Hacking the Logitech Z5500

Z5500 direct connection through db15 - Center channel not working

Hi,

After investing another 3 hours and studying the logic of the HTC139, I was able to fix some of my previous problems. Opposed to previous solutions for my PID 512 I had to hook up pin 7 to +5V and not connect pin 8 at all. This way, amplification is normal and no distortion occurs on the front channels. The only thing I didn't manage to get working without a workaround was the center channel. So I still had to connect +8V to center enable on the subwoofer board. I also added a switch between +5V and pin 7. I'll also add a LED before and after the switch to display main power and "power on".

Pin 7 and pin 8 are connected to 1A and 1B of the HTC139. 1G is always low. Y1 and Y3 are controlling "power on" and "center on". So with the right combination of signals on pin 7 and pin 8 you're able to switch on the amp. Feel free to hook up +5 or GND to those pins to experiment. Due to the HTC139 you won't do no harm.

The pin-out of my amp is:
1: Rear Right (brown)
2: Subwoofer (grey)
3: Left Right (yellow-black)
4: Center (blue-black)
5: Left Front (yellow)
6: not connected
7: Power ON (blue)
8: Mute (white)
9: Right Front (violett)
10: +8V (red)
11: ground (green)
12: ? (white-black)
13: ground (green)
14: +18V (red-black)
15: -18V (black)

I have a pre-636 Z5500. I managed to make it fully work using a direct connection using DB15 connector (I also used a voltage divider and impedance bridging very simple circuit to use it with RCA connectors at the other end)... except the center channel which is not working.

My question is, how can I make the center channel work (activate/unmute it) ? The circuit is different than yours, as it is an older board version.

Thanks in advance !


udem1234
 
I have read some of the post here but I am still a bit confused. I have a pid 938 unit. I would like to use only the active sub for now. I am not sure so someone could help to build the right cable.
Do I need the 5v voltage regulator, or this is used only in the pre 636 pid version? Do post 636 units need it? Accordind to some posts for post 636 units someone has to connect ground 13 to 6,7 and 8. Is this correct? Does the previous video suggests this?

For the active sub then I have to use just 2 and 13. Is this ok?
If I will use a volume control will this degrade sound quality? what are the best specifications for this?

thanks
 
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Active sub post 636

Accordind to some posts for post 636 units someone has to connect ground 13 to 6,7 and 8. Is this correct? Does the previous video suggests this?

For the active sub then I have to use just 2 and 13. Is this ok?
If I will use a volume control will this degrade sound quality? what are the best specifications for this?

thanks

I can confirm this works for a pid 938 unit, i guess amp is always on. This is only for the active sub, without volume control.

What I cannot do is use R + L for its input, just only one signal. Does anyone knows a way for this sub to use the stereo signal (R+L information) for the sub?
 
Hi Guys,

I have intently read thru most of the post's on this thread, looking for answers for my z5500.

My right speaker suddenly started to have pops and crackle's going on constantly, but stopped when muting the system. After searching and searching i finally found the issue was in the cable end of the control pod. somewhere in the end of the cable it is broken and shorting or somthing. So in the end i got a new VGA plug and cut the end off my control POD's lead.

That was after i mapped the cables, colors and pins.

My PID is R439 and i tested that it wasnt the SUB by plugging in my second z5500's Control pod with a PID of R743, and that worked flawlessly.

The below is Pinout with colors and the meanings.

I Also found if you Short the Red +8V 10 with the Blue 7, it will turn the amp on. But i only used this for testing, as it had a mean as howl in the speakers. Probably because it may need a voltage regulator for the Pre amp, and 8V causes interference.


Shielded

Yellow - Left Front - 5
Blue/Black - Centre - 4
Black/Yellow - Left Rear - 3
Grey - Sub - 2
Brown - Right Rear - 1
Purple - Right Front - 9
Black - Neg - 15
Red - Positive - 14

Non-Shielded

Red - +8v Logic - 10
White - Enable - 8
Blue - Enable - 7
Orange - Enable - 6
Light Green - Ground - 13
White Black - MUTE - 12
Green - On/OFF - 11

After replacing the end of the cable, shes perfect again, no crackles etc..

Hope this helps someone.

Keddy.
 
Replacement cable for popping/ crackling Z5500?

Hi Guys,

I have intently read thru most of the post's on this thread, looking for answers for my z5500.

My right speaker suddenly started to have pops and crackle's going on constantly, but stopped when muting the system. After searching and searching i finally found the issue was in the cable end of the control pod. somewhere in the end of the cable it is broken and shorting or somthing. So in the end i got a new VGA plug and cut the end off my control POD's lead.

That was after i mapped the cables, colors and pins.

My PID is R439 and i tested that it wasnt the SUB by plugging in my second z5500's Control pod with a PID of R743, and that worked flawlessly.

The below is Pinout with colors and the meanings.

I Also found if you Short the Red +8V 10 with the Blue 7, it will turn the amp on. But i only used this for testing, as it had a mean as howl in the speakers. Probably because it may need a voltage regulator for the Pre amp, and 8V causes interference.


Shielded

Yellow - Left Front - 5
Blue/Black - Centre - 4
Black/Yellow - Left Rear - 3
Grey - Sub - 2
Brown - Right Rear - 1
Purple - Right Front - 9
Black - Neg - 15
Red - Positive - 14

Non-Shielded

Red - +8v Logic - 10
White - Enable - 8
Blue - Enable - 7
Orange - Enable - 6
Light Green - Ground - 13
White Black - MUTE - 12
Green - On/OFF - 11

After replacing the end of the cable, shes perfect again, no crackles etc..

Hope this helps someone.

Keddy.

Where did you get your replacement VGA cable & connector? And do you have a photo of your rewiring? I have a POD with PID of 542 and it makes a popping / crackling noise on the Right Front Channel also. I'd like to try this fix.. Thanks - Also anyone else feel free to chime in if you have better suggestion. Thanks
 
Hey there, I'm new to this, but have it all cut up and wired just like your diagram. It does sound like the speakers have turned on though. I was wondering, in your diagram, it shows pin 7 (blue) which is enable amplifier, connected to ground. Would I want to connect this one to the voltage regulator output? I have the output of the voltage regulator connected to the pin 8 (White) enable mute... I'm thinking this may be the issue! Let me know:)
 
5500 Bypass Cable Construction

Hello,
I do realize it is 2016 and these threads are old, but would anyone be of any help: Here is my scenario.( A picture of my setup is attached)
My PID is R608 for the Z-5500.

Pins:
1- Brown (Right Rear)
2- Grey (Subwoofer)
3- Yellow/Black (Left Rear)
4- Blue/Black (Center)
5- Yellow (Left Front)
6- Not connected
7- Blue (Enable Amplifier)
8- White (Enable Mute)
9- Purple (Right Front)
10- Red (+8v)
11- Dark Green (On/Off)
12- White/Black (Mute)
13- Light Green (Ground)
14- Red/Black (+18v)
15- Black (-18v)

Anyways, I have them turned on and basically only the front left and right channels work. Cannot seem to get center/sub/and surround channels to generate sound.
 

Attachments

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Sub-woofer z5500 for sale

I have a Z5500 R542. The board is bad (I'm certain) but the sub woofer innards and cone are in tact. I'm willing to sell it for the right price and shipping costs. I'm in Seattle, Wa. Even willing to sell it local. PM me or email to the same name above @gmail
 
Got a 0451 R / 115395 model that I pulled out of storage. It's connected to a creative usb soundcard via spdif. When powered on it has a very low volume hiss, not really bothersome but when I have any source started (paused movie or muted) I get a really loud hiss. This happens with both pcm and dd/dts streams.

So if it says "no digital data" no hiss, if it says PCM or Dolby Digital Live or DTS I get a very annoying hiss.

Is this a speaker problem or source problem (that creative is plugged in a rPI 3 running OSMC) ?
 
Just want to thank everyone for their help, especially przano and neuweiler. I too had a malfunctioning control pod (R547), that started with LOUD popping from all speakers and eventually degenerated into the following error in the LCD:

Error Loadingt 96--24
DSPABT: Detecting...


Well, I wired up a small circuit board inside a small box according to przano's post.

With R547 I did NOT ground pins 6 or 7, but everything else was identical to his diagram.

And, it works!! I bought a 4-gang and two 1-gang pots on digikey, and used a switch I had lying around.

The soldering and assembly isn't going to win any awards, but the speakers are back up and running.

Thank you to all who provided the forum with this information!

ojVRPgO.jpg
 
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z5500 control pod/amp repair

Hi guys, It's my first time posting here, but I've been searching everywhere on the internet on how to repair my control pod/amp and have had no luck. The fuse on the outside of the subwoofer is fine, but there are no lights on the control pod (on switch nor lcd), so I can't switch on the sound system. I am however getting correct 18V measurements from the d-type connector on the sub. Although I believe the other measurements (pins 6 to 8) are low.

Coming out of the sub DB15 connector I'm measuring:
1...5 speaking inputs (not important)
6 - enable in (reading +0.84V)
7 - enable in (reading +0.84V)
8 - enable in (reading +0.84V)
9 - Right Front in (not important)
10 - +8V logic supply out (reading +8.2V)
11 - ?
12 - ?
13 - ground
14 - +18 V supply out (reading +18V)
15 - -18 V supply out (reading -18V)

What does the control pod need to switch on? is there some sort of logic in the background that increases the voltages on pins 6 to 8 up to I believe 2.75 volts? I've checked the board on the control pod and WA10 seems to be reading something in the region of 3.5V against both the shield and ground (WA2) which I find is strange if I just measured 8.2V on the connector for the same pin (checked continuity).

Would you guys have any ideas?

I would be very grateful if anybody could help me as I love my speakers and I really want to fix them!
 
I hacked my Z5500, too
since 2011 ist hacked.
i put the rca wire direct in front of the amp so i dont use the preamp anymore.
But i got an Problem, if i regulate the volume with an poty, my right channel is become very noise and then my lift starts to become noise. so it cant be regulated. only the Center, Sub, and back loudspeaker. i have checked all! it is the amp that makes the Problems. if i regulate the volume on my Computer it is working very fine. i maked an short circuit with an resistor - after the rca jack. could this be my Problem that one is broken? does anybody got an clue?
 
i edit it!

I hacked my Z5500, too
since 2011 ist hacked.
i put the rca wire direct in front of the amp so i dont use the preamp anymore.
But i got an Problem, if i regulate the volume with an poty, my right channel is become very quiet and then my left starts to become qiuet. so it cant be regulated. only the Center, Sub, and back loudspeaker. i have checked all! it is the amp that makes the Problems. if i regulate the volume on my Computer it is working very fine. i maked an short circuit with an resistor - after the rca jack. could this be my Problem that one is broken? does anybody got an clue?

i cut the resistor and it is not even better. i use 4 pots and the Sound becomes dump and not clear anymore. :-/
 
In order to use the subwoofer (PID R922) only with my AVR (Yamaha RX-V781) I made the cable like this. It works great.

One end is Female DE15 connector the other is Male RCA connector.
I altered a shielded VGA extension cable.

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

Are there any such guides ITT for R527 era PUID?
 
Z5500 blown right channel

Hi I'm new to this forum and was hoping somebody would be able to point me in the right direction as I can't seem to find much information on repairing a blown channel in the z5500. Speaker works fine on left center channels so Im sure the wires shorted at some point in time.
 
Question. I like everyone else have a failed Pod. Apparently a replacement Pod is over $100... If I was to get one of those cables or little boxes that are supposed to replace the pod, is there any loss in quality or anything at all? PID R720 btw.

Also if anyone has a replacement pod they are looking to sell for a decent price let me know! lol