Speakerplans.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > General > Show Off Your Sound System
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Amp mod - bridging the unbridgeable
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Amp mod - bridging the unbridgeable

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>
Author
Message
Majestic View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc
Avatar

Joined: 16 March 2011
Location: Glasgow
Status: Offline
Points: 1292
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Majestic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Amp mod - bridging the unbridgeable
    Posted: 09 February 2012 at 10:04pm
Is it possible to bridge amps that do not have a switch and bridge outputs?

Edited by Majestic - 09 February 2012 at 11:29pm
Back to Top
GAZ. View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc


Joined: 16 January 2007
Location: Hertfordshire
Status: Offline
Points: 2428
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GAZ. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 February 2012 at 11:38pm
As far as I know, bridging 2 channels of an amplifier that is not designed to be bridged = Bang!
100% Earth Moving Bass
Back to Top
lgosdset View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc


Joined: 28 September 2010
Location: Reading ish
Status: Offline
Points: 1203
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lgosdset Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 February 2012 at 11:39pm
two red binding posts.
Back to Top
4642a View Drop Down
Registered User
Registered User


Joined: 17 January 2012
Location: Colorado, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 13
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 4642a Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 February 2012 at 11:40pm
depends on the amp....
 
some amps have internal jumpers that are used to bridge the amp,
but w/o the service manual or other literature, you would not know this...
 
various HK Citation 16 amplifier variants were designed this way, with the internal jumpers and no 
indication on the chassis or interior that the unit is bridgable....
 
so, what amp are you using?
Back to Top
Majestic View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc
Avatar

Joined: 16 March 2011
Location: Glasgow
Status: Offline
Points: 1292
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Majestic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 February 2012 at 11:53pm
Back to Top
djeddie View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 26 April 2004
Location: Bristol
Status: Offline
Points: 4125
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djeddie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 February 2012 at 11:57pm
Yes they can, as long as you do it properly.

Chas n Dave : it's like Drum and Bass but with beards.             E=mc² ±3dB
Back to Top
VentureSound View Drop Down
Young Croc
Young Croc
Avatar

Joined: 18 October 2009
Location: London N20
Status: Offline
Points: 949
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VentureSound Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 February 2012 at 1:37am
Just doing the two red binding posts alone won't work. First, you have to invert the polarity of one of the input channels. This is not as simple as swapping signal and ground because there will be no audio (these amps only have unbalanced inputs). You need an op-amp circuit to invert the polarity of the signal, and after that you can connect the speaker between the two red terminals.
In the case of the OMP amps, they will only work into 4 ohms, so after bridging you'll only be able to drive an 8 ohm load.

Have a look at the link below, but if you are no good at elelctronics then some clever chap like Audiomik would probably knock you one of these up on a Sunday afternoon if you ask him nicely.

http://sound.westhost.com/project14.htm
Back to Top
audiomik View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 06 April 2010
Location: Bath, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 2956
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote audiomik Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 February 2012 at 2:00am
Hmmm! don't need op-amps as there are much simpler ways - but that's a 'trade secret'
Mik
Warning! May contain Nuts
plus springs, washers, screws, etc, etc.
Back to Top
odc04r View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 12 July 2006
Location: Sarfampton
Status: Offline
Points: 5469
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote odc04r Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 February 2012 at 9:48am
Insert signal into other side of LTP!
Back to Top
The Builder View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc


Joined: 03 January 2010
Status: Offline
Points: 3107
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Builder Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 February 2012 at 9:58am
I live close enough to have bought those. I didn't because of the bridge inability.
So, if you manage it, well done, and GrrrrrWink
It just is.
Back to Top
cravings View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 30 January 2007
Location: Ireland
Status: Online
Points: 7508
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cravings Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 February 2012 at 10:16am
i think i was told (i have 2 of these also) that using a balanced signal, you send the + to one channel and the - to the other channel and tie the grounds to screen... to give you the inverted ins.. i tried it, but i was really nervous and thought i smelt burning, so i kinda stopped hehe.

never tried again

advise you to search for previous posts on this as this has come up before with these exact amps (also search for dna900)
Back to Top
studio45 View Drop Down
Old Croc
Old Croc
Avatar

Joined: 16 October 2007
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 3881
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote studio45 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 February 2012 at 12:28pm
Originally posted by cravings cravings wrote:

i think i was told (i have 2 of these also) that using a balanced signal, you send the + to one channel and the - to the other channel and tie the grounds to screen... to give you the inverted ins.. i tried it, but i was really nervous and thought i smelt burning, so i kinda stopped hehe.

never tried again

advise you to search for previous posts on this as this has come up before with these exact amps (also search for dna900)

I've used these BK Elec based amps briefly; I managed to cock up a speaker multicore and ended up driving the output of one DNA900 into the output of another playing the next freq band, thru a driver. For several minutes at full power. The DC fuses just blew and the amps survived fine. This was after years of abuse "heavy sessions" by their owners. They are built like fricking tanks.
If you use a balanced XLR Y-Split and a phase inverting adapter, you can bridge these and it should be completely fine. Only of there is a fault with the amp will anything bad happen, and then, bad things were probably going to happen anyway! If it's really not happy the fuses will go almost instantly and if it overheats then the thermal breakers will shut it down. Bridge away!
Studio45 - Repairs & Building Commotion Soundsystem -Mobile PA
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  12>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.08
Copyright ©2001-2026 Web Wiz Ltd.