What is on your workbench right now?

[JP]

Next question, which adapter did you install, what's your experience with it? A few brands on the market. Many thanks in advance.
PS: we have something in common, I do brake maintenance and more at my care as well.

I'm using the ISUDAR unit. Biggest complaint is I've had a few lock-ups when navigation using Waze was active and I did a quick stop turning off the car while the phone never left the range of the car, like fueling. I think it'll reset itself after several minutes, but I end up power cycling using the PCM fuse.

Annoyances are that all the volume levels (nav, Siri, etc.) are relative to the main volume control, which can be quite jarring if you have the music loud or had the music loud but forget to turn the main volume down. Also the audio from the board is analog and there is a fair bit of noise, but not a real issue in that car as it's not a quiet cabin, and we mainly drive it with the top down.

Had I to do again I'd probably look at the Mr12Volt unit as it integrates with digital audio. If you want to use the factor mic you need to hack their harness a bit, and you do need to find a place to put the external box. Not sure how they handle the volume controls though.

 

[BR52]

I'm using the ISUDAR unit. Biggest complaint is I've had a few lock-ups when navigation using Waze was active and I did a quick stop turning off the car while the phone never left the range of the car, like fueling. I think it'll reset itself after several minutes, but I end up power cycling using the PCM fuse.

Annoyances are that all the volume levels (nav, Siri, etc.) are relative to the main volume control, which can be quite jarring if you have the music loud or had the music loud but forget to turn the main volume down. Also the audio from the board is analog and there is a fair bit of noise, but not a real issue in that car as it's not a quiet cabin, and we mainly drive it with the top down.

Had I to do again I'd probably look at the Mr12Volt unit as it integrates with digital audio. If you want to use the factor mic you need to hack their harness a bit, and you do need to find a place to put the external box. Not sure how they handle the volume controls though.

Thank you for sharing your observations.
For the moment, I will only substitute my HDD with an SSD and keep the old HDD for backup. The functionality of adapters like this always depends on how carefully the SW is implemented.
Save driving.

 

[JP]

Thank you for sharing your observations.
For the moment, I will only substitute my HDD with an SSD and keep the old HDD for backup. The functionality of adapters like this always depends on how carefully the SW is implemented.
Save driving.

If you run Mac or linux you can use DD to clone the HDD, and also use it to create a sparse image file for safe keeping. Using Clonezilla as the forum guides recommend works, but is a very tedious way to go about it.

As for the CarPlay adapters, one important distinction is that the functionality and reliability of the PCM isn't altered. Even when the ISUDAR unit locks up I can still toggle back to the PCM screen and use it as normal.

 

[BR52]

If you run Mac or linux you can use DD to clone the HDD, and also use it to create a sparse image file for safe keeping. Using Clonezilla as the forum guides recommend works, but is a very tedious way to go about it.

As for the CarPlay adapters, one important distinction is that the functionality and reliability of the PCM isn't altered. Even when the ISUDAR unit locks up I can still toggle back to the PCM screen and use it as normal.

I have been playing with the idea of integrating a CarPlay adapter for a while. But it's a lot of work. To find a place for it, a second mic, compatibility with the camera, and the old Android implementations I saw...... So I'm still unable to convince myself. But thanks for the Mr. 12 Volt hint.

 

[Ricardus]

I'm currently building a Sound Skulptor monitor controller for my mastering room, and a friend and I are working on a secret API influenced mic preamp project. The prototype worked right on the first try. We didn't let any magic smoke out, but phantom didn't work and required one bodge wire. So next PCB Rev should be 100%.

 

[JP]

I have been playing with the idea of integrating a CarPlay adapter for a while. But it's a lot of work. To find a place for it, a second mic, compatibility with the camera, and the old Android implementations I saw...... So I'm still unable to convince myself. But thanks for the Mr. 12 Volt hint.

ISUDAR works with the factory mic in mine.

 

[BR52]

ISUDAR works with the factory mic in mine.

Didn't know that. All I checked before used a 2 one.

 

[TheLastGerman]

Changing the THAT1200 balanced line receivers in my Neurochrome Modulus X86 amp for Lundahl LL1690 input transformers. I love the sound of good transformers in the signal line ...

 

[restorer-john]

Changing the THAT1200 balanced line receivers in my Neurochrome Modulus X86 amp for Lundahl LL1690 input transformers. I love the sound of good transformers in the signal line ...

That's a very interesting mash-up you have going on there. An old chassis, I see a motorized ALPs volume board, some old toroids, PSUs, now the transformers and the Modulus modules.

Please tell me you are going address electrical safety, just in case someone else is operating the unit.

 

[restorer-john]

Pioneer monster receiver. SX-1250. All 64lbs+ of it. Lucky I have a steel reinforcing under the lab desk...

 

[Hipocrates]

Pioneer monster receiver. SX-1250.

What's your assessment of that model?

 

[restorer-john]

What's your assessment of that model?

It's a wonderful piece of history and the high point of Pioneer's entries in the 1970s receiver wars. Yes, the 1978 SX-1980 is more powerful, heavier and way more expensive, but the SX-1250 is the one to have.

The owner of this one also has an SX-1980. He also prefers the SX-1250's sound.

Reliability is excellent, except for the stabilizer boards (regulated supplies). Those supplies run hot, but they're easy to rebuild and both the SX-1980 and SX-1250 have new drop-in replacements which can be bought for people who want that option.

 

[Hipocrates]

And they are so nice to work on! and so well built. I think the same as you, but I was afraid that it was me just being a fanboy!
I think Rick (Delta electronics) was working on some mods for the input section of the amp boards.

Those supplies run hot, but they're easy to rebuild and both the SX-1980 and SX-1250 have new drop-in replacements which can be bought for people who want that option.

Yeah I've seen that on some vintage units, I grabbed a bunch some years ago before prices went up just to see If could fix them, lately I'm been working on some replacements using kicad mainly for my Sansui units but my goal is to do some for my Pioneers, McIntosh and Marantz as well...
hey maybe you will like to take a look of my designs, my goal is to make a open source library of tested gerbers for at least the units that I own.
I've been playing too much with class d amps and DIY, I think maybe I should go back to my original hobby

 

[jhenderson0107]

chasing down a phase error between two RF DACs...

 

[restorer-john]

1x Dead Sonic Imagery Labs "discrete OPAMP" model 992/994.

This thing pulls enough current to heat itself, and the regulators supplying it, to temperatures way in excess of normal operating temperatures for an opamp in an audio situation.

Macro thermal shots of the 'discrete opamps' in operation coming.

Love the low temp hot melt glue. Such quality....

 

[restorer-john]

Macro thermal image shots of the upper side of the device in operation:

 

[Chr1]

Hi John. Wondering if you might give us an interpretation of what this image shows?
I am an avid follower of this thread, but blissfully ignorant when it comes to complex electrical engineering... Thanks!

 

[restorer-john]

Hi John. Wondering if you might give us an interpretation of what this image shows?
I am an avid follower of this thread, but blissfully ignorant when it comes to complex electrical engineering... Thanks!

The thermal image is the small discrete opamp pictured above (post #535) in operation. The upper side of the pcb. It has two boards, four layers all in a 1" square!

The amplifier is a Nord NC-500 dual mono with discrete regulators and these plug in discrete opamps. One channel had died (or become very distorted) and it turned out to be one of these little things.

That image is rotated 180 degrees. With the thermal macro lens, you can see even tiny individual SMD devices and their temps. Unbelievably useful instrument for finding issues. I don't know what has actually died in this discrete opamp and I really don't care. It's certainly not worth trying to repair it- I'll be putting a normal 8 pin DIP opamp in instead.

Discrete opamps are really an expensive solution to a problem that doesn't exist IMO.

 

[Chr1]

Thanks. Do you reckon it failed due to excess heat within the case?...seems to be the most frequent cause of failure from what I have read here. I have got as far as adding USB computer fans to cool my AVR and a mosfet/valve power amp, both of which appear to run hot...Oh, and I can now bias my amps. Also bought an infrared thermometer to check the mosfet temperatures and other things. Enjoy this thread mainly to see what the pros do!
Thanks again.

 

[restorer-john]

Do you reckon it failed due to excess heat within the case?...seems to be the most frequent cause of failure from what I have read here.

It's hard to say with 100% certainty. But the internal temperatures are excessive even at idle in my opinion.

I left the amplifier on (idle, no signal, no load) for 20 minutes and the the spot temperatures on the power supplies, the output filter on the NC-500 modules, the voltage regulators and the top of the discrete opamps are pretty high. None of the temperatures are extreme or in the failure zone, but it is concerning that 4 non-heatsinked 'discrete' regulators sit at 75+ degrees C and the opamps have spot points above that.

I can post the thermal images, but I have to convert each one to an image type this forum software allows for attachments.

If I ran the amplifier even at a mild continuous output, say a boisterous party, the internal temperatures would be much higher.

For me, 60-65 degrees C is a warm but comfortable temperature for reliability, except when short term testing where over 100 degrees is fine. Junction temperatures in silicon diodes can be 200 degrees C, but nothing is going to have a long life over 80 degrees C on a continuous basis IMO.