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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 28 for Windows => Topic started by: Robbby76 on August 26, 2021, 04:01:54 am

Title: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: Robbby76 on August 26, 2021, 04:01:54 am

Hi,

Yesterday I had an electrical blackout, and the PC (working as xover for a multi-ampli 2 way speakers) turned off.
At the same moment, the tweeters exploded...

Is there any way to prevent it from happening in future???

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: LilyAarseth on August 26, 2021, 05:42:17 am

Stuff like this in most cases only happens if you connect audio out from your computer directly into a power amplification and computer power on or off makes for a pop which when fed directly into a power amp can be fatal. Making sure there is a pre-amp between power amp and your analogue audio source usually helps preventing this, or if you use a dac that is marketed as a digital preamp and can output safely to a power amp.

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: JimH on August 26, 2021, 06:23:16 am

It's too late for those tweeters, but Volume Protection should help in the future:

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Volume

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: JimH on August 27, 2021, 05:50:26 pm

Split Surge Protection (https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,130519.0.html)

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: TheLastGerman on August 31, 2021, 05:07:12 am

And always (A L W A Y S ! ! !) have a capacitor in series with your tweeter's +. It blocks DC and, if it's value is chosen correctly, also blocks low frequencies. Consider that capacitor as a 6 dB filter, that determines it's value. (Sorry for my poor English)

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: blgentry on August 31, 2021, 08:34:42 am

I've stated my position previously that a computer should never be used as a preamp.  There should always be a real audio component between the computer (DAC) and the power amp(s).

Frequently people asked why I had this opinion.  This thread is an example of unexpected things that can happen and why you really want an analog device between your source and your power amps.

Brian.

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: Robbby76 on August 31, 2021, 08:48:01 am

Thanks all for the suggestions.
Can I use a 7.1 AVR?

Having the PC signal into the AVR (direct audio) and then using the AVR as power ampli for the 3 ways speaker?
Will this setup prevent eventual damages?

Or is a capacitor still needed/recommended?

R

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: JimH on August 31, 2021, 11:46:20 am

Quote from: JimH on August 26, 2021, 06:23:16 am

It's too late for those tweeters, but Volume Protection should help in the future:

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Volume

Did you see this above?

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: Matt on August 31, 2021, 11:51:11 am

I've used my computer as the input to a high powered power amplifier for years.  At full volume it would make everything blow up.  It's a lot more powerful than I need and has no volume control.

With Volume Protection enabled it's a really elegant solution.  It just works great.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the same to anyone.

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: Robbby76 on August 31, 2021, 12:14:24 pm

Thanks,
I set it up!

However, it seems that it might not work in case of "bumps" from the pc turning off for lack of power...)

R

Title: Re: Electricity blackout - ByeBye Tweeters
Post by: Matt on August 31, 2021, 12:30:45 pm

If something powers off in my setup, I think it just outputs silence.  The signal needs to arrive from the computer to the amplifier and if the computer goes off, there's no signal.

If the computer locked on it would be a problem, but that's thankfully never happened with MC.