Small update: Today I dared trying to update firmware again with the newest tool (v 2.2) on my AIO 4CH and it worked flawlessly. Almost everything fine again, BUT: EQ-button has no function, neither in the configtool nor when I press the button on the amp. Only the LED changes color. Also the amp does not react to commands anymore 
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The outputs are normally in a bridge configuration, knows as BTL or "Bridge Tied Load". I believe - someone correct me if I'm wrong - when you run this amplifier "two channel" it's in a PBTL or "Parallel Bridge Tied Load".
The does allow for more power, but only when your speaker impedance can take advantage of the situation. Paralleling the output allows it to drive more current from the roughly 24VDC supply voltage. More current only helps if you have the load to sink it, i.e. 2 Ohm speakers, versus 4 or 8.
How about:
- A transportable, mono, PA for female jazz singer for small venues / rooms - say 100sqm - 50 people...
- Analog in - not shown in the data sheet... is it on the PCB? Will an ordinary dynamic mic be OK to hook up with good output?
Mic: dynamic, 2.0 mV/Pa -54 dBV, 300 ohms, 3-pin male XLR connector (standard song mic)
- MW GST160A24-R7B
AC-DC Industrial desktop adaptor with PFC; Output 24Vdc at 6.67A
- Connected to: 1 pcs Beyma 8XC20 in 2.0 mode
8” bass /1” exit HF, 170 w (L.F. unit) and 40 w (H.F. unit), High sensitivity: 95 dB (L.F. unit) and 105 dB (H.F. unit)
- Very simple operation...
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- A transportable, mono, PA for female jazz singer for small venues / rooms - say 100sqm - 50 people...
- Analog in - not shown in the data sheet... is it on the PCB? Will an ordinary dynamic mic be OK to hook up with good output?
Mic: dynamic, 2.0 mV/Pa -54 dBV, 300 ohms, 3-pin male XLR connector (standard song mic)
- MW GST160A24-R7B
AC-DC Industrial desktop adaptor with PFC; Output 24Vdc at 6.67A
- Connected to: 1 pcs Beyma 8XC20 in 2.0 mode
8” bass /1” exit HF, 170 w (L.F. unit) and 40 w (H.F. unit), High sensitivity: 95 dB (L.F. unit) and 105 dB (H.F. unit)
- Very simple operation...
- On / Off
- Volume
- Brighter sound / Duller sound - switch?
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These amplifiers do have analog in; mine are 12 bit but I'm sure the latest model is higher in bit width. I've run my Behringer mixer into the analog in and it sounds fine, yes, even at 12 bits with my vocals and guitar playing.
I'd say no way on the direct microphone drive idea. You'll need a mixer as balanced mic cord to unbalanced line level, gain, eq, compression, some "wet" effect - all provided by the QX1002 unit I have. Actually not much of an additional expense considering all the signal processing you can get these days. For example, I'd never sing / play in a venue without some compression available and in use. Behringer smart to include that feature on two channels...
Does not respond to commands in general, or only after pressing the EQ switch?Small update: Today I dared trying to update firmware again with the newest tool (v 2.2) on my AIO 4CH and it worked flawlessly. Almost everything fine again, BUT: EQ-button has no function, neither in the configtool nor when I press the button on the amp. Only the LED changes color. Also the amp does not react to commands anymore
Anyway, I will respond to your mail, and we can work it out.
I have a software fix for the EQ button.
@Defo , jjasniews answer is spot on. One benefit you have even if you are not planning on lowering the impedance is sharing the thermal load across the outputs, which is better than just leaving a channel unused.
@TNT Sounds like a plan! Analog in is possible via the 3.5mm socket in the main cable harness. It's sampled by the BT module and then brought over the amp via I2S. The input is rated for about 1Vrms, but a pre-mixer/amplifier is always nice to be able to control your input level.
I've read here where one speaker arrangement is to have L-R - Mono - R-L, which this amp could easily do. However wiring "criss-cross" the stereo BTL outputs to get L-R, R-L isnt as nice as being able to select that in software. I know each channel can be assigned R, L, or Mono. How about L-R, R-L as a channel input selection?
The TI AS5825M seem to include some interesting features for my application above - can they be activated for the product?
# 3-Band DRC
The 3-Band DRC can be used to automatically control the audio signal amplitude or the dynamic range within specified limits. Refer to Section 16.7 for more details.
# AGL (compressor)
The AGL can also be used to automatically control the audio signal amplitude or dynamic range within specified limits. Refer to Section 16.9 for more details.
# Smart Bass, Excursion Limiter, Thermal Limiter and Anti Clipper.
Smart Bass is an intelligent True Bass Alignment algorithm. .... Excursion Limiter and Thermal Limiter can predict potentially damaging situations, take timely precautions and therefore protect speakers from over-excursion and over-heating.
//
# 3-Band DRC
The 3-Band DRC can be used to automatically control the audio signal amplitude or the dynamic range within specified limits. Refer to Section 16.7 for more details.
# AGL (compressor)
The AGL can also be used to automatically control the audio signal amplitude or dynamic range within specified limits. Refer to Section 16.9 for more details.
# Smart Bass, Excursion Limiter, Thermal Limiter and Anti Clipper.
Smart Bass is an intelligent True Bass Alignment algorithm. .... Excursion Limiter and Thermal Limiter can predict potentially damaging situations, take timely precautions and therefore protect speakers from over-excursion and over-heating.
//
I did some development and testing but the conclusion that enabling this would require custom firmware AND a modified release of the configuration tool.
This is not something I am able to provide right now. Anyone that bought the amplifier with this specific feature in mind can email me for a partial refund.
Is this in reponse to me or TNT? If its for me, I do not fully understand what the question is.
They can be implemented in a fixed DSP configuration for larger orders. It's not something I am able to integrate into the configuration tool partially due to complexity and partially due to TI keeping some secrets around these calculations.
About 90mA
The barrel jack sounds like bad connection. I can send you a new cable if you like.
Ohh, thats a pity - I think a limiter is probably needed for a small "PA-system"...
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Hey - good to see you back! Hope all is well. It's a functionality request to you. It's a feature which may help sell your amplifiers. They have DSP, so I assume doing a simple math op like "R-L" - subtract the left channel from the right - is a trivial operation. So for each channel, you can currently select "R", "L" and "Mono", Mono of course being "R+L"...
I'm interested if, in addition to R+L, you could add R-L and L-R to that selection box, for each channel. Or for at least two of them.
Now, you can do this by simply connecting speakers across the L+ to R+ - which gives L-R, because the (-) speaker terminal is going to R+, it turns effectively into -R. Same idea connecting across L- and R-. But the amplifier doesnt particularly like those type of connections, as it's not expecting them by design. It works, but for how long and to what power level before it really complains, who knows. So obviously it'd be better to do that in software, well ahead of the amp outputs in the signal chain.
Why. Because that supports a specific speaker arrangement, which in some listening configurations, reputedly works pretty well. Three full range speakers; the one on the left carrying L-R, the one in the middle L+R the one on the right R-L. (the L+R could be PBTL with a crossover to a woofer, or the woofer could have its own channel still on the 4th output) It's a compact speaker arrangement form for Stereo listening, like a boom box or console size. This driver arrangement was pioneered, apparently, by another DIYAudio member.
The amplifier does have a sense on the Vcc supply and - unsure if implemented as a common, "in all chips" functionality or needs to be programmed / enabled - it's supposed to sense when the battery is running down and adjust the output power so there's no distortion, relative to when the volume was originally set.
If this is true, then by purposely allowing Vcc to collapse on high power transients, the amplifier will adjust for this and "limit" the volume setting so that it's reduced to whatever level necessary to not distort.
That would be the right R-C network; R in series with the power supply, C to ground. Amp pulls current, C holds up for a bit, then R drops voltage and Mr voltage sense notices, tells Mr volume to turn down; distortion avoided. Sounds like a limiter to me...
When I worked at Intel, we used to design CPU regulators to have a "load line", which simply means they had a defined output resistance; current demand goes up, voltage "droops" as a linear function of current. So I know this can be designed as part of a power supply's functionality. By changing that droop with a control, if all works as I imagine, you could literally have a "limiter" control in a PA design using this amp.
It should be easy to figure out if it does this. Set a volume level with, say 22V Vcc - then reduce that to 12V. Does the volume simply reduce with no distortion apparent?
Thanks! I'll test another one from a buddy of mine first and see how it goes
Hey guys, just pasted my last response to Jesse (lutkeveld) here because I'm quite unhappy with the product and support in general. It COULD surely be great, but since even basic functions that were mentioned in the datasheet are broken and I already had to make a lot of updates and tests and had a brick of an amp in the meantime I wanted to ask the community if they also have a similar experience...I only would buy again if all claimed functions really work flawlessly. And I'm not willing to post weekly here for that to happen. Please test your product Jesse!!!
"Hi Jesse,
sorry for the late answer. But since I also get a lot of late answers or no solutions at all I was almost giving up on you to be honest. The amp is built in and I need to remove a lot of screws each time I want to make a change. So I can't betatest for you as I said before. My problem is that almost each time I report some issue you come back to me after weeks or months and ask more questions. I don't understand you: "I have a custom firmware version which toggles the last two EQ slots, would this work for your application?"
Sorry? Your product claims to have EQ settings via button. This button used to work. Now after the firmware update it doesn't. Also if I send commands like status and so on, there is no response shown in your programming tool. If I send you such feedback I expect that you really try to help me with a hands on mentality or change my product to a functioning one. Why can't I just update the firmware without issues? Why we need a custom FW for basic functionality?
For future projects I have to look for a new amp, sorry. Support is just not where it should be and product is also not holding up to the claims made.
Best regards
Arne"
Am 06.11.2023 um 22:07 schrieb info@zoudio.com:
"Hi Jesse,
sorry for the late answer. But since I also get a lot of late answers or no solutions at all I was almost giving up on you to be honest. The amp is built in and I need to remove a lot of screws each time I want to make a change. So I can't betatest for you as I said before. My problem is that almost each time I report some issue you come back to me after weeks or months and ask more questions. I don't understand you: "I have a custom firmware version which toggles the last two EQ slots, would this work for your application?"
Sorry? Your product claims to have EQ settings via button. This button used to work. Now after the firmware update it doesn't. Also if I send commands like status and so on, there is no response shown in your programming tool. If I send you such feedback I expect that you really try to help me with a hands on mentality or change my product to a functioning one. Why can't I just update the firmware without issues? Why we need a custom FW for basic functionality?
For future projects I have to look for a new amp, sorry. Support is just not where it should be and product is also not holding up to the claims made.
Best regards
Arne"
Am 06.11.2023 um 22:07 schrieb info@zoudio.com:
I have to imagine it's a tough row to be everyone on what's ordinarily a team necessary to bring a product like this to market; hardware designer, firmware and application designer, product manager, customer facing designer, product support engineer, procurement and kit manager, product safety and failure analysis engineer.
I took apart a "Kicker" Zune amplified speaker recently. Board inside had a class D stereo amp and some ASIC that worked the Zune interface, the multfunction knob, etc. Made me wonder how many different engineers they had on the team that designed that thing -
I took apart a "Kicker" Zune amplified speaker recently. Board inside had a class D stereo amp and some ASIC that worked the Zune interface, the multfunction knob, etc. Made me wonder how many different engineers they had on the team that designed that thing -