CAR AUDIO, THE BASICS

Car audio, the basics





Car audio has long been a hobby for many people as well as an addictive pastime! (as much as computers in some case!) but the thing is that it can intimidate most people, Originally I posted this on the PCA bbs as a reply but figured it would be good to elaborate upon it so here i present car audio 101! Please remember there are more brands and choices avaliable then what i list here, but the biggest thing to remember is to let your ears be the judge!

1. I assume you want a good quality deck, not some cheap of shizen, so, Rule of thumb when it comes to car audio is that you get what you pay for, bar none!

Remember, this is going to be something you are going to use everyday, so look at it as an investment, a medium to high level deck can range anywhere from 300-600$ When buying a deck look for expandability, look for RCA preouts, ranging from 2-8 volts (the higher the volts, the cleaner the signal) The preouts are used for your amps, generally you will have a front, rear and sub output, in some cases a cd changer input, and on the better decks, you will have an Aux imput, where you can hook up an MP3 player, etc ( I used to hook up the camcorder and watch recorded footage, it sounded great!

Look at features of the deck also, detachable face, full faceplate, Display (Phjorgs Swimming Dolphins, my Cool blue spectrum anyaliser!)in some models you even have the ability to hook up a cell phone

Another thing to remember is DIN sizes, these are the sizes of dash openings, your average deck is 1 DIN, most GM's such as Phjorg's Olds and my Firebird Are 1.5 DIN andin some cases you may have a double din! a 1.5 din you can use a deck as well as an equalizer. I opted to go for a custom faceplate so my deck sits in the center of my cnsole surrounded by chrome Plexi to match the face of my deck!

Some decks I would reccommend would be, Panasonic, Pioneer, Kenwood, Clarion, Alpine, and Nakamichi.

Also, remember your audio system is only as good as it's weakest link. You may have excellent signal quality from a nice deck, but cannot be pushed to it's full potential due to crap ass speakers! Wich brings us to the next question, Component or Coaxial replacement speakers.

Component speakers generally consist of 3 pieces, a midbass speaker generally either 5 1/4 or 6 1/2 inches, a tweeter, and a crossover to seperate and send the signals to their appropriate places. Sometimes you may even see 3 piece speaker systems where either an 8" or 6.5" speaker is configured for bass, and the others are for midbass and highs. Bass is generally regarded as the lower frequiences, such as drums, or lows, Midbass handles the mid frequiencies liek the gituars and to an extent the voices, and the tweeters for the highs deal with the upper level vocals, symbols, etc. These speakers are generally placed into the kick panels of your vehicle to get a better soundstage, ideally, you'd like the sound to come from infront of you, a good Midbass config will make it feel as if the bass is coming from infront of you, when in reality it is from behind you! Once again, if you want to go this route and do a kickpanel install you can get custom kickpanels for your vehicle from Q LOGIC or, you can roll up your sleeves, break out the fiberglass and make your own!

Once again, yo uget what you pay for, when it comes to speakers and it is not uncommon to spend 250-600$ on a great set of components, DEI (studio series) CD tech, Diamand, MB Quart, and Focal all make some pretty serious proudcts! But as always try to audition the components and let your ears do the judging!

Coaxials are designed to be a direct replacement for your stock speakers, they will fit in your stock speaker locations, and generally can sound alot better then what you have, especially if you have an older vehicle. While not as effective as components, Coaxial speakers can still sound great, some companies to look into are Infinity, JL...

Now you may be liking your sweet setup, crusin through town with the windows rolled down, fine ladies giving you glances, but then some pimp daddy in a black firebird or Oldsmobile blows by you and all you hear is BOOM BOOM BOOM! it rattles your teeth, tightens your chest, and makes the Ladies cry OOOOOOHHHHH!!!! It's BASS BABY!



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FROM MILD TO WILD : Subs, Amps, and everything in between
Amps

say you take the component route, While decks May say they're rated at say 50 watts per channel, in reality, it's more like 20 watts RMS (route Mean Squared) What that means generally is the amps true output POWER rating, Some less reputible companies will quote Dynamic pwer at like 14.4 volts and you see an amp that says 1400000 watts for like 100$ thats a load of bull all those things are good for are paperweights or minature grilles!! Most companies will rate their amps at 12 - 14.4 volts (a vehicles output range of DC power) with an RMS power rating, at different Ohm levels. Ohm levels is what the amps Impeadance is. generally you can have 2 channels (left and right) at X ammount of watts at 4 ohms. Generally most components are 4 ohms.

Now when we move into subs things get a little different. You can drop the impeadance to 2 ohms, and you can theoretically double the output power, but the amp will get hot due to the added resistance. Class A/B amps generally proudce a very clean signal with a very minimal ammount of THD (total harmonic distortion) the may not put out the raw power of class D amps but what you get from them is clean sound. Now for Subs you can get away with a cheaper Class D amp. The THD will be higher, but doesnt mater as much because for subs you want to play nice and LOW around 20 - 120 HZ, you let the components carry the rest!

Now when you are setting up your amp you will generally have to deal with crossovers and gains. Crossovers generally limit the frequence range the amp will amplify, and the Gains amplify the input signal but beware, crankng the gains will get the subs to fly, but at the risk of damaging them if cranked too high, gains are used to fine tune, if you have a clean rcaimput between 5-8 volts you should barely have to touch the gains.

If your deck only has say v lot preouts, do not fear! you can purchase items known as Line drivers, Phoneix gold makes a quality unit that boost the output to 8 volts, but remember to use caution and make sure you find out your amp's rated input voltage!


Some good Amps are PPI, MTX, Rockford Fosgate, JBL (class D's) DEI, Phoenix gold.. Amps will definitely range in price, once again from like 200$- 800$

Subs
Now were talkin about putting some thump into the system and really extending it's range. Subs are big, heavy and... move alot of air! First thing to look at is how many you need for your application, and what size. they range in size from 8 inches to 18 inches. for instance i am a mild bit of nut, so i have 2 12's. Generally the bigger the sub the higher the SPL (sound pressure level) but the lower the SQ (sound Quality) mind you with the advances in auto sound technology they have came a long way a 15" crystal CMP can probably outplay a 12" JL 12W6 in SQ.

Also you have to look at the type of enclosure you are going to use, weather it be ported, sealed or bandpass. Sealed is the easiest and proudces good results, but you can gain more boom by going ported or bandpass but generally require more fabrication work.

Subs that I reccommend, JL audio, Crystal mobilesound, Infinity, Memphis, Cerwin Vega, Orion HCCA's Image dynamics

Now you have all this cool stuff, it's time to wire it all up. DO NOT SKIMP ON THE WIRING! for speakers 16-18 gauge is good, for subs 12-14 gauge is good generally. the RCA interconnects (cables that go from preouts to the amps) should be gold plated. hell save the hassle and get Phoenix gold zeropoints or monster cable! for power to the amps depending on the juice your main power cable should be 4-8 gauge fused no more than 15" from the battery. Note to self fuse is good! fuse prevents welding! also try to keep your ground wire under 2 feet to keep the signal good. Remember to use a CLEAN ground! generally you can purchase a distrubution block where your main power wire is then safely split into multiple smaller gauge wires to power amps, etc

Remember, there is still alot more to the car audio game, but hopefully i have left you with enough to get a decent start, Perhaps if you enjoyed this enough I will spawn a sequel! In the mean time feel free to check out this page to see my install

Come and john the fun at

Hi there this is going to be fun for all of us because this new online TV show is for free and to john the show that you want to follow are free and you need to sign up to get in to the rooms that you want too. So I have a online TV show called dragonaudio that is to talk about music and car audio and what peple want to talk about there is a lot of fun in the room from playing all kinds of music and stuff so come on and john me and my people for some fun and talk with other people and make now frainds when you in there so just go to www.usteam.com make an account for free and then look up dragonaudio and there you go you can talk and have fun with everyone in the room. Thank you I hope to see a lot of you in there.

101 how to put your amp right to your subs the right way

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Learn To Repair Car Audio Power Amplifiers
Let 20+ years of experience help you to succeed
Feel free to email me if you have questions regarding the tutorial.
The information provided in this tutorial will help you to avoid making the most common mistakes and will greatly increase your chances of success.
The information begins at the most basic level. There are suggestions for the types of amps you should start with and those to avoid until you have a bit more experience. For amplifiers with common problems, you are told what to look for and how to correct the problem so that the amp is more reliable than when it rolled off of the assembly line. Of course, the information goes well beyond the basics. For those who are at a more advanced level, information and suggestions are provided for some of the largest amplifiers currently on the market. Although this project began more than 5 years ago, the information covers many of the amps that are currently on the market. The information is continually being updated to insure that the information continues to be both useful and relevant.
After the purchase, I will gladly provide support (via email) for amplifiers with which I'm familiar. If you need help with an amplifier model that I've never had on the bench, I'll provide suggestions to help you through the troubleshooting process. I'm generally available more than 12 hours a day. I also help those who haven't purchased the tutorial. If you have a question about a repair, feel free to email me. If you haven't seen it yet, I have a basic repair information page on my car audio site. THIS is a direct link to the page.
If you're interested in what buyers think about the tutorial, read their eBay feedback HERE.
For those who found this page from a Google search and are not familiar with my web sites, you can visit them by clicking the links below.
Basic Car Audio ElectronicsAmplifier Repair PrimerAmplifier in Protect Mode - TroubleshootingShield Ground Testing for Head UnitsBasic Computer Operation TutorialBasic Macro Photography TutorialAir Rifle Links and DemosBasic Go-Kart Mechanics
If you're looking for the test tone CD download, it's HERE. These are the same tracks as those on the test tone CD that ships with this repair tutorial.

Amplifier Repair Tutorial
The information contained in this tutorial is from 20+ years of experience working on amplifiers such as those from Rockford, Sony, Autotek, Coustic, Planet Audio, Kenwood, Pioneer, JVC and just about any other brand sold in the US. This tutorial has information and tips that will help you repair hundreds of different models of amplifiers. It is also interactive (demos allow you to change the input values on various sample circuits and see how the output changes). There are no service manuals (service information provided by the manufacturer for a given model of amplifier) from any company that are even remotely interactive. Since many amplifier manufacturers offer zero tech support (not even schematic diagrams), this may be one of the few sources of information to help you repair some models. For car audio amplifiers, there is nothing else like this at any price.
This tutorial contains a considerable amount of information specifically related to troubleshooting at the component level. It includes commonly used alternate part numbers for the most common semiconductor failures. If you want to get into the repair business, this disc will provide some very important information. If you are already in the repair business and are interested in repairing car amplifiers, this tutorial can help you get started with very little effort. If you are in the repair business, you already know that more and more equipment is disposable (not worth repairing when it breaks). Car audio amplifiers are one of the few money making types of consumer electronics to be repaired.
A note about updates:I'm continually updating the tutorial (something is added or refined virtually every day). Many times, it's just a few notes or new images. Other updates include entirely new chapters. The discs are not burned until needed. When you purchase the DVD, the tutorial you receive will include all information available at that point in time (4.3+ gigs of information including text, interactive demos, graphics, short video clips of common tasks and photos).
June, 2009 -- Updated!
There have been many updates since September. Here are a few of the more important ones.
I've added a page to help troubleshooting the class D amps similar to the Massive 1500 and 3000 that are so popular. The information includes waveforms and instructions to test the circuit with and without the output transistors in the circuit. This can be very helpful if you have an amplifier that's drawing excessive current.
A new page has been added that shows how to make an inexpensive heater/pre-heater that can make removing SMD electrolytic capacitors much easier and reduce the chance of damaging the solder pads. This is especially helpful when working on boards with a high density of components. This page also introduces you to using solder paste.
More information has been added for the class D amps with the numbers machined off or encapsulated in epoxy (including information on how to safely remove the epoxy to allow replacement of the ICs under it).
More information has been added to show you how to repair badly damaged boards. It includes information on the best type of fillers to repair holes (when necessary).
A section has been added for rewinding transformers. Many times, the power transformer will short and the windings will be burned. Sometimes it's as simple as removing the old wire and re-winding it. Sometimes the core is damaged and isn't usable. I've provided sources for both the magnet wire and the cores and suggestions for the type of core material you'll need to select.
More information on protection circuit troubleshooting has been added. This seems to be one of the most difficult types of problems for new techs.
Many times, an amp will have water damage that will cause damage that's nearly impossible to see. To make it worse, the manufacturer of the amps that most commonly have this problem will provide absolutely no tech support. A section has been added to tell you what to look for. The signs of damage are very difficult to see until you know precisely what to look for.
Many amps have terminal blocks that can't be readily soldered. I found a solution and show how to make the blocks solderable. This is becoming a bigger problem as these types of terminal blocks age and the solder connections begin to fail.
More than 800 files have been updated since September. Many of the graphics files were replaced with better ones or cleaned up. Virtually all of the text based pages in the repair section have had some information added or have had sections re-written to make them better.
September, 2008 -- Updated!
I've added more parts suppliers and additional resources to find parts. This helps save time when looking for replacement parts.
I've added to the list of Tech Tips including a section on rewinding failed power transformers. It includes sources for the wire and cores. If you have to rewind or replace a transformer in an amplifier this will make the task much easier.
I've expanded the page dedicated to terminal blocks. Most people don't think about the terminal blocks when repairing an amplifier. Many times, the blocks are damaged so badly that they're not usable. Most are not available from the manufacturer. If you repair an amp with damaged terminal blocks (something that's not always obvious) and you don't have the knowledge to repair the blocks, you've wasted your time repairing the electronic faults in the amplifier. Of course, I've added new amps with the screw sizes. Some of the other improvements are better graphics and more detailed information about obtaining replacement screws.
I've expanded the section that shows you how to produce reliable repairs on badly damaged circuit boards. If you work on old school amplifiers, this information can help you make repairs that will be very reliable.
To make troubleshooting easier, more information showing the voltages on the pins of various ICs have been added. This allows you to confirm that the voltages in the amps are as they should be. This is something that will continually expanded in the future.
Even more information has been added for class D amplifiers. As always, I try to keep the information as up to date as possible. This information pertains to many of the amplifiers that use the audio driver boards with the defaced driver ICs.
Since March, more than 100 pages have been updated in some way. More than 300 graphics files have been added, replaced or improved in some way.
March, 2008 -- Updated!
Lately, I've been working to make the tutorial more user friendly. Many of the most recent updates involve linking relevant pages to the text. I've also been trying to clarify information to better suit those new to repair work. I use questions from buyers (and others who I help with amp repairs) to make the information easier to understand.
I've added markers to pages that show you the information you should print and keep handy while working on the first few amps. These 'cheat sheets' will help you troubleshoot the most common faults.
Of course, I've added new information. New applets, as well as lots of new graphics showing examples of various problems and solutions. Approximately 400 graphics files have been added or modified/improved since the last update. In some cases, I've replaced older, smaller graphics with new or resized graphics. Some of the original graphics were designed when 800x600 was a commonly used screen resolution. The new, larger graphics allow you to see much more detail at higher screen resolutions.
A new page has been added to help you clean really noisy potentiometers. Many of the potentiometers are very difficult to obtain as replacement parts. This will help you salvage some of the potentiometers that are not readily available. This goes well beyond spraying contact cleaner into the pot and turning it. It also explains how things other than a dirty resistive track can cause problems.
I've added more information on class D amps. Some of this information covers a relatively common problem with one type of class D driver board. This is a problem that took quite a bit of time to find initially but has saved many hours of wasted time for other amps with similar problems.
September, 2007 -- Updated!
For many of the amplifiers being produced in China and Korea, the manufacturers will not provide schematics (they probably don't want you to know that they can't/don't design their own amplifiers). Fortunately, MANY of the manufacturers use precisely the same circuits. If you've ever been to the ampguts site, you've no doubt seen how many of the amplifiers use precisely the same board (this is particularly true for class D amplifiers). I've collected several schematics that cover most of the Chinese/Korean amps and I group them together so you can see which schematic to use for a given type of circuit. The schematics won't always match 100% but in most cases, they make it MUCH easier to troubleshoot the circuit.
July, 2007 -- Updated!
I've significantly expanded the information provided for one of the two most commonly used class D amplifier circuits (multiple manufacturers use the same PWM drive and output circuits - Kicker, Orion, JBL, Memphis...). The information includes waveforms from virtually every point in the PWM generation/output circuits.
For those with minimal skills when working with metal, I've included an entirely new section. It shows tools (and the use thereof) that are required when there are issues with the heatsink or when you need to produce new clamps (for missing or melted clamps). This doesn't happen often but it's good to know. This is a companion to the MEHSA replacement tutorial I added last month.
June, 2007 -- Updated!
I've added a page detailing the replacement of the MEHSA insulators if you'd like to do away with them. The section includes relatively detailed instructions on making the replacement clamps. I tell you how to accurately measure the distance between centers for the mounting screws (holes have to be drilled in the clamps). I suggest some free cad software to help you in the process. I even show you the finished clamp on an 800a2. This also comes in handy for amplifiers where someone has broken off a screw in the sink. In this example, they had tried to remove it which made it too much of a mess to try to repair. A new, heavy duty clamp (made to apply sufficient pressure to the transistors adjacent to the missing screw) got the amp back into service reliably.
I've added at least one example of an amplifier that had a badly damaged board. The repair on it left it stronger than it ever was and there was little evidence that it was so badly damaged. This was one of the times when it was important to have some mechanical aptitude to get the job done.
April, 2007 -- Updated!
I've added a significant amount of new information about special/unusual resistors and capacitors. This includes information on how to read their values and what the markings mean.
I've added a page that offers several solutions for customers who repeatedly burn the RCA shield on their head units. Open shields on the signal source can cause some amplifiers to fail. This will save you some headaches with certain types of problem customers.
March, 2007 -- Updated!
I've added a new page giving suggestions on making ultra reliable wiring harnesses for the workbench. It's vitally important to be able to trust your test equipment. This includes the bench wiring. Some of it takes a beating. The tips I provide will insure that you don't have to continually repair the cables you use repeatedly all day long.
The 'Terminal Blocks' page has been expanded to show problems and solutions for damaged blocks as well as work-arounds for blocks that use screws that are essentially unavailable. This will be very helpful if you accept one of these amps for repair and the screws are missing or damaged beyond use.
I've updated/expanded the information on several of the class D troubleshooting pages.
Of course, I've added new photos of amplifiers that help identify missing or burned components in the amplifiers.
February, 2007 -- Updated!
I've updated and expanded the page showing how to check most common semiconductors. This includes new graphics and more detailed instructions.
I've added information on the sizes of the terminal block screws for the most common amps. The information includes diameter, thread pitch and length. For amps that use similar terminal blocks, I've included photos so you can match them up. Many times, the screws used in terminal blocks are not available locally. This information will allow you to order the correct replacement screws the first time (no guessing at the size and thread-pitch).
I've included the instructions for making jumpers for the JL 500/1 amp. These allow you to separate the two boards so you can check waveforms and voltages on the components between the boards. Without these jumpers, you have to separate the boards, solder a wire to the test point, plug the boards back in and then take the measurements using the jumper wire. The jumpers allow you full access to the area between the boards.
The power supply troubleshooting flowchart has been expanded. It covers more defects and provides more tips to help make the repair more reliable.
If you've worked on MTX amps, you've noticed that the power supplies are very different from most other amps. A new section has been added to show the differences (including waveforms). It also tells you how the MTX amps operate differently in the way they switch the PWM drive output on. Much of this information also applies to Sony class D amps as well as some of the Xtant amps.
In many sections, I simply showed the schematic symbols for various circuits. Now there are more photos of the components on actual circuit boards. For example, there are about 5 different types of voltage regulators used in various amplifiers. For each one, I provide a photo of the regulators in an amplifier. This will help you to more quickly identify the circuits when you're troubleshooting a problem.
The 'Amplifier Basics' page has been expanded including more detail and graphics to help those who are new to amplifier repair.
The 'Repair Introduction' page has been expanded. Now there is more information on the ways various components fail and the problems they cause.
New links have been provided on many pages to help you find the information you need more quickly and more easily.
December, 2006 -- Updated!
Well over 400 new files and photos have been added or updated since October. The updates on the repair notes include several problems that can be tough to find. At this point, there are more than 3000 photos of amplifier circuit boards (not 3000 different amps). These are very handy when you receive an amp that has missing parts or parts burned beyond recognition. Many manufacturers will not provide any information about their amps so you either have to find another amp of the same model or guess at the values. I've also added two new video clips.
October, 2006 -- Updated!
NEW I've added a page showing many of the common problems and solutions for one of the most common class D amp designs (used by several different manufacturers).
NEW More video clips have been added (more than 30 video clips at this time).
September, 2006 -- Updated!
NEW More information has been added to assist in repairing older ('BBQ' pit style amps). This covers a lot of the other Rockford amps also.
NEW More video clips have been added.
NEW A new interactive op-amp demo has been added to help those who don't understand the various op-amp circuit configurations.
August, 2006 -- Updated!
NEW Recently I've been adding small video clips that show common repair procedures. The following is a partial list of the types of procedures shown:
Replacing surface mount components (transistors, resistors and ICs)
Removing/replacing spring clamps
Removing the types of transistors that are soldered to the insulators
Other miscellaneous, but important tasks
July, 2006 -- Updated!
NEW I've added a new page dedicated to helping buyers to understand how a scope is used for quick troubleshooting. The page includes notes on the various test points including what they should see and what to look for if the proper signal isn't present.
NEW More than 300 files added, edited or modified this month alone.
June, 2006 -- Updated!
NEW I've added a page dealing with repairing amplifiers that have thermal damage to the circuit boards. Many times, the copper foil traces will be damaged when an amplifier fails. This is very common in the power supply section. This new page takes you through one such repair.
NEW A new page helps you to more reliably repair amplifiers that have physical damage. This page tells you how to perform repairs that will produce very reliable repairs. This is especially helpful for single sided circuit boards.
NEW I've added a new page that helps you to more efficiently troubleshoot problems in the power amplifier stage of an amplifier. This includes information for troubleshooting inside the feedback loop where discrete differential amplifiers are used.
NEW An entire page is now dedicated to the replacement of power transistors that are soldered in place. These are used in amplifiers from Rockford, Pioneer and Digital Designs. The page takes you through a repair where the previous repair was not properly performed. It shows you how to prevent making the same mistakes as well as tips to make the repair as reliable as possible.
NEW There have been updates to both the Equipment and Tech Tips pages. Minor revisions have been made to other pages as well.
March, 2006 -- Updated!
NEW The tutorial includes relatively high resolution images of the internals of more than 100 amplifiers. The images can be used to determine the values of burned or missing components or simply to help familiarize yourself with the layouts of different amplifiers. According to a search of the folders with amplifier images (I didn't count them), there are more than 1500 large, high quality images (500kB-1MB per image file).
NEW I've now begun to add waveform images for both the audio and power supply sections of both linear and class D amplifiers. Some of the waveforms are an overlay on the schematic. Others point to points on the circuit board (IC and transistor terminals/pins generally). Most of these are in flash format. This allows me to include many high resolution waveforms. You simply zoom in to clearly see the waveform of interest. There are also waveform images that are named so that you know what they are (those are in the folders of the respective amplifier). There are more than 300 waveform images as of now.
NEW I've also begun adding more descriptions of repairs and the troubleshooting procedures. Some of the repairs were simple and some were very complex. For those just starting with this type of work, this will be very helpful.
NEW For those who do not yet have an oscilloscope, I've added images that show the waveform and the equivalent DC voltages (as they would read using a digital multi-meter). I have values/images for all pins of the HIP4080, the TL494/594 and the SG3525. Even if you have a scope, these are helpful to let you determine whether the waveforms you have are correct or not. Most all of the scope images show the vertical amplifier (volts/div) and timebase (time/div) settings so that you now how to set your scope. Some of the images show the entire face of the scope (and all of its controls). Others show the waveform on a scope that displays the values on the CRT.
NEW I've included more datasheets with suggestions for stocking the most common parts. The datasheets included include power transistors (FET and BJT), op-amps, regulators, muting transistors, driver ICs and more. Nearly 100 are included as of now. These can generally be downloaded but it's quicker to grab them from disc than to find them on the internet.
NEW A new page helping you to better/more efficiently use your meter when testing components.
NEW I've added 2 new pages that help those who are completely new to electronics and/or repair work. One includes descriptions of various components including quick-links to more detailed information (also included on the tutorial disc).
July, 2005 -- Updated! I've added more information to help ease newbies into the technical aspects of the tutorial. I've also updated it to include all of the extra material (test questions, applets and demos) that are included on the full version of the site CD.
NEW Protection Circuit troubleshooting with 4 new interactive demos
NEW Interactive audio and power supply troubleshooting flowcharts
It contains...
NEW Troubleshooting basics chapter to help those who are new to electronics including 5 new interactive demos (January 2006)
NEW Protection circuit troubleshooting with 4 new interactive demos
NEW Interactive audio and power supply troubleshooting flowcharts
Audio troubleshooting basics with an image or two of audio waveforms
Basic circuit diagrams for different types of output transistor configurations
Class D basics with information about the HIP4080 driver IC including:
Pin out descriptions
Typical power supply configurations
Typical op-amp supply voltages for different types of power supplies
Drive output diagrams
Suggestions for setting up a workbench for repairs
Suggestions dealing with customers and reducing headaches when dealing with them
Images that show the location of various parts (output transistors, power supply FETs, rectifiers, thermistors...) on various amplifiers.
Tech tips and basic troubleshooting suggestions (more than 80 different tips to help you save time, effort and money)
Schematic symbols used in amplifier schematic diagrams including:
Resistors
Potentiometers
Diodes
Bipolar Junction Transistors
N-Channel Field Effect Transistors
P-Channel Field Effect Transistors
Junction Field Effect Transistors
Suggestions for specific tools (desoldering pumps, irons, screwdrivers...)
Power supply design/operation basics with actual oscilloscope waveform images
A very detailed explanation of the most popular power supply driver IC (TL594) including interactive Flash demos showing:
Comparators
Error amp input and dead time control
PWM comparator operation with 3 inputs (all interactive)
PWM comparator operation with 4 inputs (all interactive)
Lockout voltage and regulation
Tips on getting an amplifier's power supply to come on when the amplifier continually goes into protection (this is very helpful)
Basic power supply schematics with 3 different types of power supply MOSFET driver circuits
Information about different comparators used in power supply protection circuits
Information about thermal protection and the types of devices used in those circuits
Links to some of the most popular replacement parts datasheets (including some hard to find datasheets)
Common parts package outlines with pin configurations including:
TO-218 Transistors
TO-220 Transistors
TO-92 Transistors (both Japanese and American types)
14 Pin quad op-amp
8 Pin dual op-amp
9 Pin dual op-amp with power feed-through circuit
Circuit board layout information including:
Foil layout and component orientation
Silk screen definitions
Internal block diagrams of the 2 most popular op-amp configurations
Common op-amp circuits used as buffers, inverting amplifiers and non-inverting amplifiers
Information on negative feedback circuits using discrete differential pairs or op-amps
Information about 4 different types of voltage regulators found in amplifiers including:
Simple shunt regulators
Current boost shunt regulators
Fixed regulators
Resistor-programmable regulators
Basic description of 2 types of muting circuits
Relay muting
JFET muting
Information about the generation of higher_than_rail drive voltage for common collector amplifiers
Notes on the equipment needed for repairs
Power supplies (pictures of both linear and switching power supplies)
Dummy loads
Voltmeters - The following DMMs are shown on the tutorial.
Fluke 77
Fluke 79
Fluke 27
Fluke 11
Fluke 112
Oscilloscopes:
In the tutorial, I cover a significant number of oscilloscope features and give quite a few suggestions for buying a used scope. As of now, virtually every feature that you'll need is shown and explained. I even show some advanced features that are not necessary but are available. Some of the scopes were purchased on eBay and for those scopes, I tell you approximately what they cost and/or what you can expect to pay.

I've also included high resolution images of the internals of more than 100 amplifiers (3000+ images). For someone who isn't familiar with the various amplifiers on the market, the photos will show them what they might encounter. Many times I use them as a reference. If an amp has missing components or components that are burned beyond recognition, I can refer back to the photos to determine what I need to repair the amp. Even if the exact amplifier that you need isn't available, there may well be one that's similar enough to be of help. There are many amplifiers that use very similar circuits. Many times, the only difference is the way it's laid out on the board. The photos generally include one overall image of the amplifier. Then each section (power supply drive, audio drive, preamp...) is photographed to allow you to see the fine details. In general, the resolution is high enough so that the values of tiny surface mount components (often only 0.05" wide) can easily be read.
The cost is $49.95 plus shipping via USPS Priority mail ($7.60) within the US or via Priority Mail International ($15) for those buyers outside of the US.. Since the average labor for repair is ~$40-$70, it will take very little time to recoup the cost of this tutorial. For more info, Email me.
Note:If you feel more comfortable buying on eBay, I typically have the discs for sale there. Search eBay for 'amplifier repair tutorial'. My eBay user name is perrybabin. If you see another seller selling a copy of the tutorial, it's an older version. If I don't have the tutorial listed when you're ready to purchase it, email me and I'll list one.


Important!Virtually all orders will go out on the next business day after I receive the order. All orders should be received within 4 business days. If you don't receive the tutorial within 5 business days (within the US), please email me. Sometimes, the notification from PayPal is not delivered to my inbox as it should be and I don't know the order has been placed. If you want to make sure that I received the order, feel free to email me.
If you're using Internet Explorer and have trouble with PayPal 'timing out', try downloading the Firefox browser.
All prices on this page refer to US dollars.
Thumbnails of Images in the Equipment Portion of the Tutorial
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Notes:
For now, my auctions will only be 'buy it now'. If you want to bid on a copy of the tutorial, check Audio Publishers eBay store. -->To those who purchased the tutorial and want updates, email me and, if I can confirm that you've purchased a copy of the tutorial, I'll send you the latest version on disc for $10US ($20US outside of the US). Due to the complexity of the directory structure, the lack of computer skills and the size of the files, email updates are not feasible.
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If you place the order on a Friday or on the weekend, it will typically be Monday afternoon before I mail the discs. If there is a long holiday weekend (i.e. Wednesday-Sunday), it may be as long as 5 days before I can mail them. Otherwise, I almost always get discs out on the next business day.
Please note that THIS IS NOT A VIDEO. This tutorial must be used in a computer with a working DVD drive that can read burned DVDs.
The new video clips are in .avi format. They are encoded using the DIVX codec. If your computer doesn't currently have the codec, you must download the codec from the divx.com web site. The videos are highly compressed so they require a relatively fast computer to view them. If you have a gaming computer, it will easily be able to view them smoothly. If your computer is slower than a 2GHz Pentium, you may have problems viewing them.


The following image shows the basic layout of the tutorial. All of the main topics are listed along the right side of the page.
The following images are a sample of the size and quality used throughout the tutorial. The photo of the PCB is only a fraction of the original image. Most of the images of amplifier internals are 2048x1536.

Notes
The $7.60 shipping charge includes USPS Delivery Confirmation.
Total shipping for those outside of the US is $15 via Priority Mail International.
This tutorial is written in the same style as my Basic Car Audio Electronics web site (bcae1.com)
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at babin_perry@yahoo.com.
System Requirements:This tutorial will run on virtually any system manufactured in the last 5 years or so. You will need a browser (if you're reading this, you are using your browser). You will also need to have a working DVD ROM drive. You will need a screen resolution of at least 1024x768. To find the resolution your using, go to your desktop (where you can see the background wallpaper and your icons) and do the following:
RIGHT-click the mouse on a vacant area of the desktop (not on an icon)
Left-click PROPERTIES
Select the settings tab
Find the slider under the heading of 'screen resolution'. Just below the slider, you will find the screen resolution. If the resolution is higher than or equal to 1024x768, the tutorial will be properly displayed on your system.
Note:The newly added video clips require a faster computer than the rest of the tutorial. If your computer is not equivalent to a P4 2GHz (or faster), the videos may not run smoothly.
Important! Due to the size and quantity of the files, the tutorial will now be delivered on DVD instead of CD. If your computer doesn't have a DVD ROM drive, you will not be able to access the information on the disc. Please understand that this is NOT a video. The DVD simply allows me to fit all of the repair information on one disc. The test tones CD will remain a separate item and will still be produced on a CD.


Important!Virtually all orders will go out on the next business day after I receive the order. All orders should be received within 4 business days. If you don't receive the tutorial within 5 business days (within the US), please email me. Sometimes, the notification from PayPal is not delivered to my inbox as it should be and I don't know the order has been placed. If you want to make sure that I received the order, feel free to email me.
No longer available as an assembled device
New Repair-Bench Power/Load Switcher Circuit Board Available
As of November 01, 2005, I will have the bare circuit boards (no electronic components installed in it) available for purchase. The cost is $40US plus shipping ($5US inside the US and $10US to Canada -- For those outside of North America, email me for shipping prices). Please Email me to check for availability before ordering. I will include the following items to help you with assembly:
Complete parts list with Digi-Key and/or Mouser part numbers
A schematic
General assembly instructions
Operating instructions
High resolution photos of a completed switcher
These are a few of it's features:
Main power switching
Switching between an internal dummy load and external speakers for the DUT (Device Under Test)
Power selection for limited (~6 amps) or direct power to the DUT
Switching between the device under test and the bench audio source (receiver or head unit) to the external speakers
Remote power switching
The internal dummy loads are rated at 25 watts for initial, short term testing.
An external fan drive circuit is provided for an external cooling fan on your larger dummy load resistors (the dummy load you'd use to burn in most amplifiers). When you switch the front panel switch to 'dummy load', both the internal fan and the external fan are switched on.
The power limiting resistor as well as the internal dummy load resistors are cooled by a dedicated fan inside the switcher.
The switcher has a volume control for the RCA signal source.
There is also a second buzzer that's parallel to the current limiting resistor in the 12 volt power circuit. The buzzer allows you to audibly monitor the voltage drop across the resistor. This alerts you to sudden changes in current flow and allows you to take quick action to prevent damaging electronic components.
The terminal block on the rear of the switcher is a high quality 2-piece block that allows for quick disconnection of the switcher if you ever need to service it. The block uses high quality elevator type clamps.
The circuit board is double-sided and is made of FR-4 fiberglass with 2oz copper.
All of the components for the switcher are of the highest quality. I could have used cheaper components but reliability is more important than cost when you're doing any sort of testing.
The switcher automatically switches the source/receiver to the external speakers when the main power is switched off.
This is essentially what the completed switcher will look like if you use the components that I suggest. The first image shows the front and the side of the switcher.
This is the inside of the switcher. The images that will accompany the assembly instructions will be approximately 4 times as large as this image.
Switcher Notes:
I've tested the internal dummy loads with a 50 watt/channel amplifier running up to clipping with music for approximately 1 hour and they did not fail. They can take significantly more than their rated power for short periods of time. The fan cooling helps them handle more than they would with simple convection cooling.
The on-board preamp volume control is necessary for those who use a home receiver as the signal source but it's also nice for those who will use a head unit as the signal source. There is also protection for the signal source. There are current limiting resistors in the shield ground path. When the shield comes in contact with a power source, instead of damaging the source unit, the resistors limit the current and a buzzer sounds. The same buzzer is also used to alert you of a shorted remote output connection.
The interactive demo below shows some of the switching for speaker level audio and power. Click on any of the switches to move their handles to the alternate position. The main power switch (left-most in the demo) must be set to the right (on) position for the switcher to work. The LED next to the main power switch is to let you know that you have power feeding the switcher and is always on as long as the 12 volt power supply is on.
Click HERE to open this in its own window. Maximize the new window.

Assembly Instructions
Switcher Operations and Initial Testing Manual
















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