I let the smoke out.

[ghemink]

Originally posted by TerryG
It's not that I am being hard on myself, I just don't want to buy two more modules only for them to go up in smoke as well. I mean you pay well over $300.00 on modules and you end up with junk, I have $300.00 of nothing right now. If I count how much I have in the chassis, and other projects I have a lot more invested than that, and still I don't have a working class D amplifier. No if I can learn SOMETHING, then at least that is the price of education.

I don't even want to install two new modules if they were replaced unless I can prevent them from burning out.

OK, if you want to hear what I did. I started with 4 ZAPpulse 2.2SE modules and wanted to use them to drive all speakers directly (without passive x-over). I found them too noisy to directly drive my tweeters (Vifa ringradiators) and they had a poor switch on/off behavior (probably fixed in 2.3SE) so I did not want to risk my tweeters. I then tried UcD180 modules that were a lot cheaper than the ZAPs and I still use those for mid and tweeters, for woofers I use UcD400. UcD180 already running for more than a year (not very intensive though) and no issues. I plan to go to a complete UcD400 system soon, have all the amps already at home, just need to find time to built everything up, total of 8 amps and two switching power supplies that all need to be encased in 4 cases (seperate left rigth and seperate power suply and amp cases). Quite a bit of work.

Best regards

Gertjan

[classd4sure]

Hi,

Maybe I'm wrong here, but I don't see it being your responsibility as the user to have to prevent the parasitic oscillations.

Maybe you do need a more robust amp, and a manufacturer with better support, maybe you do need UCD.

Seems like they've had ample opportunity to fix this already. I'm honestly a little sad to see that they don't take this as an opportunity to demonstrate their ongoing commitment to support both their product and customers, because to me that means they won't be around much longer.

I fully empathize with your situation and know exactly what you mean about wanting to learn from it, perhaps the only lesson you need is in these last few posts, I guess LCaudio will decide that for you shortly.

You can be the top heart transplant surgeon in the world but if the heart they bring you can't beat you're screwed all the same.

Regards,
Chris

[Bgt]

wow, the photo's sure look messy. I am happy to have UCD's and Hypex service. Never regretted that!!These guys(Hypex) sure know what service(after care) means.

[classd4sure]

Originally posted by Bgt
wow, the photo's sure look messy. I am happy to have UCD's and Hypex service. Never regretted that!!These guys(Hypex) sure know what service means.

A little honesty and straight forward approach sure goes a long way too, yeh?

Here's hoping whoever runs LCaudio these day's come around

[Bgt]

Originally posted by classd4sure
Here's hoping whoever runs LCaudio these day's come around

Absolutely!! Or at least offer service.

[TerryG]

Well I got a couple of very nice emails from: Lars B. Nielsen / Tech Support for LC Audio. At this point I am sending my modules in to get either repaired or replaced. It has only taken a year, since the smoke, to get this response. Above all else, I really want to know what happened, and what I can do to prevent it if possible. I really don't want to get two more working modules to go down this road all over again. I am going to install extra fuses in the amp on the DC side of the power supply.

My largest concern at this point is that I have the modules with the Blackgate caps. I really want modules with Blackgate caps. So if I get new ones it would be really nice if they would solder in the old caps, or at least send the caps back for me to do this. That is if they are any good anymore, I can't imagine why they would be bad. Although one the plastic wrap around it with the printing looks like it got hot, or the cap expanded as it has cracked open, so I don't know.

Anyway I am very excited at even the prospect of getting this amplifier working again, it was awesome when it was running. It didn't sound nearly as nice as my favorite class D amp, which was the very first one I listened to, but it was very easy to listen to. The most notable feature of its sound, was that there was absolutely no listener fatigue, you could listen for hours and the music was still appealing. It just didn't have the goosebump factor that my favorite class D amplifier did.

[classd4sure]

Goooood good, glad to hear it, I knew they would.

Better luck this time.