Well that is why we should all use a DBT (dim bulb tester). The OP may not know what that is which is just a mains filament bulb wired in series with the live mains supply to the unit.
Any drastic overload will light the bulb and limit current flow.
Any drastic overload will light the bulb and limit current flow.
What I meant was what if the new chip fails during use, not during installation.
The OP is not so experienced as to be repairing damaged tracks, which can happen if components are repeatedly removed and soldered at the same place.
So again I say go for a good chip, LM1875 is a reasonably priced and reliable choice.
Dim bulb series tester to be used during testing of course.
The OP is not so experienced as to be repairing damaged tracks, which can happen if components are repeatedly removed and soldered at the same place.
So again I say go for a good chip, LM1875 is a reasonably priced and reliable choice.
Dim bulb series tester to be used during testing of course.
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I just found this listing on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08M3SHVJN
I'm in the US, west coast.
I'm sure they are fake, but I just need something that works okay... I will look into finding a real supplier and/or 1875 though.
I have left it on ~10min and it all seems cold, and capacitors seem good AFAICT.
From reading, I was also concerned about the insulation of the chip from the heatsink. But it seems that this one does not have any (??).
Here are pics: chip detached from heatsink
I did a continuity test with the multimeter and got a beep across the heatsink + pin 3, same as I got across the chip's metal tab + pin 3.
That seems bad, but maybe not too surprising for such a cheapo system?
See the above amazon listing.
For comparison, here's a different electronics seller: TDA2050 Price & Stock | DigiPart
They have TDA2050A as $0.708/piece for 10.
I don't know if that's any better than the amazon one, though 🙂
Edit: Though another supplier on that page has them at $2.475 USD apiece for 21. Maybe those are higher quality.
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The first one on Amazon is a no name fake, very bad.
The second one on Amazon has sanded ST markings, again a fake.
Real ST 2050 will have 1998 as the newest date codes, nearly impossible to get.
I use branded Chinese, that means they stand by their name. The chips are traceable to a factory which is quality certified. They work okay.
Wuxi has almost as many employees as ST...
Part of China Resources Corp.
Some chips have earthed tabs, don't worry until many chips are on the same heat sink.
If you do insist on 2050, buy UTC, those are decent legal copies.
Rochester has 1875 for $2.14 each, in NS and TI make.
NS audio business got taken over by TI.
UTC made 1875 are about 70 cents, see on Digipart.
I have put Chinese 2030A and 1875 in the same set, they work good...on left and right channels, replacing damaged NEC uPC 1238s, both Wuxi make.
The second one on Amazon has sanded ST markings, again a fake.
Real ST 2050 will have 1998 as the newest date codes, nearly impossible to get.
I use branded Chinese, that means they stand by their name. The chips are traceable to a factory which is quality certified. They work okay.
Wuxi has almost as many employees as ST...
Part of China Resources Corp.
Some chips have earthed tabs, don't worry until many chips are on the same heat sink.
If you do insist on 2050, buy UTC, those are decent legal copies.
Rochester has 1875 for $2.14 each, in NS and TI make.
NS audio business got taken over by TI.
UTC made 1875 are about 70 cents, see on Digipart.
I have put Chinese 2030A and 1875 in the same set, they work good...on left and right channels, replacing damaged NEC uPC 1238s, both Wuxi make.
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Not sure which you refer to here; there was only one amazon link.
You mean the cheap one on digipart? (link)
It's annoying that many of these are minimum order 10-20 pieces. So I may want to buy a $2 chip, but would have to pay $20 or more. Maybe there's some electronics store I can visit to buy one one-off, though.
Not a problem if the unit is designed that way and no insulation actually means better thermal contact. They can do that if the heatsink is only used for one component like this. It also means the heatsink will be at the same voltage as pin 3, again not an issue if the design was done like that.
Thanks.
Glad you are in USA and can order from a real supplier.
This is the real thing, TI made, not a copy, and from a MOST respected supplier.
https://www.mouser.com/Texas-Instru...ers/LM1875-Series/_/N-4gxtf?P=1yxyxasZ1z0zls6
Glad you are in USA and can order from a real supplier.
This is the real thing, TI made, not a copy, and from a MOST respected supplier.
https://www.mouser.com/Texas-Instru...ers/LM1875-Series/_/N-4gxtf?P=1yxyxasZ1z0zls6
There is a second source on that Amazon page, scroll real down...
Rochester too is in the USA, I think they are reputable too.
Mouser of course is very reputed.
Put a genuine chip, you will be impressed.
Rochester too is in the USA, I think they are reputable too.
Mouser of course is very reputed.
Put a genuine chip, you will be impressed.
Thank you all for your help!
I got the chip replaced/re-soldered, and it all seems to be working correctly again.
I am using the cheapo 2050 since I had already ordered, but may upgrade it with something decent.
In the meantime, I will not listen to Glitch Mob quite so loud 🙂
This forum has been a lot more helpful than other places I was asking, so thanks again. Plus got some soldering practice in — success all around!
I got the chip replaced/re-soldered, and it all seems to be working correctly again.
I am using the cheapo 2050 since I had already ordered, but may upgrade it with something decent.
In the meantime, I will not listen to Glitch Mob quite so loud 🙂
This forum has been a lot more helpful than other places I was asking, so thanks again. Plus got some soldering practice in — success all around!
It gives you a sense of achievement...Good to hear that our guidance worked.
I hope you mounted it with good coupling to the heat sink.
I think you got many at chips once, can you post a photo of the 2030?
Bear in mind that these should be run in, let us say, a conservative manner, compared to the real chips.
Meanwhile, see what chips are driving the satellite speakers, check them and their mounting and voltages as well.
And if you can, change to a good quality mains filter capacitor, should be in 2200 to 4700 uF range, use a 63V 105 degrees unit.
I hope you mounted it with good coupling to the heat sink.
I think you got many at chips once, can you post a photo of the 2030?
Bear in mind that these should be run in, let us say, a conservative manner, compared to the real chips.
Meanwhile, see what chips are driving the satellite speakers, check them and their mounting and voltages as well.
And if you can, change to a good quality mains filter capacitor, should be in 2200 to 4700 uF range, use a 63V 105 degrees unit.
I have a TI LM1875 on the way, so I'll swap that out when I can; see if I notice any difference.
It's funny you mention the satellite speakers - one of them (L) is not producing much sound. The speakers themselves are fine (if I swap them, it is always the one on the L channel with low output). I guess that is probably another electronics issue.
Unfortunately, I cannot remember if this was happening with the old burnt-out chip too; I might not have noticed. It seems unlikely that this chip I replaced, for the bass, would somehow be affecting the L channel satellite speaker. So probably a separate issue?
For now I am just mixing everything to mono in software, so I am down to 1 smaller speaker. Not sure exactly what to look for for that problem, though.
Here are closeups; there is the replacement 2050, and the old original 2030 with hard-to-read text: Imgur link
Fake but marked by maker, both are V-M rather than ST.
2050 will give better performance than 2030A, it can take more voltage.
The 2.1 or 4.1 circuits use a filter based on 5532 or 4558 op amps to feed bass or lower frequencies, that is one amplifier, driving the big speaker. Input is 2 channel stereo.
The other satellite speakers will have left / right if 2 amps are used, and if four chips are there, it will be a 4.1 circuit, L/R front, L/R back.
So total 3 or 5 chip amps will be in use.
Possible that L amp is weak, check voltages in there too, if OK, then the amp has gone weak, needs replacement.
Check all the speaker impedances also, and what type of circuit is there, what chips are in use.
Mostly 2030 / 2050/ 4440 are seen in these Chinese systems.
Put 1875 in place of those.
And if you really want more performance, look in this forum, 1875 is a long running thread, you need a bigger transformer...
2050 will give better performance than 2030A, it can take more voltage.
The 2.1 or 4.1 circuits use a filter based on 5532 or 4558 op amps to feed bass or lower frequencies, that is one amplifier, driving the big speaker. Input is 2 channel stereo.
The other satellite speakers will have left / right if 2 amps are used, and if four chips are there, it will be a 4.1 circuit, L/R front, L/R back.
So total 3 or 5 chip amps will be in use.
Possible that L amp is weak, check voltages in there too, if OK, then the amp has gone weak, needs replacement.
Check all the speaker impedances also, and what type of circuit is there, what chips are in use.
Mostly 2030 / 2050/ 4440 are seen in these Chinese systems.
Put 1875 in place of those.
And if you really want more performance, look in this forum, 1875 is a long running thread, you need a bigger transformer...
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