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In Reply to: RE: Is there a way to check amplifier output at the speaker terminals ? posted by pictureguy on June 29, 2014 at 14:39:38
If you're just not sure, disconnect the speakers from the amp, and measure directly fromt the speaker outputs of the amps.
Eliminates cables, speakers, impedance issues, etc...
charles
Follow Ups:
IF a tube amp, No Load is a fine way to damage it.
If a SS amp, no load will result in no output, won't it?
Beg or Borrow or perhaps RENT a Scope. Or maybe a True RMS meter.
Too much is never enough
He has SS gear so he can remove the load safely.
If he's using basically RadioShack meters,then removing the load on SS gear really isn't going to be the deal breaker.
With a scope he would need dual tracings capability.
I think he can get a ball park idea if the imbalance is the amp, preamp, cables, etc... with the meter.
Maybe he can see if the DC offset is the same as well????
would that help?
There shouldn't be any DC offset to speak of. If he measures more than 10-mV DC offset there might be something wrong with his amp. I just measured 6-mV DC on both channels of my Parasound Halo A21 with speakers connected.
After measuring DC offset, the first thing I would do is adhere to the original plan of checking AC voltage at the speaker terminals using a test CD playing a mono 100-Hz test tone. If the AC voltage difference between channels is negligible then the imbalance problem is either in one of the speakers or in the speaker/room interface. Of course, if the measurement shows a significant difference, then the problem is almost certainly in the channel with the lowest voltage. At that point I would begin swapping connections to isolate the component responsible for the problem.
Best regards,
John Elison
John,
I'll repeat what I wrote since you may not have seen it.
Yes, to your test as far as it goes.
However, what if a driver is bad or 'weak' and is 5 or 6 octaves above your 100hz tone? You won't see it with a DVM.
I'd suggest using 3 or MORE frequencies. I wouldn't worry about the absolute voltage but rather the relative voltage and perceived output. Using a DB meter may help here, and that too, doesn't have to be accurate but rather repeatable.
Using a DB meter in concert with a DVM may help isolate room effects from a real malfunction.
I sure wish I owned a SCOPE. An old 60mhz or even a 30mhz TekTronix Dual Trace would be IT.
Too much is never enough
not really using it any more since I can't fix or work on stereos with my neck problems
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