Home audio project...

[apache_lives]

Ok so this is my current thing i have just finished working on for now, kind of a side project:

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mcLyt3Mo9s

After reading the recent speaker reviews and seeing no one on youtube creating anything like it i kinda thought id post my work here...

Details:

4 x HIPRO 305w ATX PSU's (semi-branded, better then generic psu's and i got them free)
2 x Dual Channel Rectifiers (eBay, ~$15 each + shipping, 110amp 12-24v per channel max - originally for solar panels etc)
1 x Capacitor (using a second hand 10000mf 50v)
~2m of household wiring (thick copper wiring, didnt want to pay for proper wire etc for a cheap DIY project)

So yeah, very cheap project - got the power supply's free from where i work (out of old hp's, there a standard ATX fit but will NOT start on most standard NON HP motherboards so), wiring is literally the same stuff you find in your walls at home, spin 3 naked strands of wire to get one thick wire able to carry all that power etc, the box was custom made obviously.

To stop all 4 PSU's shutting off from detecting an overload (~19amp max on 12v each, when combind directly its ~76a - the psu's detect an overload aka too much power draw they shut off) rectifiers have to be used to make sure minimal/no power flows back aka so they dont know about each other, and wont shut off because of it.

Also using a capacitor - 50v 10000mf for now until i get more or a better one etc - takes a bit of the load off the psu's and stiffens (makes it harder to overload) the power etc - optional, i had the spare cap so why not.

Other video's on youtube of similar work show how wrong people are in regards to power requirements, like using a generic 500w psu to power a 500w amp - total wattage doesn't mean anything, total 12v amperage/wattage is the only important rail.

All the PSU's were re-wired, cutting all connectors off and just leaving the yellow (+12v) and black (negative) lines and the single green wire (to start the PSU - short with any black/negative wire etc) with all the yellows of each psu going to each psu's own rectifier channel (before being joined to the main 12v rail), all negatives to a common negative rail (using 3 naked strands of household wiring twisted), green wires went to 2 switches so i can switch on 2 psu's at a time (no need to waste power to from 4 psu's when its minimal load aka late night)

End result: Enough power to power 1-2 good car amps, currently using a 600w Pioneer 4 channel amp (front speakers bridged to 300w max per, front speakers are 200w max so full power to them both) and another 4 channel amp (el-cheap-o ebay amp) powering a Pioneer 300w RMS subwoofer (giving it the full 300w RMS it needs too i believe) - i must say i love the sound, very impressed. The difference between normal receivers and subs and car amps and subs is unbelievable - may not have that clarity (barely noticeable) but the depth and power and level of sound - ill never go back.

Ok so thanks for reading, if i make no sense at all its because iv been up too long writing this - my bad.

I will post back with more details if you guys want to know anything.

apache_lives

 

[soundguruman]

In other words, you love blasting distortion instead of hi fi.
(keep a fire extinguisher handy.)

 

[apache_lives]

haha doubt any of your speakers can take you up to the levels this thing puts out

fire extinguisher - got one but got nothing to worry about

 

[anwaypasible]

maybe you can get a kinetik powercell to replace that 50v capacitor.
i mean, i'm sure the capacitor is there to help fill in any gaps of latency between the individual power supplies.
but i dont think that capacitor is going to suck on the power supplies enough to keep them flowing.
and i dont think that capacitor holds enough juice to supply a demand from both amps.

the kinetik powercell would power both amps and suck on the psu's enough to stiffen the gap.
supposed to get a little bit more detail and clarity from the speakers.