I have an Acoustic Reality ear 2 (I think) that probably has not been powered up in 15 years.
It has a pair of B&O IcePower 500A MKII boards that look fine, and a decent sized power supply
with big 10,000uF 100V caps.
I've never worked on a digital amp and am wondering should I power it up on a Variac say
90 to 100V and let the caps form?
Printed on the board is ICE500A MKII
Any suggestions?
It has a pair of B&O IcePower 500A MKII boards that look fine, and a decent sized power supply
with big 10,000uF 100V caps.
I've never worked on a digital amp and am wondering should I power it up on a Variac say
90 to 100V and let the caps form?
Printed on the board is ICE500A MKII
Any suggestions?
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I think what you are trying to say is that the power supply is a linear type. If YES, I'd disconnect the AMP PCB(S), and then increase the voltage slowly using a variac, to check/form the big electrolytes and see if the rails look okay. If all looks okay with nominal AC voltage at input (110V AC..??), I'd attach a big resistor to the DC out terminal (resistor load test) to see how the current holds up...
If the power supply is an SMPS, the variac thing will not work. Nevertheless, I'd still disconnect the AMP PCB(S), and then see if the SMPS is working okay without the amp PCBs attached.... I'd do a resistor load test (same as above).
Good luck.
If the power supply is an SMPS, the variac thing will not work. Nevertheless, I'd still disconnect the AMP PCB(S), and then see if the SMPS is working okay without the amp PCBs attached.... I'd do a resistor load test (same as above).
Good luck.
Yes, probably linear, I'll take a closer look and that makes sense to just form the caps, thanks!
Yes, linear supply, something strange, there an obvious power switch, then there's
another high current switch that's single pole, not sure what it does. This is a very
wacky amp but I don't want to blow it up.
I'm going to look for the manual for this amp.
@TNT do you know what the other switch is by any chance?
Data sheet for the amp modules in .pdf:
https://www.parts-express.com/pedoc...500a-class-d-amp-module-1x500w-data-sheet.pdf
another high current switch that's single pole, not sure what it does. This is a very
wacky amp but I don't want to blow it up.
I'm going to look for the manual for this amp.
@TNT do you know what the other switch is by any chance?
Data sheet for the amp modules in .pdf:
https://www.parts-express.com/pedoc...500a-class-d-amp-module-1x500w-data-sheet.pdf
I had no luck finding the manual. To me it looks like a main power switch at the AC input and then a switch that you reach under the front to turn it on/off.
Here's a High Fidelity review in .pdf from 2002 with pictures of this odd amplifier:
The majority of comments about this amp are very positive.
The majority of comments about this amp are very positive.
That review is of the Ear 2 which also has the 500A Ice modules, but mine has the power
supply board in a vertical position. The review unit has Speakons for output but the text
says that WBT binding posts will be used in the future. This has binding posts. There is no
model number on this amp so I'm not sure if it is an earlier/later revision. The front panel
printing is exactly the same.
The amp in the review is 250/ch at 8 ohms but I'm not sure if they test it with both channels
driven. The review also shows 380W into 4 and 550W into 2 ohms. It tests the output
current into those loads and also into .6 ohms which it is rated to tolerate. Impressive.
Review of the Ear Enigma Plus from Feb 2004 that looks like mine but he says that it is 120W/ch:
https://6moons.com/audioreviews/acousticreality/enigma.html
Peter Thomsen seems to be the contact at Acoustic Reality who made claims of tolerating .6
ohm loads and changing 20 components on the Ice boards. There are negative comments
about him in online forums.
supply board in a vertical position. The review unit has Speakons for output but the text
says that WBT binding posts will be used in the future. This has binding posts. There is no
model number on this amp so I'm not sure if it is an earlier/later revision. The front panel
printing is exactly the same.
The amp in the review is 250/ch at 8 ohms but I'm not sure if they test it with both channels
driven. The review also shows 380W into 4 and 550W into 2 ohms. It tests the output
current into those loads and also into .6 ohms which it is rated to tolerate. Impressive.
Review of the Ear Enigma Plus from Feb 2004 that looks like mine but he says that it is 120W/ch:
https://6moons.com/audioreviews/acousticreality/enigma.html
Peter Thomsen seems to be the contact at Acoustic Reality who made claims of tolerating .6
ohm loads and changing 20 components on the Ice boards. There are negative comments
about him in online forums.
Dummy load, my finger in the picture for size reference, 225W each:
This was given to me as scrap from a local company:
This was given to me as scrap from a local company:
Finally got around to testing this amp, both channels driven and I'm getting 40 Vrms (200W) out right before clipping.
I didn't check the line voltage but one model is rated at 250W and another at 120W. Perhaps they do it one
channel driven, not sure. Tested it at 20, 1K and 5KHz and same clipping point for all of them.
I doubt that they'd use the 500A ICE modules for a 120W/ch amp so this is probably the bigger one.
I didn't check the line voltage but one model is rated at 250W and another at 120W. Perhaps they do it one
channel driven, not sure. Tested it at 20, 1K and 5KHz and same clipping point for all of them.
I doubt that they'd use the 500A ICE modules for a 120W/ch amp so this is probably the bigger one.