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Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp.

50.49.105.14
Posted on February 5, 2017 at 11:51:15
rosendds@frontiernet.net
Audiophile

Posts: 599
Location: North East
Joined: November 13, 2010
 I want to replace electrolytic caps.in a subwoofer.are there a particular type of cap that I should order for the electrolytics in the audio circuit?How about the filter caps in the power supply?Thanks,

Dave

 

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RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 5, 2017 at 13:46:14
airtime
Audiophile

Posts: 11287
Location: Arizona
Joined: February 4, 2003
 Well they shouldn't be that old were they are aging out.

Not having a schematic nor will the company give you one, I would just play it safe and order audio grade Nichicons.

Keep the uf values but I would up the voltage ratings.

What plate amp are you talking about?

charles

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 5, 2017 at 13:47:29
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 Nichicon MUSE and Nichicon Gold caps..You may be better off buying new plate amps for the subs.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 5, 2017 at 14:33:57
rosendds@frontiernet.net
Audiophile

Posts: 599
Location: North East
Joined: November 13, 2010
 Mike,

You think that I would be better off dropping new plate amps in the subs rather that recapping?One plate amp.is a a different variant of the other,so perhaps having two identical new amps would be the better way.

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 5, 2017 at 17:36:46
airtime
Audiophile

Posts: 11287
Location: Arizona
Joined: February 4, 2003
 As long as they are similar you are OK. Down in that frequency range it's not as critical to match exactly. As long as they are similar. Heck, I'm running stereo subs and they are not only different plate amps but different driver sizes. Ones a 10" and the other is an 8".

But I do plan on buying and building a matched pair soon.

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 5, 2017 at 22:04:10
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 Agreed.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 6, 2017 at 03:49:17
rosendds@frontiernet.net
Audiophile

Posts: 599
Location: North East
Joined: November 13, 2010
 Thanks.The subs are M & K with 125 watt plate amps.If I decide to replace te plate amps down the road,is there a make of amp that you prefer?

Dave

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 6, 2017 at 07:10:27
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 Dont replace them, they are fine. How old are they? I'm a if aint broke dont fix it guy. We recap vintage stuff but almost no subs are even 20 years old. M&K is one of the companies doing subs for a long time.


ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 6, 2017 at 07:35:49
rosendds@frontiernet.net
Audiophile

Posts: 599
Location: North East
Joined: November 13, 2010
 I think that the M & K subs are from the '90's,but I'm not sure how to date them.They were bought separately which is why the plate amps are not exactly the same.I was thinking that I could adjust matching levels and crossover points better if the amps.were the same.I adjusted the level by ear.They do work so leaving them alone may be a good idea.Thanks!
Dave

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 6, 2017 at 09:08:25
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 I have a dead M&K Subwoofer that I think is an early one, so I am interested the result of this. I was going to repair it, but then lucked into a high quality subwoofer in a thrift store for cheap (on2 of the few good things you can still get in a thrift store). I do plan to try to fix the amp first, but as a plan B, I was looking at this plate amp at Madisound (see link). It should have enough power and has a subsonic filter to protect the speaker. It also has a nifty parametric EQ the i suspect will prove to be very useful.

If you don't need the parametric EQ, Parts Express has a selection of inexpensive plate amps, including some with a 6 db base boost. If you want more than parametric EQ, they have some with a DSP with ICE Power. Even the smallest DSP plate amp has more than enough power. Unfortunately, there are no reviews. (https://www.parts-express.com/minidsp-pwr-ice125-2-x-125-watt-dsp-icepower-plate-amplifier--230-328)

The only problem I see is the M&K may have incorporated some EQ in their amp. If they did and your replace it with a flat amp, it probably would not sound right. Of course with a DSP, that would not be a problem.

Dave

Dave

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 6, 2017 at 15:51:12
rosendds@frontiernet.net
Audiophile

Posts: 599
Location: North East
Joined: November 13, 2010
 Good point on EQ.I don't know if the M & K sub amps have EQ.The only controls are phase switch,gain & cross over frequency.

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 6, 2017 at 16:16:10
airtime
Audiophile

Posts: 11287
Location: Arizona
Joined: February 4, 2003
 No EQ. I've never used a plate amp with EQ but it seems to be all the rage now. I would like to try one, one day. But at $400 it's not going to be soon.

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 6, 2017 at 16:51:47
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 like another guy said with a 10 and an 8 just adjust them to how you like the sound. Have a look at sites that talk about where to locate them. Then move them around and relisten. Location makes a big diff. Good luck



ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 6, 2017 at 20:20:54
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Neither of the two I sited was anywhere near $400, but I know what you mean. The complete subwoofer I am using cost $35 from a thrift store. It is a down-firing ported 10" that was sold at AudioAdvisor at some point. It works very well, but I need a subwoofer for my home theater system, so I am considering reviving the M&K.

Dave

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 8, 2017 at 03:02:17
KanedaK
Audiophile

Posts: 2518
Location: Brussels
Joined: April 27, 2010
 I would not buy a different plate amp.
I did it in the past; turns out the new Plate amp didn't include the fixed Built-in EQ of the original and the sub just failed to produce any lmeaningful low bass after the change. It became completely worthless. I would be wary. Recapping is a good idea; I wouldn't worry too much about buying audio caps for a sub amp. Panasonic FC are low esr, long life, high temperature, and cheap.

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 8, 2017 at 07:44:29
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
Audiophile

Posts: 1253
Location: Maine
Joined: August 16, 2011
 Hi RosenDDS,
I have a BASH plate amp from Parts Express. It's made in Canada, so they say, class D and 300 watts. Klipsch uses it in their subs. They go on sale alot for about 130 dollars. It's been working fine. knock on wood.
One thing I noticed when installing the BASH were not the resistors and caps but the bass volume and the crossover level control pots. They looked like they might of cost 3 cents and were the size of mini pots. I was wondering if M+K did the same cost cutting move with their amp?
While you have Airtime and Mike and DoubleK out there I would like to add to your question and ask if those cheap pots are worth replacing even though they are mounted on a circuit board, or is that another (if it works don't fix it) area......thanks Mark Korda

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 8, 2017 at 07:47:12
mark.korda@myfairpoint.net
Audiophile

Posts: 1253
Location: Maine
Joined: August 16, 2011
 Hi Crazy, Rosen, and Audio File......I meant to ask you guys too....Mark K.

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 8, 2017 at 07:53:02
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 I don't know,I have never replaced one.I repaired a BMW sub amp for a guy once and lucky me,it was the switch mode section of the power supply that was bad which controlled the preamp part of the subwoofer amp.It ended up being 5.1v zener way down the supply chain that killed the 42vdc source.

"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Recapping Subwoofer Plate Amp., posted on February 8, 2017 at 15:46:40
rosendds@frontiernet.net
Audiophile

Posts: 599
Location: North East
Joined: November 13, 2010
 The M&K plate amp pots are not mini.,but are medium size,metal body.

 

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