Problems after modding/fiddling with t-amp

michael_w · 09-06-2005, 05:28 AM

OK I just finished what I was hoping to be a really simple experiment with my sonic impact t-amp. I replaced the little red led with a white one that has full length leads so I could mount it on the box so that it shines through the front. I finally get the old led out and the new one in, shines very brightly and looks great. Now for the problem... after doing this I only have sound from the right channel. I've switched left and right and the problem follows the speaker. I've tried different sources -- not the source. The only thing I can think of is that when I was trying to take the old led out I go the circuit board too hot and fried something... I don't know enough about this stuff yet so if you have an idea of what I did and how to fix it (other than the obvious - buy a new one) please lemme know. BTW unfortunatly installing the original stock led is not any option anymore... it was mildly mauled in the removal process.

Thanks,
Michael

faster100 · 09-06-2005, 09:14 AM

we seem to be the only 2 on here that fool with this amp, so i'll give it a shot.. first off, I removed my led by just cutting it off the board flush.. that amp board is very delicate so i installed a led on the power output of a switch i installed on my modded amp box being i removed the stock volume/power... I actually screwed up a channel also on mine trying to re-install a volume control so i tossed it to the side in my anger, the other night i decided to fool with it and it started working again... I know this doesnt help ya but look real close and make sure you didn't solder a trace together... the volume control is real close to where the stock led is.. remove the stock led or the new one you installed and suck away all the solder off the board.. have you removed anything stock off the board? input jack? 12v power input? just make sure no solder has wondered off to another circuit or trace... and overheating could have killed the chip...

michael_w · 09-06-2005, 06:20 PM

Thanks for the suggestions. I really hope I didn't fry the chip. I'll try re-soldering the led back in. The only mods I've done to this little amp other than the led is put it in a new box and replace the binding posts to some much beefier dayton ones. I don't know if it makes any difference but what channel went out for you? It was the left for me.

faster100 · 09-06-2005, 06:26 PM

I think mine was the right..

michael_w · 09-06-2005, 07:27 PM

OK I was hoping for something exactly like this. Turns out it was something extremely simple. When I pulled the board out of the box to put in the led or when I was putting it back I had not noticed that in that process one of the really thin wires that hook up the left channel to the binding posts had broken free. It works freakin dandy now, plus the white led looks cool and now I can tell if it is on or not now. (no more going to bed and leaving it on by accident)

Thanks for the advice. Time for some tunes.

faster100 · 09-06-2005, 07:56 PM

Cool, i got a blue led and its cool.... my external power supply with matching case has a yellow led i think... look cool at night. this amp kicks ass with small speakers.. mine is hooked to rt25i's

michael_w · 09-06-2005, 09:37 PM

I'm wondering if this whole led thing was a bad idea... it's really freaking bright

Now that I'm back at school and taking tech I might have to build myself a new box for the amp since this box isn't looking to great. This thin mahogany splinters super easily whenever you cut or drill it. I'm thinking I might put in that led or maybe a couple of them shooting through holes in the bottom so that when the amp is running you get a white aura coming from the bottom.

faster100 · 09-06-2005, 09:56 PM

use resisters to lower the brightness, like 330 ohm, 470 ohm is what i used.. it depends what voltage your led is though

michael_w · 09-07-2005, 04:12 AM

I'll think about doing that but I think I might just do the downfiring leds in a new box. This current one looks a little half assed and I'm not sure I like the look of the big white led in the front as much as I was hoping. It would probably look better if the cheap scrap mahogany didn't splinter and chip off so much.

michael_w · 09-07-2005, 11:42 PM

Just picked up a box of resistors. It's a "value package" of 150 resistors varying from 1 ohm up to 3.3m ohms for five bucks. They are 1/4 watt, 5% tolerance carbon resistors. Will these do fine? If so I might have to start playing around with the led to find a good brightness until I make a new box. I'm never going to use close to all 150 but it was cheaper than buying just exactly what I needed in the long run.

Vr3MxStyler2k3 · 09-08-2005, 12:05 AM

Put maskin tape on both sides of the box while drilling...

Drill to the point where you don't fully break through one side - then start to drill through the other...

When you cut, just tape it...

Shouldnt splinter at all, if any - just a little.

michael_w · 09-08-2005, 12:32 AM

That might help a bit and I will do that next time but this wood is so soft and brittle it even splinters on the front of the holes. The next box will be nicer and I'll put a little more effort into it

09-06-2005, 05:28 AM	#1
michael_w Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,898	Problems after modding/fiddling with t-amp OK I just finished what I was hoping to be a really simple experiment with my sonic impact t-amp. I replaced the little red led with a white one that has full length leads so I could mount it on the box so that it shines through the front. I finally get the old led out and the new one in, shines very brightly and looks great. Now for the problem... after doing this I only have sound from the right channel. I've switched left and right and the problem follows the speaker. I've tried different sources -- not the source. The only thing I can think of is that when I was trying to take the old led out I go the circuit board too hot and fried something... I don't know enough about this stuff yet so if you have an idea of what I did and how to fix it (other than the obvious - buy a new one) please lemme know. BTW unfortunatly installing the original stock led is not any option anymore... it was mildly mauled in the removal process. Thanks, Michael Last edited by michael_w; 09-06-2005 at 05:31 AM..

09-06-2005, 09:14 AM	#2
faster100 Polk Master Member Sales Rating: (1) Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,114	we seem to be the only 2 on here that fool with this amp, so i'll give it a shot.. first off, I removed my led by just cutting it off the board flush.. that amp board is very delicate so i installed a led on the power output of a switch i installed on my modded amp box being i removed the stock volume/power... I actually screwed up a channel also on mine trying to re-install a volume control so i tossed it to the side in my anger, the other night i decided to fool with it and it started working again... I know this doesnt help ya but look real close and make sure you didn't solder a trace together... the volume control is real close to where the stock led is.. remove the stock led or the new one you installed and suck away all the solder off the board.. have you removed anything stock off the board? input jack? 12v power input? just make sure no solder has wondered off to another circuit or trace... and overheating could have killed the chip... __________________ MY HT RIG: Sherwood p-965 Rotel 1075 amp x5 Rotel 1080 stereo amp samsung hd-850 dvd player Realistic lab 450 TT LSI15 mains LsiC center LSIfx surround backs Lsi7 side surrounds Soon to be (later now) SVS sb/12plus 2 Channel Rig: Pioneer SS RC-760 pre-amp/remote control Polk Rt25i's Toshiba 3960 cd Optonica st-4205 Tuner Vintage 6v6 Tube amp modded Monster 14/4 homemade speaker cable monster 600 IC Signal cable IC

09-08-2005, 12:05 AM	#11
Vr3MxStyler2k3 Sid the Kid Member Sales Rating: (21) Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NC Posts: 15,664	Put maskin tape on both sides of the box while drilling... Drill to the point where you don't fully break through one side - then start to drill through the other... When you cut, just tape it... Shouldnt splinter at all, if any - just a little. __________________ Da Rig- Mains- Tyler Acoustics Super Towers Subwoofer- Tyler Acoustics Custom Seas 10" Stereo Subs Amplifier- Odyssey Stratos Extreme Mono Blocks Preamp- Odyssey Candela CD Player- Symphonic Line Vibrato The CD Player Power Conditioner- MIT Z Center Speaker Cables- MIT Shotgun S2 Bi-Wire Signal Cables- MIT Shotgun S2 Subwoofer Cables- MIT AVT 1 Power Cables- MIT Shotgun AC1 (Amps/Pre/CDP) MIT Z Cord II (Conditioner/Subs) Polks are in the truck!

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09-06-2005, 06:20 PM	#3
michael_w Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,898	Thanks for the suggestions. I really hope I didn't fry the chip. I'll try re-soldering the led back in. The only mods I've done to this little amp other than the led is put it in a new box and replace the binding posts to some much beefier dayton ones. I don't know if it makes any difference but what channel went out for you? It was the left for me.

09-06-2005, 06:26 PM	#4
faster100 Polk Master Member Sales Rating: (1) Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,114	I think mine was the right..

09-06-2005, 07:27 PM	#5
michael_w Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,898	OK I was hoping for something exactly like this. Turns out it was something extremely simple. When I pulled the board out of the box to put in the led or when I was putting it back I had not noticed that in that process one of the really thin wires that hook up the left channel to the binding posts had broken free. It works freakin dandy now, plus the white led looks cool and now I can tell if it is on or not now. (no more going to bed and leaving it on by accident) Thanks for the advice. Time for some tunes.

09-06-2005, 07:56 PM	#6
faster100 Polk Master Member Sales Rating: (1) Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,114	Cool, i got a blue led and its cool.... my external power supply with matching case has a yellow led i think... look cool at night. this amp kicks ass with small speakers.. mine is hooked to rt25i's

09-06-2005, 09:37 PM	#7
michael_w Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,898	I'm wondering if this whole led thing was a bad idea... it's really freaking bright Now that I'm back at school and taking tech I might have to build myself a new box for the amp since this box isn't looking to great. This thin mahogany splinters super easily whenever you cut or drill it. I'm thinking I might put in that led or maybe a couple of them shooting through holes in the bottom so that when the amp is running you get a white aura coming from the bottom.

09-06-2005, 09:56 PM	#8
faster100 Polk Master Member Sales Rating: (1) Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,114	use resisters to lower the brightness, like 330 ohm, 470 ohm is what i used.. it depends what voltage your led is though

09-07-2005, 04:12 AM	#9
michael_w Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,898	I'll think about doing that but I think I might just do the downfiring leds in a new box. This current one looks a little half assed and I'm not sure I like the look of the big white led in the front as much as I was hoping. It would probably look better if the cheap scrap mahogany didn't splinter and chip off so much.

09-07-2005, 11:42 PM	#10
michael_w Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,898	Just picked up a box of resistors. It's a "value package" of 150 resistors varying from 1 ohm up to 3.3m ohms for five bucks. They are 1/4 watt, 5% tolerance carbon resistors. Will these do fine? If so I might have to start playing around with the led to find a good brightness until I make a new box. I'm never going to use close to all 150 but it was cheaper than buying just exactly what I needed in the long run.

09-08-2005, 12:32 AM	#12
michael_w Polkologist Member Sales Rating: (2) Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 2,898	That might help a bit and I will do that next time but this wood is so soft and brittle it even splinters on the front of the holes. The next box will be nicer and I'll put a little more effort into it

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