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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

2279.0. "Power Amp questions" by PCOJCT::RYAN () Mon Mar 05 1990 19:31

    I have a non-midiquestion.... I recently purchased a used Peavey
    DECA-700 Digital power amp. The amp appears to work fine, my
    question is about the LED indicators on the front panel. The LED's
    seem to go into the yellow and occasionally red sections at relativly
    low output levels. There is no distortion in the output and all seems
    ok. What exactly are these LED indicating? Are they tracking input?
    Output? 
    
    Any info would be appreciated, also, what happens when I switch from
    stereo mode to bridge mode on this amp. I will be driving this amp with
    a mono signal. When I switch from stereo to bridge., I only get a single
    set of LED's, however both channels still operate, but seemed to be
    controlled by a single level controll.  This seems to simplify things
    for me, however I want to be sure I'm getting the beifit of both power
    amps. Does bridge tie one input to both power amps?
    
    Thanks in advance
    Gary Ryan
T.RTitleUserPersonal
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2279.1 Can you say "How much to fix this amp?"LEDS::ORSIListen up now ya little booger machinesTue Mar 06 1990 11:3120
    	
    	DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!
    
    	Using the amp in that way may severely hamper its
    	operating lifetime. One channel is bucking the other,
    	and what you hear is the difference. Not much, huh?
    	You're clipping the hell out of the amp.
    
    	If you want to parallel the inputs, leave the switch
    	in the "Stereo" position, and use a short patch cord
    	between the r + l channel inputs. 
    	
    	The bridging switch does NOT parallel both inputs. It
    	inverts the signal to one amp. The amp then operates
    	as a mono amp ONLY when using the input and output jacks
    	specifically designated for bridging the amp.
    
    	Neal
    
    		
2279.2no smoke yetPCOJCT::RYANWed Mar 07 1990 12:295
    thanks for the tip, while I did try it for a few seconds, i'm always
    hesitant to run in any configuration thay I'm unsure of...
    PS: any thoughts on the LED indicator confusion??
    
    Gary
2279.3Haven't figured out the LED thing yetLEDS::ORSIListen up now ya little booger machinesThu Mar 08 1990 11:4435
    
    	Gary, is your amp the DECA 724? It's rated at 350W/ch
    	@ 4 ohms. I'm not familiar with the 700. You can write
    	to Peavey for an operating manual.
    
    	Re - LED problem.	
    	I have a few questions.
    	
    	When the switch was in the bridge position;
    
    	(A) which input channel did you plug into?
    	(B) how did you hook up the speaker(s)?
    	(C) spkr(s) 8 ohm?
    	(D) were LED's on BOTH channels in the red?
    
    	Here's some info on bridging an amp if it will help.
    	Bridging is most useful when using just one speaker
    	and you need a mono amp.
    
    	Flip the Stereo/Bridge switch to "bridge" position, 
    	plug signal into channel A, then hook your spkr BETWEEN
    	the two RED banana jacks, with the channel A banana jack
    	being the + side when observing polarity.
    		DO NOT USE THE BLACK CONNECTOR OR GROUND.
    	Also, the speaker load should not be less than 8 ohms.
    
    	If you are using two spkrs, you can run the amp in "dual mono"
    	by leaving the switch in the "Stereo" position, plug into
    	channel A input, patch a cable from channel A input to channel
    	B input (if your amp has two paralleled input jacks on each
    	channel) then plug a speaker into each channel output using
    	the 1/4" jacks or the banana jacks
    
    	Neal
    
2279.4more info,same ??'sPCOJCT::RYANFri Mar 09 1990 17:3433
    Neil, thanks for the info.... The 700 was one of the 1st of the DECA
    series. It is older that the 724. I've see both in person and checked
    out the published specs on both, I really can't see any difference.
    I guess the need to push a newer, better model every year, exists in
    the power amp world also.... I thought it was only midi stuff...
    
    Anyway, My original question was actually 2 different questions.
    I am cyurrently running the amp from a mono signal using a
    Y cord to drive both inputs. I am using TOA cab's @ 8 ohms, each
    plugged into one side or the other.
    
    RE: My question on the LED's, I've never worked with a device that had
    LED meters. It just seems to me that they pop up into the yellow and to
    a lesser extent red areas at a relativly low output. There is no
    audible distortion in fact, the DDT lights are not on. I guess I'm just
    curious.
    
    As for the bridge question, I had both speakers plugged in, I just
    un-plugged one of the inputs, b, I think and switched into bridge.
    Both speakers worked and sounded fine, onlu one set of LED did their
    thing and the entire amp ran from 1 level control. It would simplify
    my set-up not to need this Y cord, on the otherside of the coin,
    I'd like to be able to adjust the level of each side indivigaly.
    
    PS Excuse spelling errors..... it's been a long day...
    
    I think I'll keep my trusty Y cord, everthing is currently working fine
    and that's about the best I can expect.....
    
    Now, about those LEDS....
    
    
    Gary
2279.5LEDS::ORSIListen up now ya little booger machinesMon Mar 12 1990 15:2417
    
    	Gary, I can't figure out by your last reply that you are
    	indicating that you are going to continue to use it that
    	way because it "sounds" ok and that what you are really
    	worried about are the LEDs. If so, the LEDs are the least
    	of your problems. When you switch to the bridge position,
    	the amp become a "mono" amp, hence, only one set of LEDs
    	is needed. The fact that they extend into the yellow indi-
    	cates (again) that the amp is working twice as hard to put
    	out a relative sound pressure level because the output of
    	one speaker is out of phase with the other and they are
    	working against each other. This is not good for the amp OR
    	the speakers. 
    
    	Neal
    
    	
2279.6STROKR::DEHAHNTue Mar 13 1990 11:3233
    
    I'll jump in and back Neal up on this...DO NOT CONTINUE to operate that
    amp in bridge mode WITH SPEAKER WIRES ON THE BLACK TERMINALS or you
    may soon have a smoking mass of melted silicon.
    
    Most people don't understand what bridge mode means. What is happen-
    ing is one OUTPUT channel is getting inverted and then is coupled in
    PARALLEL with the other channel. The resultant OUTPUT LOAD is put across
    the TWO RED (or + [plus]) JACKS. Like two resistors in parallel, the
    output impedance of the amp is then cut in half, so your effective
    output load must be double for the same power output. Thus if your amp
    can drive at best a 4 ohm load per channel it will only drive an *8*
    ohm load in bridge mode. Some of the larger pro amps will drive a 4 ohm
    bridged load, but I don't think the DECA will.
    
    Usually, only the channel '1' or 'A' or whatever input is used when in
    bridge mode. The amp is effectively a single channel amp. If you have a
    stereo signal you must sum them before the input jacks, although there
    are a few amps which will sum internally if you hook up your inputs in
    stereo. Check with Peavey.
    
    If all you want to do is feed a mono signal to two channels and then
    hook up two speakers, all you need to do is run it parallel mono (or as
    Neal calls it, dual mono, same thing). Some amps have a switch for
    this. Otherwise just jump a patch across the inputs.
    
    The DECA 700 has a history of thermal runaway problems which were 
    corrected with the DECA 724. Be careful with this amp, it is not
    bulletproof.
    
    CdH