$175 Class D amp--120 wpc

bprice2 · « **Reply #2040 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 06:23 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 24 Sep 2010, 01:59 pm

Where are the pictures of the amps that some of you bought cases for?

Let's see them!!!

Okie doke, here it goes....

I purchased a case from jtwrace to house two CDA 224 amps, a CDA heavy duty power supply and the standard transformer that CDA sends out with its kits. The amp had been sitting on a board for way too long and it was past time to put it in a decent case.

The amp is powering a couple of open-baffle subs.

The subs work like this: the signal comes from the line-level outs of my Red Wine Audio Signature 30, which is tied to an attenuator that also controls the volume of the mains. From the RWA the signal goes to a couple of crossovers constructed by Bolder Cable, then to a Reckhorn B-2, which serves as an attenuator and EQ. After the Reckhorn is a Burson Buffer and then the CDA amp. The subs are Hawthorne Audio Augies mounted on 3/4" MDF.

I really love the sound of this set up. The bass is both driving and articulate. I don't have any of the problems with boominess like I did with my boxed sub. The CDA amp handles bass duty superbly IMHO.

Sorry for not snapping one of the inside.

starkiller · « **Reply #2041 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 08:48 pm »

Barry

Tom did not sell these directly?? I thought it came from his web site?
If he didn't sell this direct then I really appreciate him taking the time to fix it, he's charging me for it of course but still, awfully nice

jtwrace · « **Reply #2042 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 10:03 pm »

Very nice!

Nice case man!

Mariusz · « **Reply #2043 on:** 24 Sep 2010, 10:55 pm »

Barry_NJ · « **Reply #2044 on:** 25 Sep 2010, 12:09 am »

Quote from: starkiller on 24 Sep 2010, 08:48 pm

Barry

Tom did not sell these directly?? I thought it came from his web site?
If he didn't sell this direct then I really appreciate him taking the time to fix it, he's charging me for it of course but still, awfully nice

Tom sold the amp module used in the amp you bought, but not the power-supply. You are also the third owner of that particular amp, so did not purchase it from Tom. The wording of my original post maybe a bit off(?)

starkiller · « **Reply #2045 on:** 25 Sep 2010, 12:56 am »

Yeah, I knew he didnt do the power supply as he told me that the one in there is not usually used for the application...wonder if the other owners had the "pop" problem and that is why i am the 3rd owner

wushuliu · « **Reply #2046 on:** 26 Sep 2010, 11:03 pm »

I've ordered the Connex SMPS500R power supply that avionic mentioned for my cda-254. If it performs well, it'll free up some space in the enclosure for me to maybe add a LDR kit to the dcb1...

http://connexelectronic.com/product_info.php/products_id/118?osCsid=5t1u9gs3oaj7fnjenmriiqv185

kingnubian · « **Reply #2047 on:** 26 Sep 2010, 11:30 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 26 Sep 2010, 11:03 pm

I've ordered the Connex SMPS500R power supply that avionic mentioned for my cda-254. If it performs well, it'll free up some space in the enclosure for me to maybe add a LDR kit to the dcb1...

http://connexelectronic.com/product_info.php/products_id/118?osCsid=5t1u9gs3oaj7fnjenmriiqv185

I will be very interested in your observations. I'm also thinking of ditching the power supply that came with my SDS-254 and using one of these SMPS's.

avionic · « **Reply #2048 on:** 27 Sep 2010, 03:47 am »

I have received a few PM's asking about the smps500r. Hopefully this answers your ?? if not feel free to shoot me another pm.The smps500r sounds great. I did notice when driving a certain set of monitor speakers that I built, that the 500r couldn't keep up. The speakers are Danny Ritchies (GR Research) anarchy design. Sensitivity is around 84db

. Those anarchy mids really need some power to get playing loudly. Definitely not the easiest load for an amp and power supply. Matter of fact these speakers fried one of my nuforce 8b,s. Love these speakers by the way.
While playing at very loud levels I noticed that the left speaker would cut in and out. At first I thought it was maybe a bad solder joint of mine. Hooked up the linear power supply and no problems at any levels.
I plan on using the smps500r for a 5 channel class d audio amp that will be driving PSB Image speakers with 93db sensitivity. I really do not think I will have any issues. All in all I am very happy with the smps 500r. It is small 4"x4" and gets rid of both the transformer and power supply board of the linear PS.
Hook up is a breeze 3 wires in and 3 wires out. Just be aware if you are driving difficult loads at very loud levels you may run into some issues. Attatched is a diagram of the 500r circuit board for wiring reference.

kingnubian · « **Reply #2049 on:** 27 Sep 2010, 04:39 am »

Quote from: avionic on 27 Sep 2010, 03:47 am

I have received a few PM's asking about the smps500r. Hopefully this answers your ?? if not feel free to shoot me another pm.The smps500r sounds great. I did notice when driving a certain set of monitor speakers that I built, that the 500r couldn't keep up. The speakers are Danny Ritchies (GR Research) anarchy design. Sensitivity is around 84db . Those anarchy mids really need some power to get playing loudly. Definitely not the easiest load for an amp and power supply. Matter of fact these speakers fried one of my nuforce 8b,s. Love these speakers by the way.
While playing at very loud levels I noticed that the left speaker would cut in and out. At first I thought it was maybe a bad solder joint of mine. Hooked up the linear power supply and no problems at any levels.
I plan on using the smps500r for a 5 channel class d audio amp that will be driving PSB Image speakers with 93db sensitivity. I really do not think I will have any issues. All in all I am very happy with the smps 500r. It is small 4"x4" and gets rid of both the transformer and power supply board of the linear PS.
Hook up is a breeze 3 wires in and 3 wires out. Just be aware if you are driving difficult loads at very loud levels you may run into some issues. Attatched is a diagram of the 500r circuit board for wiring reference.

Excellent info & thanks for posting it here.

Just to confirm, for my SDS-254 I would have to order the "110 Mains supply (I'm in Canada)", "+-54v" version?

With all that free space freed up, maybe I can include the Pass B1 I'm building in the same enclosure as my sds-254! It would make a wicked integrated amp!
Here is the enclosure I'm thinking of getting except for my concern for the lack of apparent ventilation.

wushuliu · « **Reply #2050 on:** 27 Sep 2010, 05:30 am »

Quote from: avionic on 27 Sep 2010, 03:47 am

I have received a few PM's asking about the smps500r. Hopefully this answers your ?? if not feel free to shoot me another pm.The smps500r sounds great. I did notice when driving a certain set of monitor speakers that I built, that the 500r couldn't keep up. The speakers are Danny Ritchies (GR Research) anarchy design. Sensitivity is around 84db . Those anarchy mids really need some power to get playing loudly. Definitely not the easiest load for an amp and power supply. Matter of fact these speakers fried one of my nuforce 8b,s. Love these speakers by the way.
While playing at very loud levels I noticed that the left speaker would cut in and out. At first I thought it was maybe a bad solder joint of mine. Hooked up the linear power supply and no problems at any levels.
I plan on using the smps500r for a 5 channel class d audio amp that will be driving PSB Image speakers with 93db sensitivity. I really do not think I will have any issues. All in all I am very happy with the smps 500r. It is small 4"x4" and gets rid of both the transformer and power supply board of the linear PS.
Hook up is a breeze 3 wires in and 3 wires out. Just be aware if you are driving difficult loads at very loud levels you may run into some issues. Attatched is a diagram of the 500r circuit board for wiring reference.

Hm, with its specs, the SMPS shouldn't have had an issue with the Anarchy...

avionic · « **Reply #2051 on:** 27 Sep 2010, 05:45 am »

Hm, with its specs, the SMPS shouldn't have had an issue with the Anarchy...

It acted as if the smps just didn't have the capacitance to keep up. 2x63v 6800uf

wushuliu · « **Reply #2052 on:** 27 Sep 2010, 06:05 am »

Quote from: avionic on 27 Sep 2010, 05:45 am

Hm, with its specs, the SMPS shouldn't have had an issue with the Anarchy...

It acted as if the smps just didn't have the capacitance to keep up. 2x63v 6800uf

That makes sense. Not a large enough cap bank. Damn.

EDIT: This makes sense in terms of Connex product line. Most of his amp offerings come with large value caps, so the SMPS reservoir would not be a limiting factor in those cases, however for the CDAs a different story. Oh well.

raindance · « **Reply #2053 on:** 29 Sep 2010, 07:20 pm »

Actually my CDA-254 with Tom's low profile power supply also runs out of reserves when driving my Vandersteen 2CE's hard. I'm thinking of doubling the capacitance on that PCB.

I also have found a 3-4dB gain discrepancy between the 2 channels on my CDA-254. Anyone else have this issue? It is a real bummer to have the entire soundstage shifted.

jtwrace · « **Reply #2054 on:** 29 Sep 2010, 07:21 pm »

Quote from: raindance on 29 Sep 2010, 07:20 pm

I also have found a 3-4dB gain discrepancy between the 2 channels on my CDA-254. Anyone else have this issue? It is a real bummer to have the entire soundstage shifted.

Have you checked the gain pots between the two channels?

raindance · « **Reply #2055 on:** 29 Sep 2010, 07:24 pm »

Another question, which I have asked before: Has anyone come up with a tube buffer that can PROPERLY drive the CDA series amps? I'm not having a lot of success. Cathode followers and SRPP circuits mostly don't like loads under 20K and the result is a loss of extension at the extremes and some odd coloration.

The CDA series has an input impedance around 7K, or so I've been led to believe.

Input anyone?

raindance · « **Reply #2056 on:** 29 Sep 2010, 07:28 pm »

@jwtrace - The CDA series does not have gain pots.

jtwrace · « **Reply #2057 on:** 29 Sep 2010, 07:33 pm »

Quote from: raindance on 29 Sep 2010, 07:28 pm

@jwtrace - The CDA series does not have gain pots.

As my buddy in the U.K would say...You're F---ed mate!

raindance · « **Reply #2058 on:** 29 Sep 2010, 07:40 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 29 Sep 2010, 07:33 pm

As my buddy in the U.K would say...You're F---ed mate!

As luck would have it I'm kind of from there too (UK by way of a colony)... I think I'll have to buy a sodding SDS series instead...

wushuliu · « **Reply #2059 on:** 29 Sep 2010, 07:40 pm »

Quote from: raindance on 29 Sep 2010, 07:24 pm

Another question, which I have asked before: Has anyone come up with a tube buffer that can PROPERLY drive the CDA series amps? I'm not having a lot of success. Cathode followers and SRPP circuits mostly don't like loads under 20K and the result is a loss of extension at the extremes and some odd coloration.

The CDA series has an input impedance around 7K, or so I've been led to believe.

Input anyone?

Dodd Buffer. Have you also checked Glassware kits?

First I've read of this gain imbalance. Assuming you've ruled out other compenents, like your potentiometer, etc. I'm sure you can just send your board to Tom to repair.