Has anyone replaced existing powered speaker amps with something else? Do you have a favorite amp module for live sound?
I have 4 EAW EP2's and subs. Three of the EP2 amps are dead. I think they are class G or H. I'm wanting to reuse the PS, Input section, and active Xover but replace the amp section with new amp modules. I've been looking at IRS2092S based class D amps. I have seen some amps at Connexelectronic that look good. I could be happy with 200 - 300 clean watts into 8 ohms, more would not hurt my feelings. The PS could do several different voltages but I think the +/- 63 or +/- 73 VDC would be the most useful; the others are over 100 VDC.
I have 4 EAW EP2's and subs. Three of the EP2 amps are dead. I think they are class G or H. I'm wanting to reuse the PS, Input section, and active Xover but replace the amp section with new amp modules. I've been looking at IRS2092S based class D amps. I have seen some amps at Connexelectronic that look good. I could be happy with 200 - 300 clean watts into 8 ohms, more would not hurt my feelings. The PS could do several different voltages but I think the +/- 63 or +/- 73 VDC would be the most useful; the others are over 100 VDC.
I live in Argentina and had to do something similar many times, because of unavailability of Factory servicing help or original replacement boards.
But I have generally stripped all guts in full, used only the power transformer , sometimes recycled the filter caps and bridge rectifier and not much else, obviously mounted on original backplate/chassis and reusing heatsinks.
But always lost all original bells and whistles, just put a plain power amp there (with built in limiting), a couple parallel input/output jacks or XLR, a volume pot, and called it a day.
No fancy processing or anything else because generally such powered cabinets have a huge "all in one" PCB, including PSU, Power amp and processing .
Although possible in theory, I can't trace and cut the big PCB with a Dremel wheel and leave what's needed, so fitting new functional guts is fast and justifies time spent.
In USA that same job would not be made, because in general "you can find another similar working cabinet on Craigslist or EBay for less than 200$" but here people are happy of being able to continue using their old workhorse instead of buying a new one for a much higher price.
The problem is relatively easy to solve "electronically" , but many times you can't "mechanically" fit a new module to the existing hardware, so check that first.
But I have generally stripped all guts in full, used only the power transformer , sometimes recycled the filter caps and bridge rectifier and not much else, obviously mounted on original backplate/chassis and reusing heatsinks.
But always lost all original bells and whistles, just put a plain power amp there (with built in limiting), a couple parallel input/output jacks or XLR, a volume pot, and called it a day.
No fancy processing or anything else because generally such powered cabinets have a huge "all in one" PCB, including PSU, Power amp and processing .
Although possible in theory, I can't trace and cut the big PCB with a Dremel wheel and leave what's needed, so fitting new functional guts is fast and justifies time spent.
In USA that same job would not be made, because in general "you can find another similar working cabinet on Craigslist or EBay for less than 200$" but here people are happy of being able to continue using their old workhorse instead of buying a new one for a much higher price.
The problem is relatively easy to solve "electronically" , but many times you can't "mechanically" fit a new module to the existing hardware, so check that first.
Thanks for your insight. These amps are broken up into several different boards but there is definitely a good amount of integration there. If I can't seperate out what I want i'll probably do the same as you mentioned. I'd love to find a $200 replacement for these speakers but I think that if they are to be found the price will be higher. I want to work with these cabinets because I think that the drivers have a good sound. The vocal distortion seems low to me. Some female vocals seem to find the distortion in speakers but, in the ones I tried, they sound better.
So has anyone used any of the many modules available and liked them, for PA?
So has anyone used any of the many modules available and liked them, for PA?
I've screwed a board with a neutrik speaker connector over the hole and use a rack amps with a digital processor, digital EQ, digital alignment delay, digital crossover, remote system check, all the latest bells & whistles that I could not install in each speaker. Dollars per watt goes down in bulk too, when you get really big class "D" amps. Very flexible for the future. Just perhaps not quite as easy to scale power to speakers for each gig.
^ same. Cheap plastic box with dead amp, threw the electronics in the bin
Used some scrap ply, couple of Speakons...
Used some scrap ply, couple of Speakons...
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