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Infinity Kappa 8's


What to do? My infinity Kappa 8's keeps eating amps for lunch.The 1st failure was with a Yamaha 200 watt per channel model P2200. Amp went black, I replaced the main fuses on the back of amp, it powered-up with new same rating fuses and then amp died again for good.Tryed another P2200 fuse blew again. I've decided not to try the amp again, for fear of completely damaging my last P2200. This is getting expensive! I'm not cranking the volume at full tilt or pushing the bass tone control past 12 o'clock. The speaker can be Bi-amped, but I've just used a single robust P2200 on them. The speaker wire uses large 1/4 inch bananna connectors, so no bare wires can not touch positive to ground on the back of the amp or speakers and the 4 binding posts on the speakers flat metal plates to connect the two binding posts together for single amp operation. Could a faulty cross-over wreak this havoc upon me. Any helpful suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
audiosaurus
ngjockey
1,042 posts
 
Those speakers drop down to just under 2 ohms at 90 Hz. The Yamaha might be seeing that as a short. I have tried several amps on Kappa 8's and never had that problem. The Kappa 9's were notorious amp killers in their day as they dropped below 1 ohm. Yamaha did make some very good amps at some times and I had the B-1's, for a while, in a biamp setup with the Kappa 8's. The bulk of Yamaha gear is commercial quality.

If you have a multimeter, you can test for the speaker terminals for a short using the DC ohms. Zero would be bad. Four ohms would be nominal. If that checks out, it will be time to decide if you need a amp that can drive 2 ohms or different speakers.
hiend2's avatar
hiend2
474 posts
 
Speakers are drawing too much current. Krell Ksa200,ksa250,ksa300 ect will drive the #$%^ out of them and not even cough.
transnova's avatar
transnova
350 posts
 
I used an Adcom 555 and an Aragon 8008BB to drive the Kappa 8's when I had them.Both amps did the job.

Larry
audiosaurus OP
1 posts
 
Thanks for all of the helpful comments out there. The Yamaha P2200 has driven Apoggee Caliburs and Mb Quart 980's, both of these speakers dip into the low,low impedance area, and the amp never popped a fuse or shut down. Remember this is not a consumer amp, but an amplifier that has proven it's reliablity over the years in many studios. Upon further investigation I noticed a very well concealed setting for the woofers under a plastic cap located outside the speaker binding & controls plate. The factory setting is extended range. Infinity suggests throwing the switch into the normal position (which it already was in) to reduce the current requirements to the woofers. Next step suggested I'll take, is testing for a short with an ohm meter. These are the other amps I have available to drive the Kappa's. Yamaha M80 & M85 (both 200 watt range)and a friend has a Sumo polaris.Sorry but a Krell, Levinsen and Classe at the power required is just outside of my budget.
beemer
444 posts
 
Sorry but a Krell, Levinsen and Classe at the power required is just outside of my budget.

There are a few Classe 200/201's listed around the $1200 range. IMHO that's reasonably short $$$ to get the job done right. The Yammie is a good amp, however it just ain't got enough when the impedance dips. That P2200 is about to celebrate it's 30th birthday, maybe it's time to put the old girl out to pasture ;-)

Good luck,

Paul :-)
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