Adam's Theater

[Bryceo]

I just ordered more banana plugs from Amazon. I have a s**t ton of Monoprice plugs, but I want them all to be the same.

I'm also about to order more wire pants...but now I'm nervous that I'll get the math wrong again.

Ive been told doing things naked is the way to be

 

[ImcLoud]

Ive been told doing things naked is the way to be

can be dangerous with wire strippers though



Adam, if you just ordered double of what you needed, then you would only need 1 more....
I cut this wire 3 times and it is still too god damned short!!!

 

[Bryceo]

can be dangerous with wire strippers though

Valid point but I should hope he wasn't resting on his area to strip wires

 

[Adam]

I cut this wire 3 times and it is still too ... short!!!

Hee, hee! That one had me laughing pretty good...once I got it.

 

[slipperybidness]

Those deadbolts are the bomb! Love em.
Justin- these baby's work great: GB SE-92 Strip Easy 8 Gauge to 22 Gauge Automatic Wire Stripper - Amazon.com

Yeah, the auto-strippers are the only way to go if you do this stuff often. It should work for his inner jackets, but I don't know if it would work for the outer jacket on this twisted cable.

But, if you do this stuff often, do yourself a favor and splurge for the Klein Brand. The off-brands eventually get janky, and the Kleins work better out of the box than the off brands.

Amazon.com: Klein Tools 11063 8-22 AWG Katapult Wire Stripper: Home Improvement

 

[slipperybidness]

I cut this wire 3 times and it is still too god damned short!!!

That's classic. Why do I get the feeling that you actually heard someone say that?

Actual comment from a co-worker:
"Somebody around here is gonna start doing their job, and it ain't gonna be me".

 

[ImcLoud]

That's classic. Why do I get the feeling that you actually heard someone say that?

Actual comment from a co-worker:
"Somebody around here is gonna start doing their job, and it ain't gonna be me".

The best thing I ever heard one of my employees say was "we only get paid once a week, and I work everyday" He was serious, he still works for me but it has taken a lot of patience, over the last 6 years...
Second place "I WAS ONLY GETTING OUT FOR A SECOND" explaining to me why a brand new{28 days old} $66K Isuzu cabover ran over my customers lawn, through a fence, and into his horse barn with out a driver in it. Luckily no animals were hurt and they built the horse barn on a slight slope so the truck wasn't going fast... He no longer works for me...

 

[Adam]

I finally took the new amp out of the wrapper and have it hooked up.

First, the good news. It does look nice - a small scratch on the top surface, but other than that, it's in great shape. I don't know if the scratch means that the 9/10 rating is inaccurate, but I can't see the scratch at all when it's in my entertainment center, so it's cool. I'm happy with it.

Now, the not-so-good news. When it turns on, one of the speakers "pops" once decently loudly, and another one pops a few times for about a second but much quieter (sounds almost like static). The speaker that pops loudly doesn't do it every time, but the staticy one happens every time, so I don't know what's going on. Something that's not right, though. The speakers also make noise (quiet, but there) when there's no signal. I had high hopes that this amp would be a nice improvement over the IPS-1, but I'm not seeing that, yet.

The trigger also didn't work, but that could have been the cable that I used. I'll try a different cable tomorrow.

I'll see what I can do, but I don't know how much more I'm going to do tonight.

 

[ImcLoud]

I finally took the new amp out of the wrapper and have it hooked up.

First, the good news. It does look nice - a small scratch on the top surface, but other than that, it's in great shape. I don't know if the scratch means that the 9/10 rating is inaccurate, but I can't see the scratch at all when it's in my entertainment center, so it's cool. I'm happy with it.

Now, the not-so-good news. When it turns on, one of the speakers "pops" once decently loudly, and another one pops a few times for about a second but much quieter (sounds almost like static). The speaker that pops loudly doesn't do it every time, but the staticy one happens every time, so I don't know what's going on. Something that's not right, though. The speakers also make noise (quiet, but there) when there's no signal. I had high hopes that this amp would be a nice improvement over the IPS-1, but I'm not seeing that, yet.

The trigger also didn't work, but that could have been the cable that I used. I'll try a different cable tomorrow.

I'll see what I can do, but I don't know how much more I'm going to do tonight.

So just 2 channels do the popping, the other 3 turn on and off smooth? HMMM, sounds fishy...

Trying swapping rca's and speakers around... if the same channels still do it, call NHT and see if they have a fix for it.... I had a sunfire that did that on the front left and right chnls, a local repair shop replaced a few parts and vwalla, like new, until the other channels started acting the same way and that guy wasnt in business anymore....

 

[Adam]

The limited troubleshooting that I did was to unplug the RCA from the input terminal on the speaker that was popping - still does it. Maybe it's the speaker wire...it is the new stuff that I made for part of it. The RCA cables and other speaker wires are the same as I used before.

The speaker making static uses the same speaker wire and RCA cable as used on the IPS-1, so I don't believe it's the cables.

 

[ImcLoud]

The limited troubleshooting that I did was to unplug the RCA from the input terminal on the speaker that was popping - still does it. Maybe it's the speaker wire...it is the new stuff that I made for part of it. The RCA cables and other speaker wires are the same as I used before.

The speaker making static uses the same speaker wire and RCA cable as used on the IPS-1, so I don't believe it's the cables.

I doubt its the cables, but still would try swapping them to a different speaker... What is the return policy?
How does it sound other wise...

"Popping is almost always an arcing problem. The high voltage in the amp has found some path that cannot stand the high voltages and discharges suddenly through that path. The arc current is high, but cannot be sustained by the power supply, so the voltage drops a little, the arc extinguishes, and it takes some time for the power supply voltage to build back up to where the arc will start again.

Popping is often associated with the time when you flip the standby switch. In standby, the current drain from the power supply is less, so the voltage rises, causing more voltage stress. When the standby switch is thrown, the higher-than-normal voltage can break over things that stand the normal stress of operating voltage. "

 

[Adam]

I doubt its the cables, but still would try swapping them to a different speaker... What is the return policy?
How does it sound other wise...

I've been reading a bit - seems like others have experienced the popping with these amps. I'll have to check on the return policy - it was used off of Audiogon. The seller had a great rating. I'll also contact NHT and see what they think.

I still need to run MCAAC on it. It sounds like...well...an amp.

 

[Adam]

I'll be trying to get the 12V trigger to work in just a little bit. The popping when it turns on bugs the living daylights out of me, but one thing that's so nice...it doesn't hum. At all, at least that I can tell so far. I do wish that the IPS-1 didn't do that, because other than that, it's a great amp. In fact, I'll have to see which one I end up using...the hum bugs me, but the popping bugs me more.

After spending hours making up the four speaker wires that run from the back of the amp to the wall plates for the rear speakers (granted, fancy cables behind the amp probably aren't necessary), I learned that those cable pants are really flexible and kept sliding under the amp as I tried to push it into place. Doh. I'll figure that out, though, and those cables are much, much nicer than the ones that I had in there.

I ordered more banana plugs and cable pants. The new plugs are out for delivery today (woohoo!), and the cable pants should get here by Tuesday. If I get inspired enough, I can make up the 12-gauge wire cables for my front speakers - I have plenty of the larger cable pants for those.

 

[Adam]

I've been way too slow getting a picture up. So, here are two quick snapshots.


The amp (pulled out so that I can reroute some wires and work on the trigger).

My new fancy cables hooked up to the back of it . The cable for the center channel will be replaced with a 12-gauge cable once I get those made.

 

[Bryceo]

Nice wire pants good to see you spoil your amp with a pillow

 

[ImcLoud]

Looks good anyway.... Any word on return options?

 

[Adam]

Looks good anyway.... Any word on return options?

Thanks! I haven't inquired, yet. I want to give it a chance first. I figure that I've unpacked it and gotten Niki's hair on (maybe in) it, so I wouldn't feel right just sending it back without some fee.

I did send an e-mail to NHT, but I don't expect to hear back until after the weekend.

 

[Bryceo]

Wish you all the best with it Adam

 

[psbfan9]

Adam, I'm really disappointed for you. I know you were excited about the new amp. I hope you get the 'pops' all sorted out.

Good luck.

 

[ImcLoud]

Thanks! I haven't inquired, yet. I want to give it a chance first. I figure that I've unpacked it and gotten Niki's hair on (maybe in) it, so I wouldn't feel right just sending it back without some fee.

I did send an e-mail to NHT, but I don't expect to hear back until after the weekend.

If its not as described, its not as described... I would instantly notice one of my speakers popping on startup, and when selling something like that you have to decide 1- say "amp pops on ch 1 and 4 when you power it on" in your listing, or B- don't say anything and hope the buyer doesn't notice, that's the chance he took, you noticed now send it back, I wouldn't even want to pay any shipping either way....

I give you credit you are a lot more calm than I would be, good for you.