First post here so, please, be gentle.
I have two April Music S1 stereo/mono power amps that had been humming along nicely for several years. The amps are based on the ICEpower 250ASX2 module. I've been using them since new in the mono configuration.
Several months ago, one of the amps started producing a horrendous noise when switched on. I was sure it was going to blow out the Esotar tweeter in its corresponding speaker. Thankfully, it did not.
I took the offending amp out of service and switched the other amp to the stereo configuration. That was fine for a while. Incredibly, about a month after the first meltdown, the second amp experienced the exact same failure!
With April Music out of business, there's no manufacturer's safety net in place.
Since so many forum members have experience with class D modules it seemed like a good resource to turn to for advice. While there is additional circuitry inside the S1 amps, I can't help but think the noise is most likely originating with the 250ASX2 modules. Is that a reasonable assumption? Replacing the modules would not be that difficult (expensive, but not difficult).
Yes, it is VERY curious that after years of service the two amps would fail within months of each other. Don't know what to say about that. I've replaced them with a pair of Schiit Vidars (in mono mode) and those amps have had no issues despite having been dropped into the exact same equipment setup as the April Music amps.
Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
I have two April Music S1 stereo/mono power amps that had been humming along nicely for several years. The amps are based on the ICEpower 250ASX2 module. I've been using them since new in the mono configuration.
Several months ago, one of the amps started producing a horrendous noise when switched on. I was sure it was going to blow out the Esotar tweeter in its corresponding speaker. Thankfully, it did not.
I took the offending amp out of service and switched the other amp to the stereo configuration. That was fine for a while. Incredibly, about a month after the first meltdown, the second amp experienced the exact same failure!
With April Music out of business, there's no manufacturer's safety net in place.
Since so many forum members have experience with class D modules it seemed like a good resource to turn to for advice. While there is additional circuitry inside the S1 amps, I can't help but think the noise is most likely originating with the 250ASX2 modules. Is that a reasonable assumption? Replacing the modules would not be that difficult (expensive, but not difficult).
Yes, it is VERY curious that after years of service the two amps would fail within months of each other. Don't know what to say about that. I've replaced them with a pair of Schiit Vidars (in mono mode) and those amps have had no issues despite having been dropped into the exact same equipment setup as the April Music amps.
Any thoughts, suggestions, recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
We're going to need a description of that noise before we can give you much help...
Same components from same batches, aged the same, fail at similar rates.
I'd suspect decoupling electrolytics as a plausible explanation, they do dry out and become less effective, which can lead to unwanted positive feedback via power rails eventually.
But life is seldom that simple!
I'd suspect decoupling electrolytics as a plausible explanation, they do dry out and become less effective, which can lead to unwanted positive feedback via power rails eventually.
But life is seldom that simple!
"Solid State" they say..."Work forever" they say. Sometimes, sometimes not is the actual reality.
A day came when my wife's HP laptop just wouldnt turn on. She uses this old Toshiba that we brought back from a 2 year hibernation, after putting W10 on it. It's falling apart at the case hinge, but keep on operating. My older model HP laptop is / has been solid as a rock. Why did the best machine of them all suddenly have this inexplicable and arbitrary failure?
Life is too short to suss out the exact cause within a machine of such complexity - unless you're being paid to do so being employed by the manufacturer - you did well to simply move on to the Schiits and leave it as a matter of curiosity.
A day came when my wife's HP laptop just wouldnt turn on. She uses this old Toshiba that we brought back from a 2 year hibernation, after putting W10 on it. It's falling apart at the case hinge, but keep on operating. My older model HP laptop is / has been solid as a rock. Why did the best machine of them all suddenly have this inexplicable and arbitrary failure?
Life is too short to suss out the exact cause within a machine of such complexity - unless you're being paid to do so being employed by the manufacturer - you did well to simply move on to the Schiits and leave it as a matter of curiosity.
I had a friend who did that... went out and payed $900 for a new laptop with features she would never use... Gave me the old one for "parts". Within 10 minutes I had it working again and was reinstalling windows... In the end her throw away mentality cost her $900 to replace a $0.79 charger plug...
