Yet another thread from me asking for help

[bencat]

Well around 09.20 on Sunday I blew up not one but two Quad 405 amps which while they still show the power light on no sound is coming out . No idea why or how . They will need to go for repair . In the mean time this means my spare room where I have my PC the Digital active system is not going to work .

I have one stereo power amp a Trio Basic M1 which will do fine for the Treble units but I need another stereo power amp to use to drive the bass units.

Given that the Quad Repairs will cost me and how much I spent on drink at Kegworth I can only ask if anyone has any half decent sounding amp they want to get rid of . I will set it up and use while the Quads are away then pack it with the Trio and have as a spare . Maximum budget is around £150 so if you have anything etiher add on this thread or PM me .

I know how kind many of you are on here and even at the show I got offers to lend me amps . This is really appreciated but with my track record of blowing up amps I want to be sure it belongs to me and I have not destroyed another wammers pride and joy .

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[occasional thinker]

If you just want something temporary then I have a couple of Yamaha A2070 av amps that I'd like to shift. I was going to use them in a multiway active system but now have a different option. The audio section is decent, and there is a removable link at the back to allow pre out and main in. 3 channels in each too, so you could even use the two for the whole system (also another 3 lower powered amps in each). 8/4 ohm switch at the back to drop the voltage when running into 4 ohms.  £120 for the pair from Sheffield (they're heavy beasts).

 

[bencat]

Hi Dave

That is fuel for thought thanks and I think I could mange that price and trip to Sheffield is a piece of cake to pick them up . I was too tired today (sorry geting old does this) and just put all of my equipment form the show in the bags in the spare room so will not look at them again til Friday . Once I get to then will decide what i am going to do . Drop you line then . Thanks for kind thought and the offer much appreciated.

 

[The Chronicals]

My dads near you over the water and has a owned since new boxed NAD 316BEE (i think) which when he has taken photos I will be listing it for him at £150 if interested, drop me a PM if so

 

[bencat]

Thanks @The Chronicalsappreciate the thought but I want to stick to a simple power amp rather than an intergrated unit which will need the extra stree of gain matching . This is my lack of skills by the way not a problem with the equipment being offered.

 

[The Chronicals]

Thanks @The Chronicalsappreciate the thought but I want to stick to a simple power amp rather than an intergrated unit which will need the extra stree of gain matching . This is my lack of skills by the way not a problem with the equipment being offered.

Its probably just one of my man reads for not noticing

Nay bother, hope you get sorted!

 

[alphatoner]

Maybe a silly suggestion, but are you sure that you haven't just blown the fuses?

There is the fuse accessible from the rear panel, but there are also two internal glass fuses on the PCB.

 

[greybeard]

I have never owned a 405, but looking at circuit diagram there are two fuses on the circuit board, by the looks of it. Have you checked them Andrew?

 

[Tony_J]

I have never owned a 405, but looking at circuit diagram there are two fuses on the circuit board, by the looks of it. Have you checked them Andrew?

Good thought Colin - that would well make a difference!

 

[bencat]

Both units were showing as being on with the red power light still being on . In the past if a fuse went then the amp went completely dead . Will have a look though just in case.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Tony_J]

Looking online, it would seem that there are 5 fuses - one in the power supply itself (which whould kill the red power light if it blew) and 4 in the supply rails to the amps - 2 for the LH and 2 for the RH channels. So any of the 4 in the supply rails blowing could show up as no sound with the power light still on. Why they should blow is a different question of course...

 

[emmings]

Hi

I've got an Arcam Alpha 8 Power amp sitting around doing nothing if that's any use/interest to you. £75?

 

[greybeard]

Looking online, it would seem that there are 5 fuses - one in the power supply itself (which whould kill the red power light if it blew) and 4 in the supply rails to the amps - 2 for the LH and 2 for the RH channels. So any of the 4 in the supply rails blowing could show up as no sound with the power light still on. Why they should blow is a different question of course...

Yes they were the ones I was looking at, but only on one channel obviously  Completely missed the power supply one though :doh:

 

[alphatoner]

I have never owned a 405, but looking at circuit diagram there are two fuses on the circuit board, by the looks of it. Have you checked them Andrew?

Good thought Colin - that would well make a difference!

Isn't that exactly the point I made in an earlier post?

 

[greybeard]

Isn't that exactly the point I made in an earlier post?

Yes, but you had not edited it at the time of my post, your post just said are you sure you haven't just blown the fuse,  and it could have meant the plug fuse, so I was just advising Andrew that there were internal fuses, and then Tony was putting me right on the amount

I did actually upvote your post, as it was a good call :^ , we were just expanding on it.

 

[Tony_J]

Yes, but you had not edited it at the time of my post, your post just said are you sure you haven't just blown the fuse,  and it could have meant the plug fuse, so I was just advising Andrew that there were internal fuses, and then Tony was putting me right on the amount

I did actually upvote your post, as it was a good call :^ , we were just expanding on it.

Absolutely. Jolly good team effort chasps.

 

[Brigadoon]

I have a Denon UPO 250   hanging about  Nothing special, but it does have a sexy torroidal traffo... and I'm convinced something rather special lies within and will be set free by a few tweaks and component upgrades. It's been languishing in storage awaiting said tweaks for four years and counting....  You can use it as a backstop  for as long as you need - all you need pay is postage - under a tenner I'm sure. And if it blows up it's really not an issue.

 

[bencat]

Right huge thanks to everyone for their kind offers of both loan equipment and possible buys it is very much appreciated. Thank you also to all those that gave advice on the fuses and numbers involved.

Today I bought a box of 100 replacement fuses and stripped both amplifiers down . In both cases the mains fuse was fine no issues hence the red power light being on . Then we get to tunexplained territory . First amp all four internal fuses gone one given the brown burn stain on the glass quite violently . Great a possible result . Strip the other one down and none of the fuses have gone all can still be seen clear and intact .

So no messing about all five fuses in both amps were replaced and then put back together . As I am still not sure what caused the issue I di not put the amps back in to the original digital active system . Instead went to spare bedroom and put together a quick system of CD / DAC Pre and Goodmans Maxim 2 speakers i used at Kegworth . Reconnected everything taking care that there was no short or connection issue all with the power off . I then connected up to power turned on and bingo music , and nice sound ing music. This was the Quad that has all the fuses blown and as i could see what was wrong it was the one I thought most liekly to return to normal . Substituted the second Quad turned on and to my definite surprise it came on and played just like the first even though it was dead this morning when I tried it and all the fuses looked fine.

Not really bothered now whatever they are worrking for minimal money and lots of sweat (I am unable to even the simplest job without dripping ) .

Next up will be to a few little connection tweaks on my Kef 103 Active system and then put that back to gether and see what results.

Mod's can youeither move this to two channel or DIY in case anyone is interested or if not just mark it as sold.

 

[Brigadoon]

Glad you got it sorted. Our hearts really went out to you on Sunday, you looked crushed. 

And fair play to you for making lovely sounding lemonade out of the painful lemons of losing your amps five minutes before the show opened.  :notworthy:

Many lesser mortals would have simpy closed their door and gone and drowned their sorrows at the bar.