2. amps-preamps
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Who's Gone Topless?

The idea of this goes back decades. Amps and preamps (for the most part) are designed on chassis free breadboards, then voiced, THEN are packaged inside a chassis, which can be the weakest link to hearing what the designer intended. In most cases the chassis sidewalls and bottom are essential, but the top?


First off, beware that doing so will likely affect your mfg warranty, but, if you live in a pet-free, child-free home, then the benefits can more than offset concerns about something getting in that could harm the components. Case in point my Ric Schultz Class D EVS 1200, dual mono IcePower 120as2 modules. HOWEVER, unlike others using the same or similar modules, Ric then sprinkles many decades of modifying pixie dust all around them which are mounted inside an understated (sans bling) Italian sourced chassis.

When I ordered mine it was mandatory to purchase 2 Cubes ($200) which are to be butted up against each board, requiring the owner to remove the top. After doing so, I was anxious to put it in my rack so I could properly isolate it from bad vibes, when I should have listened with and without the Cubes and top.


Ric is also a proponent of weighing down components, but due to the unnecessarily large chassis, it barely fit in my rack, but I had a 5 pound divers belt lead weight that I squeezed in. Now, because RIc chose to put the mute toggles on the back I placed the amp on the first shelf from the rack's top (but out of sight out of mind: I never mute it when done listening), upon which was my CD player/Transport, which I raised up to provide ~ 2" of air space above the top of the 1200 and the bottom shelf of the player. Even though the rack is open on all sides with plenty of air space all around the rack, the amp ran warm

Fast Forward to yesterday. I was listening to Leonard Cohen Essential songs, mostly instrumentally sparse. I removed the weight; and found the music much more open sounding. Encouraged, I FINALLY removed the top. Honestly, I was not prepared for how HUGE doing so could be. It was like the music went from a confined space to an open air 3 dimensional venue. This is so amazing that I am going to get a handle on it via different music before removing the Cubes. Oh, and the amp is now cool as can be. 


So, if interested, stay tuned
tweak1
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,721 posts
 
In the meanwhile....use some nice, quiet computer fans.

Y'all note periodically how your amps of whatever format create enough BTUs' to act like space heaters....

I've noted that the backs of the magnets on my speakers can get hot to the touch.  Now, I realize that I ''push' voice coils into parameters that the designer(s) may not have had in mind.  Therefore, I actually put an index finger on them to ensure I don''t fry them.

Ever touch a circuit breaker with a high load in a panel?  One of the 1st things that breakers exhibit before they 'pop' is heat.

I've been in a situation where we ran fans on open breaker panels to keep them from frying in summer heat due to the demands placed on them.  It helped long enough to get about to tell the 'abusers' to back off on demand.  It was that, or the whole system would go down....and stay there.

EM? Vibration? Huh?!

Anything with a current running through it is warming up.

Simple physics.
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,721 posts
 
The only cubes you should need is into your glass...
glupson
7,842 posts
 
asvjerry,

"...to keep them from frying in summer heat due to the demands placed on them."
They will always heat up before being done, but isn't that the whole purpose? Does summer heat contribute that much that it would break?
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cleeds
5,980 posts
 
labtec
 Why do you need your eyes to listen to music?
It isn't clear why you'd ask that question. I often listen to music with eyes closed.
Why are you so against people confirming if they HEAR a difference by just using their ears and not knowing what changed ahead of time?
It isn't clear why you'd ask that question. I have no issue with people listening with eyes closed.
You realize that whatever you did to reach your subjective "conclusions" with your eyes open...you can do with your eyes closed...right???
Yes, that's fairly obvious. Thank you.
Are you saying that the placebo effect doesn't exist? Confirmation bias?
 Do your questions have any point? If so, why don't you state your case?


bob540
409 posts
 
I might try this on my Parasound A21.  Either top off or maybe a Plexiglass top instead.  I must admit that part of the reason I bought it is that I thought the innards are beautiful — I figured something so beautiful must make beautiful sound.  To have people look in it while it produces nice sounds would just add to the joy!  Thanks for the suggestion.
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