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I have a classic car that is appreciating in value. Electronics - no way. If my $2k 6 channel class D amp (4 yo) fails, will get the next best thing.
My NAD C298 at $2,000 is just a skosh above throwaway cost. Yet its sound reproduction is sublime.
If I have to buy another one in 3 years because it craps out, so be it. I'll have gotten great value out of it.
I have had two (2) Class D plate amps and one (1) Class AB plate amp fail in active subwoofers, which is why I am totally against active speakers of any kind. The question is not if they will fail but when, and when they do fail you will NOT be able to find a replacement plate amp that is the same size that fits the hole, with the same hole pattern as none of this is standardized. At that point it's all either landfill material or you will make an aluminum adapter plate in your metal shop to get the replacement to fit, and you will also drill a whole bunch more holes in the wood byproduct cabinet for the new screw hole pattern. BTW when one of those Class D plate amps failed it took out the woofer as well.
Then again there's no particular reason to replace with another limited plate amp. Go external if the driver/box is worthy...
Holes are easily filled, what's the point?Once you have a hole you have a hole. You're going to have to fill it with something, otherwise you still have a hole...
Holes are easily filled, what's the point?
ps replacing the entire plate is not what I'm referring to
How do you suggest filling the hole in a speaker cabinet left behind by the failed plate amp, to then use an external amp instead? Cut a piece of plywood scrap to cover the hole and secure it with 10 penny nails driven into the cabinet? If you use a rigid panel should you damp it? How do you build the replacement panel so it uses about the same amount of internal volume as the old plate amp did inside the cabinet, in order to maintain the T/S tuning the manufacturer intended?
While I'd generally leave the plate amp in place, there are variety of ways. Just drilling/sealing some avenue for the wires isn't difficult.
ps as to any necessary dsp to compensate for design, better to use an external amp/and or dsp unit with more dsp capabilites.
I have had two (2) Class D plate amps and one (1) Class AB plate amp fail in active subwoofers, which is why I am totally against active speakers of any kind. The question is not if they will fail but when, and when they do fail you will NOT be able to find a replacement plate amp that is the same size that fits the hole, with the same hole pattern as none of this is standardized. At that point it's all either landfill material or you will make an aluminum adapter plate in your metal shop to get the replacement to fit, and you will also drill a whole bunch more holes in the wood byproduct cabinet for the new screw hole pattern. BTW when one of those Class D plate amps failed it took out the woofer as well.
Yeah, I just am not thinking of the equipment I buy today the way I was thinking about the equipment I bought back in the 90s. Part of it is how relatively inexpensive it all is now - and the truth is, there will be something new out there in the future that will replace what I am using now. With my older equipment, I can't really afford to keep it all in 100% shape , so over time I am thinning that herd and picking the few receivers/amps, speakers and tape decks that I want to maintain.
Thats an unusually large number of subwoofer failures for one person. Are you sure your using them correctly? Is this user error??
I think active anything is not for you.
Hey, if it's beyond your skillz....but wtf cares after you're dead?I see what you're getting at. No thanks I'd toss the speaker before I left a non-functioning plate amp still installed in it, and slipped a pair of wires past it. IMO someone else will end up with it after my estate sale, and while trying to figure out how to make the old plate amp work will probably say: "What kind of XX$%X@X would do something like this?" "He was supposedly a XX$%X@X engineer, how could he?"