Which toggle to use for Charlize Soft Start

[sdk]

I'm a beginner to DIY audio. My first amp will be the Charlize.

Just wondering what 3-way toggle to use for the soft start ciruit. Below is list of the toggles that Welborne Labs offers. Can somebody tell me which one to get? Thanks.

SW-1 SPDT ON-NONE-ON (Flat Toggle) $10.00/ea

SW-2 DPDT ON-NONE-ON (Flat Toggle) $14.00/ea

SW-3 SPDT ON-OFF-ON (Bat Toggle) $10.00/ea

SW-4 DPDT ON-OFF-ON (Bat Toggle)

 

[Pano]

Switch 3 is your best bet. You really want an OFF-ON-ON, but that seems to be impossible to find in a toggle.

With switch 3, you will have to put the soft start on the bottom position (for example) and the full on at the top. That means you have to go from OFF in the center, to SOFT on the bottom, then switch quickly to ON at the top. Not the most natural progession, but it will work.

$10 for a toggle switch seems a little pricey, you should be able to find something for less than 1/2 that at a hardware or electrical store. SPDT ON-OFF-ON (or OFF-ON-ON if you can find one)

 

[Trebla]

I did mine with two switches.
The first a conventional on-off to switch the power supply.
Then an on-on changeover toggle to switch the resistor.
Just have to remember to make sure the second switch is in the right position before switching on.
Most of the time it's left powered up anyway.

 

[bbaker6212]

I'm no expert, but I'm wondering if this could be done by simply using a 3 way on-on-on toggle (is that a SP3T switch?). Position 1 is unconnected, position two goes to a resistor connected from position 2 to 3, and position 3 goes to amp +

The resistor from 2 to 3 is the "soft start".

 

[vt4c]

You're absolutely correct. Done best this way as you've pointed out. 🙂

I'm no expert, but I'm wondering if this could be done by simply using a 3 way on-on-on toggle (is that a SP3T switch?). Position 1 is unconnected, position two goes to a resistor connected from position 2 to 3, and position 3 goes to amp +

The resistor from 2 to 3 is the "soft start".

 

[bbaker6212]

Btw, is there any problem with this 1/2 watt "soft start" resistor that they recommended? The Charlize can draw as much as 40 watts I would think (it's a 20 watt/channel amp). If one was to leave the toggle in position 2 for more than a moment of time, could it fry?...

 

[vt4c]

When the switch is at the soft-start position, there will not be any signal output to the speaker. I did not measure what is the actual current consume by Chalize at that condition but suspect is very low....1/2 watt resistor should be okay. 🙂

Btw, is there any problem with this 1/2 watt "soft start" resistor that they recommended? The Charlize can draw as much as 40 watts I would think (it's a 20 watt/channel amp). If one was to leave the toggle in position 2 for more than a moment of time, could it fry?...

 

[Pano]

Yes, a 3 way ON-ON-ON is a good choice as stated above.

The amp will pull very little current when in the soft start postion. It may not even reach the 8V turn on threshold (my amps don't) so very little power is used.
1/2W works fine.

 

[JohnnyBoy]

Having the Visaton B200's which are rated 96 db at 1 watt,
the pop without the soft start when turned it on isn't that
big of a deal. I see it as Charlize telling me she is
"turned on" by my powerful touch! 😀


If I were to do the soft start, would this switch work?
http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/P...ne&category=Switches+Switches&product=2710265

 

[Pano]

That's not a switch, but perhaps you could use it as a sort of power dimmer to ramp up slowly. Maybe not the best solution, tho.

 

[edbethea]

This guy on eBay is selling a single pole toggle switch with the rare Off-On-On configation. Although it's weather resistant with toggle cover, all that can be removed. So then you'd get the prefered down-off, middle-soft start, up-full on switch positions.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=50459&item=8024558532

 

[weng]

hi all,

been a lurker here and this is my first post.

i am using an SPDT switch for the soft start of my charlize. the spdt switch i'm using has only 2 steps, ON-ON with no middle setting. the connections goes like this.

C1 - connect one end of resistor & connect +ve supply to amp
Common (middle) - connected from the psu +ve
C2 - connect the other end of resistor

when i turn ON the psu, 12v will be sent immediately to the amp thru the resistor (voltage = 4-5v goes to the amp). then, when i flip the switch, the resistor is by-passed and 12v goes directly to the amp.

got his config from yeo.


🙂

 

[cpemma]

i am using an SPDT switch for the soft start of my charlize. the spdt switch i'm using has only 2 steps, ON-ON with no middle setting. the connections goes like this.

C1 - connect one end of resistor & connect +ve supply to amp
Common (middle) - connected from the psu +ve
C2 - connect the other end of resistor

when i turn ON the psu, 12v will be sent immediately to the amp thru the resistor (voltage = 4-5v goes to the amp). then, when i flip the switch, the resistor is by-passed and 12v goes directly to the amp.

I think that's equivalent to a plain on/off (SPST) switch with the resistor wired across the two terminals. 'Off' position power flows through the resistor, 'On' the resistor is bypassed.

        o--+              
       /   |               /
psu---o    R      psu---+-o  o-+---amp
           |            |      |  
        o--+---amp      +--R---+

An electronics forum where ASCII art don't work?

 

[Pano]

'Off' position power flows through the resistor, 'On' the resistor is bypassed.

That will work, but the amp will never be fully OFF. You'll have IDLE and ON.
Kind of like the AMP6 with SLEEP and ON.

 

[weng]

cpemma,

ur absolutely right, spst does the same function. i was thinking of this too after i've installed the spdt but too late got the switch already.

cheers

 

[keefe]

As a complete "newbie", I have to ask what may be to most a fairly stupid question, and that is whether the "soft start" transition is recommended for all Charlize amps, or just those not fitted with a (ALPS 50K or 100K?) potentiometer?...

If the "volume control" was turned to min. before power-up, would this not avoid the worst of the problem?...

As my background has been in administration and management, rather than theoretical or practical electronics, I have neither theory or practice to help me solve this question!...

I have a natural reluctance to make any changes that may not be necessary!...

I would be very grateful for any clarification...

Keefe.

 

[Pano]

The power-up pop happens with or without a volume control, so the volume pot has no influence.
The pop comes from the charging of the input caps as well as the turn on of the power stage. All that is after the volume control.

So a soft start is good for all the T-AMPs.

 

[weng]

i will have a sonic impact t-amp soon and will put it together (same chassis) with the charlize.

does the soft-start config (resistor type) of charlize works the same with the sonic impact amp? i saw from the pics here that the sonic has a separate line for the switch unlike the charlize.

does the sonic's switch directly cuts the 12v psu fed to the amp?

i'm a noob....

 

[keefe]

"So a soft start is good for all the T-AMPs."... (Panomaniac)

Thanks for the clarification...

(I REALLY like your site!)...

Regards,


Keefe.

 

[jj1000]

Um, I'm confused about the soft soft start switch- I just bought an "on-off-on" switch at Radio Shack and it has 6 terminals- 3 on each side. As far as I can figure, I should wire the power supply to all 3 left terminals. Then wire out to Charlize with the top right and put the resistor between the middle right and top? It would seem that this would give me an off-on-on switch instead.
Is this correct or do I only attach the power supply to one terminal?

thanx,
Josh