I experimented last weekend with different woofers and various resistors and no matter what same thing, Touchy volume fast distortion.
This leaves me to believe the problem is the pre amp gain. I'll have to study up on the 5532 but I think we should be able to change a resistor or two to get the sub section where it should be. Myself I would like to see the volume knob for the sub act like the volume knob for the mains.
Would also be nice to lower the crossover to the sub. Myself I would prefer it at 100hz max, 70hz would be better. That will be harder as I do not fully understand how to do that, probably be easier to stick a choke in front of the sub.
This leaves me to believe the problem is the pre amp gain. I'll have to study up on the 5532 but I think we should be able to change a resistor or two to get the sub section where it should be. Myself I would like to see the volume knob for the sub act like the volume knob for the mains.
Would also be nice to lower the crossover to the sub. Myself I would prefer it at 100hz max, 70hz would be better. That will be harder as I do not fully understand how to do that, probably be easier to stick a choke in front of the sub.
Can you bypass the preamp and tone controls? Do you have enough spare parts to just use something like an MP3 player with adjustable volume control and a small cap, ~2.2 uF, to feed the input of the 2030's directly?
That would defeat the purpose of this board. I bought this for the computer in my workshop.
I'll figure it out, once I do I'll replace the 2030's with 2050's and add a 4amp 18-0-18 transformer. Should rock the workshop then.
I'll figure it out, once I do I'll replace the 2030's with 2050's and add a 4amp 18-0-18 transformer. Should rock the workshop then.
I just suggested it for cornering the problem, not as a permanent solution. That is, if you bypass the preamp section temporarily, you could narrow down where the problem is coming from.
Then again, most of the inexpensive amps have tone control and preamps that you are better off not using if you aren't willing to replace the components. 🙂
Then again, most of the inexpensive amps have tone control and preamps that you are better off not using if you aren't willing to replace the components. 🙂
I purchased one of these kits and I could have sworn that the specs read that it could be driven by AC or DC.
I was hoping to drive it using two 12v lead acid batteries.
However, when hooked up, I get choked squeals and noise for a few seconds, then silence.
The same thing happened when I hooked up 12v 3A AC-DC converters.
I don't have any regulated AC supplies on hand, but what am I missing here?
Reading through the thread makes it sound like no one has gotten this amp to work properly.
The Chinese instructions aren't a big help.
I was hoping to drive it using two 12v lead acid batteries.
However, when hooked up, I get choked squeals and noise for a few seconds, then silence.
The same thing happened when I hooked up 12v 3A AC-DC converters.
I don't have any regulated AC supplies on hand, but what am I missing here?
Reading through the thread makes it sound like no one has gotten this amp to work properly.
The Chinese instructions aren't a big help.
I've pretty much made up my mind so it is a bit closed to alternatives. Not specifically true, I live in Silly Con Valley so I know there is a wide way of bad parts making it into the supply chain: Everything from 'recyclers' buying manufacturers drop outs then selling them as good parts in the gray market to dumpster divers. Something in the set of reasons you can end up with new parts that are bad.
I could barely get mine to work running it at the minimum voltage with the supplied parts. This is one of my favorite pictures I found on the net, I used to have it as my desktop background.
At +-12V you probably melted what were mostly broken chips to begin with. As you probably read in this thread, a couple of us have replaced the chips with ones from a different supplier and the good news is the amp sounds pretty good with real TDA2030 or one of the substitutes available like the TDA2040 or LM1875.
No one has taken me up on my offer to give away my extra chips. If you would like a pair of TDA2030 that are probably good, I didn't test them all, shoot me a private email with your address. Of course if you want to buy them new from a known good supplier, that is another option. The PC boards can only take so many heat cycles before they go south.
I could barely get mine to work running it at the minimum voltage with the supplied parts. This is one of my favorite pictures I found on the net, I used to have it as my desktop background.
At +-12V you probably melted what were mostly broken chips to begin with. As you probably read in this thread, a couple of us have replaced the chips with ones from a different supplier and the good news is the amp sounds pretty good with real TDA2030 or one of the substitutes available like the TDA2040 or LM1875.
No one has taken me up on my offer to give away my extra chips. If you would like a pair of TDA2030 that are probably good, I didn't test them all, shoot me a private email with your address. Of course if you want to buy them new from a known good supplier, that is another option. The PC boards can only take so many heat cycles before they go south.
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I'm pretty sure the pre amp is the problem with the sub woofer, just too much gain. I need to spend a day just staring and tracing out the board, hopefully I can just change a resistor on the amp side for the gain,
I have a couple of other projects I am working on. The 2.1 was bought because it is a finished board for $12.50 so I bought 2.
I prominently fried one using a 4 ohm sub, but the second is playing nice music considering the lame power supply (12.6-0-12.6 2 amps)
Hi ! 🙂
I made a 2.1 speaker kit ( 15W per satellite and 60W for the subwoofer ), which is running with a Logitech Z313 amplifier ( STA540 chip ). The amplifier has to drive 8 ohms speakers and is quickly falling down when I push up the volume. I'm a beginner in DIY amplifiers.
I think I'm going replace the Z313 amp with the XY Hi-Fi TDA2030A amplifier from this topic. I read it has some problem of overheating, of low input voltage ( 12V - 0V - 12V transformer is not enough ? ), and some parts may be counterfeits. I have to buy a transformer, knobs, case, cables, etc ... and it will cost some money. But is that amplifier worth spending so much money ?
Do you know any other better 2.1 amplifier ?
Thanks ! 🙂
I made a 2.1 speaker kit ( 15W per satellite and 60W for the subwoofer ), which is running with a Logitech Z313 amplifier ( STA540 chip ). The amplifier has to drive 8 ohms speakers and is quickly falling down when I push up the volume. I'm a beginner in DIY amplifiers.
I think I'm going replace the Z313 amp with the XY Hi-Fi TDA2030A amplifier from this topic. I read it has some problem of overheating, of low input voltage ( 12V - 0V - 12V transformer is not enough ? ), and some parts may be counterfeits. I have to buy a transformer, knobs, case, cables, etc ... and it will cost some money. But is that amplifier worth spending so much money ?
Do you know any other better 2.1 amplifier ?
Thanks ! 🙂
Mine works fine after replacing the ICs. I got my new chips from Jameco.com but probably any good supplier like Digikey or Farnell should be just as good. It's ~$10 for new chips which means the amp still costs about 1/2 of what a good kit would cost so I would still go that route.
About the only thing I would maybe do different is get a kit with a heat sink included. Hard to screw up a heat sink and to get one separately adds another $6-$10. to the cost.
About the only thing I would maybe do different is get a kit with a heat sink included. Hard to screw up a heat sink and to get one separately adds another $6-$10. to the cost.
Ok, thanks for your reply 😉
What is your transformer voltage ? Is a 12V-0V-12V ( 100VA ) transformer enough or should I get something with a greater voltage or more VA ?
One last question and it will be okay 😛 Are there other 2.1 kits I could get even if they are a little more expensive ( 15-20 $ ) ?
What is your transformer voltage ? Is a 12V-0V-12V ( 100VA ) transformer enough or should I get something with a greater voltage or more VA ?
One last question and it will be okay 😛 Are there other 2.1 kits I could get even if they are a little more expensive ( 15-20 $ ) ?
Hello,
Something still bothers me ...
The amp. is powered by a 12V-0V-12V power supply, but the TDA2030A are given for 16-22V.
Will the output power really be 2*18W + 36W ?
Something still bothers me ...
The amp. is powered by a 12V-0V-12V power supply, but the TDA2030A are given for 16-22V.
Will the output power really be 2*18W + 36W ?
The board has a full wave bridge rectifier on it. General rule of thumb is 1.4X AC voltage is what you will get so 24VAC center tapped => +-16.8V. There are other things that happen like your 24VAC transformer will put out ~27 VAC with no load that can be ignored.
If you cross all your t's and dot all your i's, it should approach 18 Watts/channel. By that I mean; get a serious transformer and heat sink. The sound level will not just be about Watts, speaker efficiency is really important. Speakers with a SPL of 92 will sound twice as loud as ones with an 89 rating. There's been some talk on what listening level you actually use and what head room you need. One Watt with the capability of at least 16X that for things like bass drum beat seems to be reality so you will be in a sweet spot. I do turn my other amps up quite a bit higher then that but I live in the country and have a large room where I listen to music. Five Watts is a party. 🙂
As far as what you buy, that 100VA transformer will have a built in safety margin that makes it a good choice. Amplifier efficiency can in worse case be ~60% with this design. To get 36 Watts of music, you will also be generating ~14 Watts of heat so minimum to drive it at rated output would be ~50VAC. 50VAC is what I am using on mine and sound levels exceed what you can comfortably listen to.
If you cross all your t's and dot all your i's, it should approach 18 Watts/channel. By that I mean; get a serious transformer and heat sink. The sound level will not just be about Watts, speaker efficiency is really important. Speakers with a SPL of 92 will sound twice as loud as ones with an 89 rating. There's been some talk on what listening level you actually use and what head room you need. One Watt with the capability of at least 16X that for things like bass drum beat seems to be reality so you will be in a sweet spot. I do turn my other amps up quite a bit higher then that but I live in the country and have a large room where I listen to music. Five Watts is a party. 🙂
As far as what you buy, that 100VA transformer will have a built in safety margin that makes it a good choice. Amplifier efficiency can in worse case be ~60% with this design. To get 36 Watts of music, you will also be generating ~14 Watts of heat so minimum to drive it at rated output would be ~50VAC. 50VAC is what I am using on mine and sound levels exceed what you can comfortably listen to.
Okay, thanks 🙂 Don't worry, I'll get a big heatsink to keep the chips cool.
I think I'm going to chose a LM1875-based amplifier ( more powerful ). I prefer to have a comfortable headroom, we never know 😀
I think I'm going to chose a LM1875-based amplifier ( more powerful ). I prefer to have a comfortable headroom, we never know 😀
Hi,
I'm currently ordering a dual BTL TDA2030a board, almost like this one. after blowing up a few tda2030 in my single BTL board. Have anyone using this board?
BTL TDA2030A Amplifier Amp board Components DIY Kit 34Wx2 Single Power Supply
PS: Sorry to hijack the thread. Its just the conversation on the tda2030a is very great, and I want to ask about it. Since when my prev. tda2030a blow up, made my windows phone cannot play any other sounds using the headphone jack. T_T Yeah I'm using my phone as a source for testing. Big mistakes.
I'm currently ordering a dual BTL TDA2030a board, almost like this one. after blowing up a few tda2030 in my single BTL board. Have anyone using this board?
BTL TDA2030A Amplifier Amp board Components DIY Kit 34Wx2 Single Power Supply
PS: Sorry to hijack the thread. Its just the conversation on the tda2030a is very great, and I want to ask about it. Since when my prev. tda2030a blow up, made my windows phone cannot play any other sounds using the headphone jack. T_T Yeah I'm using my phone as a source for testing. Big mistakes.
I went down to my storage area and picked up my 16 ohm PA speakers. They use a Carvin 16 ohm 8" woofer. I'll be on vacation next week and plan of hooking one of them up to the sub connection on 2.1 amp and see how it responds.
If I have time I may fix the other 2.1 amp I have, and replace the 2030 chips with 2050, plus any caps that can't handle 36volts. I have a couple 18-0-18 4 amp transformers and 1 needs to be tried out on this 2.1 system.
If I have time I may fix the other 2.1 amp I have, and replace the 2030 chips with 2050, plus any caps that can't handle 36volts. I have a couple 18-0-18 4 amp transformers and 1 needs to be tried out on this 2.1 system.
Nice kit, anything under 10 bucks I always buy 2 because I am known for screwing something up.
Let us know how that works out, myself I would like to find a board without the power supply on it but still bridgeable/paralleled with a volume knob.
Haha so do I. I also buy 2 piece. Plan to parallel bridge the unit. So its a parallel bridged BTL TDA2030 amplifier.
Hope it would be a good one. Gonna be extra carefull this time not to blow any of my gadget.
The kit is still in shipping. So please bear with me.
Sorry I mean to Parallel BTL the amp.
Wasn't trying to build a mono amp.
I'm just curious with the power requirements.
Right now I have a 5 amps EI transformer. Output at 12-0-12 giving around 120 watts.
The amp is 36W (18W BTL) * 2 Channel = 72 Watts * 2 Unit = 144 Watts.
Over spec by 24 watts. not mentioning efficiency lost.
Anyway, while BTL is to swing the output volt more, Parallel is to increase the output amp.
Anything I should worry about this project?
Thanks,
Pieter
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