Sure Electronics New Tripath Board tc2000+tp2050

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
Suppressor

Today i got my sure amp (the AA-AB013 version) and i saw that there is already an new upgraded version (AA-AB32181) available.
It has a better snr of 100db instead of 85db and a regulated cooler fan.
Does someone know how snr was improved?

I downloaded the new schematics and found out, that there is a diode in the input section.
Is it the reason?

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


greetings LQ
That is a suppressor to limit the input signal voltage. The TC2000 chip is very fragile to signals and pops greater than 4v. I remove mine to gain a slight improvement in the sonics.
 
Hi, I've been following this thread since February and it has been my introduction to DIY electronics, so thanks all.

I think however that I have killed the board, when I plug in any power supply the power and hmute LEDs flash on and off continually and the SMPS switches on and off at the same time. I have examined the board for any obvious physical faults and can find none. I have also tried 3 different power supplies all with the same result.

The board has been running fine with the input capacitor mod for some months and I have tried it with 4-5 different power supplies (even running it at 36V for a few weeks) and everything has been fine.

I think that it is possible that I shorted the speaker terminals while I was connecting yet another power supply. I have tested continuity between the positive an negative speaker terminals and channel 1 has continuity.

I would be grateful for any suggestions, I have a multimeter, but only the foggiest idea on how to use it.
 

Attachments

  • DSC01404.JPG
    DSC01404.JPG
    802.9 KB · Views: 748
  • DSC01406.JPG
    DSC01406.JPG
    770 KB · Views: 682
Done

I have tested continuity between the positive an negative speaker terminals and channel 1 has continuity.

The output chip is done. You can try to cut the bad one out with a razor knife to see if the other channel will play if you want to mess around with it or just retire it and get a new board which now comes with 10uH coils.
 
Hello,

Interesting looking build you have there, but quite cool I must say. I browsed through the thread, but I couldn't see an answer to my inquiry, so I shall just ask myself. Apologies if it was mentioned somewhere that I overlooked.

How did you wire the XLR jacks to the Sure?

I'm also interested in using 4 channels of Sure Tripath amplification, fed directly from a Behringer DCX2496, and while I was originally just going to buy some XLR to RCA cables, I decided I could just build my amp with XLR inputs.
Hi, I'm using XLR's because I prefer them to RCA's and jack plugs.

I've wired them so that a 3 pins can carry 2 channels to the sure board.

Pin 1 is ground for both channels
Pin 2 (which is notmally 'hot') carries channel 1 which once amplified goes to the woofer.
Pin 3 (which is normally 'cold) carries channel 2 which once amplified goes to the tweeter.

Right now I'm still using a stock DCX2496, so I've also had to make adaptors that combine 2 channels into 1 so they are carries by a 3core XLR cable. Once I've upgraded my DCX I plan to do away with these adaptors.

I hope this makes things a little clearer but if not I can grab some photo's if you like. :)
 
Hi Scott, thanks for pronouncing my board. I have gone ahead and ordered the new
AA-AB32181.
some questions about the new board:

1. Is the fan powered by the new 12V regulator? Does this eliminate the (non mechanical) noise.

2. Is there still a significant advantage in changing the output inductors?

3. There appear to be spaces left after the output capacitors for 2 capacitors and 2 resistors. Are these for a Zobel network. What are the advantages of adding this and what values would you use?

4. Sure mention an "external extensible interface" (AA-AB013) rotary controller and volume control board. This would help as I would like to mount the volume control very near the SMPS for case aesthetics. Also I have very little space to work with so a slim rotary encoder would be ideal. They don't seem to have any however. Can anyone suggest a simple micro-controller volume control that could be powered from the 5V on the Sure board ideally with IR control. I have seen some kits on ebay
Crystal c3310 Volume remote control preamplifier kit on eBay (end time 13-Aug-10 20:00:18 BST)
but I don't need an LCD or input switching and they all need an additional power supply.

I have had a lot of fun learning with this board and would like to thank all the contributors to this thread for an introduction to "better-fi" music reproduction.

Mat
 
Hi. I just finished basic modifications.

1. Removed input suppressors
2. Replaced input caps (PIO - Bosch MP 2uF)
4. Installed Zalman zm-47j
5. Wuerth XXL coils 4R7

WoW ! The change in sound is insane !!! I'd never expect it !

Clarity, air, bass and soundstage which is now much more layered. I still can't belive what I'm hearing...

Thanks to all of you for your input in this thread.
 

Attachments

  • Sure.jpg
    Sure.jpg
    210.2 KB · Views: 550
Hello there,

I'm completely new to DIY audio and electronics and basically everything, so here a very easy question for you guys:

I'd like to build a bi-amped 2-way system using sureelectronics' 4*100W @ 4Ohm board. So I have this crossover (Behringer CX2310), which has balanced outputs that I have to feed into the unbalanced inputs of the amp.

What would you suggest me to do? Do you think it's a good choice to use standard XLR-RCA adaptors?

Thank you for your help!
 
Adapters

Hello there,

I'm completely new to DIY audio and electronics and basically everything, so here a very easy question for you guys:

I'd like to build a bi-amped 2-way system using sureelectronics' 4*100W @ 4Ohm board. So I have this crossover (Behringer CX2310), which has balanced outputs that I have to feed into the unbalanced inputs of the amp.

What would you suggest me to do? Do you think it's a good choice to use standard XLR-RCA adaptors?

Thank you for your help!
Standard adapters will work fine. They will probably come with pin 3 wired to pin 1. You can compare the sound with pin 3 of the adapters shorted to pin1, versus pin 3 open by clipping the wire, to hear which sounds better.
.
Dayton XFRF XLR Female to RCA Female | Parts-Express.com
.
 
Hi. I just finished basic modifications.

1. Removed input suppressors
2. Replaced input caps (PIO - Bosch MP 2uF)
4. Installed Zalman zm-47j
5. Wuerth XXL coils 4R7

WoW ! The change in sound is insane !!! I'd never expect it !

Clarity, air, bass and soundstage which is now much more layered. I still can't belive what I'm hearing...

Thanks to all of you for your input in this thread.

awesome amp nicely done.i do plan on building one of those when my subwoofer project is done.i know the original heatsink had a fan on it.are you having any heat issues with the fanless one?
 
Cheers guys, will do the connector tests and see what works best.

Btw, let me describe a bit what I have in mind:

The system will be used as studio monitor and sometimes as a small PA for voice/wind instruments.

Unbalanced mixer output fed into the crossover I was talking about, whose high and low outputs are then fed into the 4*100W board, for powering two 2-way speakers.

Each speaker has one 120W 10" 4Ohm (car) woofer and one 100W 8Ohm (professional) tweeter.

Do you see any problem in having the amp power at the same time these different impedance drivers? The tweeter will get max. 50W, right?

Thank you all for your help!!
 
awesome amp nicely done.i do plan on building one of those when my subwoofer project is done.i know the original heatsink had a fan on it.are you having any heat issues with the fanless one?

Yes. Heatsink and coils get quite hot. I have tried to connect a big 12V 12cm fan to 5v rail and I didn't hear any pollution going through speakers. The small, fast original fan was VERY loud through my highly effective tweeters.
 
Original fan

I've just tried 3 different 12v fan through 5v rail. 2 of them vere dead quiet and one very loud. The loud one was also the fastest.

I've figured smth like this with original Sure's fan which is OK.
Is the original Sure third version fan ok? I thought they were electrically noisy.
That heat sink should be ok with no fan.
 
I've just tried 3 different 12v fan through 5v rail. 2 of them vere dead quiet and one very loud. The loud one was also the fastest.

I've figured smth like this with original Sure's fan which is OK.

good to know.i may make a fan mount in my chasis which will be very close to the heatsink anyway.im thinking a fan like this the noctua fans are known in the pc world to be very quiet.
 
Is the original Sure third version fan ok? I thought they were electrically noisy.
That heat sink should be ok with no fan.

I just wanted to give it a try. Connected to 12v it is VERY noisy. The very same fan connected to 5v is almost dead quiet even with my ear right next to the tweeter.

I'm also thinking about sticking little radiators to Wuerths coils.
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.