bass fishing?

N-Brock · 26th April 2011, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinitus

do you mean lack of bass

would you want me to correct it ?

reminds me of this guy

ficklecycler · 12:00 AM

I actually swam on Lake Bass as a child. Areas of it are muddy.

Conrad Hoffman · 27th April 2011, 12:19 AM

I don't think changing the caps will make much difference. The problem probably lies elsewhere. Can you measure the frequency response? Sometimes a bit of a tilt upwards will sound like a lack of bass. There's also the gain issue. Whatever's louder sounds better. When you listen, is the level the same? Is there any subtle oscillation going on? If the chip amp runs warm that's a possibility, and the tiniest amount of oscillation, IMHO, affects the sound. Where do the speaker returns physically connect in the amp in relation to the circuit grounds? It matters!

infinia · 27th April 2011, 12:27 AM

sometimes old receivers have a bit of bass EQ even when tone controls are set flat. If they have a loop connection you can plug the chip amp up , bypassing the built-in amp and check difference there.

abraxalito · 27th April 2011, 12:49 AM

It would help if you said what kit you've bought. I agree with Conrad, the lack of bass could easily be an overly bright sound. Brightness that I've experienced with chipamps I've fixed with relatively minor circuit and layout changes.

gootee · 27th April 2011, 05:54 AM

To get any real help you would almost have to post or link to the schematic and photos of your built unit.

26th April 2011, 08:19 PM	#1
maillard diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2008	Lack of bass with LM3886 Hello everybody, I have built a complete "chipamp" (amp + Psu) kit, double mono, powered by 2X300VA transformers. Sounds good, but compared to my small "NAD 3020" and to a big "Kenwood" L1000M, using the same loudspeakers, I feel a lake of bass, which is very frustrating. I was about to upgrade the caps of the PSU to Munsdorf 15000 microF/18mohm instead of the Panasonic 10000 microF/36mhom. Should I go this way or may be the limitation is part of the LM3886 itself ? In that case would be better to change for another type of amp (4981x or discrete) Any experiences will be appreciated. Thank You for the help.

26th April 2011, 11:25 PM	#4
infinia diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Californication	lake of bass fishing? __________________ like four million tons of hydrogen exploding on the sun like the whisper of the termites building castles in the dust

26th April 2011, 11:42 PM	#6
ficklecycler diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009	I actually swam on Lake Bass as a child. Areas of it are muddy. Last edited by ficklecycler; 27th April 2011 at 12:00 AM.

27th April 2011, 12:19 AM	#7
Conrad Hoffman diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canandaigua, NY USA	I don't think changing the caps will make much difference. The problem probably lies elsewhere. Can you measure the frequency response? Sometimes a bit of a tilt upwards will sound like a lack of bass. There's also the gain issue. Whatever's louder sounds better. When you listen, is the level the same? Is there any subtle oscillation going on? If the chip amp runs warm that's a possibility, and the tiniest amount of oscillation, IMHO, affects the sound. Where do the speaker returns physically connect in the amp in relation to the circuit grounds? It matters! __________________ I used to be an audiophool like you but then I took an arrow to the knee.

27th April 2011, 12:27 AM	#8
infinia diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Californication	sometimes old receivers have a bit of bass EQ even when tone controls are set flat. If they have a loop connection you can plug the chip amp up , bypassing the built-in amp and check difference there. __________________ like four million tons of hydrogen exploding on the sun like the whisper of the termites building castles in the dust


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26th April 2011, 09:06 PM	#2
tinitus diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Nov 2005	hi lake ? do you mean lack of bass would you want me to correct it ? moderation

26th April 2011, 11:04 PM	#3
ficklecycler diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2009	How deep is the lake?

27th April 2011, 12:49 AM	#9
abraxalito diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Hangzhou - Marco Polo's 'most beautiful city'. 700yrs is a long time though... Blog Entries: 46	It would help if you said what kit you've bought. I agree with Conrad, the lack of bass could easily be an overly bright sound. Brightness that I've experienced with chipamps I've fixed with relatively minor circuit and layout changes. __________________ I think ideas are what you want to get rid of. I don't really like songs with ideas. - Leonard Cohen

27th April 2011, 05:54 AM	#10
gootee diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Indiana Blog Entries: 1	To get any real help you would almost have to post or link to the schematic and photos of your built unit.

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