Proper amp for Tumult

Jeffrey Stanton · 07-10-2003, 08:38 AM

Hey guys:

What would be your recommendation for a GREAT pro amp for a Tumult? I just ruined my AV-15 by trying to drive it with a crummy 380 watt Rythmic Audio plate amp. I would like to state for the record that it is NOT a good idea to try to push an AV-15 with only 380 watts.

I figure to prevent this from happening again I need a decent amp. I've got around $1000 to spend on the amp.

First, no plate amps. I am not going to cut a hole in my Acoustic Visions box because that'll make it pretty much impossible to retro-fit if the need should arise.

Also I think there may be a need for a rumble filter to protect the sub, especially the way I will be prone to driving the thing...(could one use a BFD parametric filter as a rumble filter???)

What are you Tumult users using?

Any suggestions, comments, ideas?

Thanks Much

Jeff S.

Brian Bunge · 07-10-2003, 10:54 AM

Jeff,

I highly doubt it was a problem with the amp. Sounds more like a problem with the driver itself. I know John has had some issues with a few of the drivers being built wrong. Not his fault at all.

If it were the amp then I'm sure my dad would have destroyed his DVC 15" driver with a 250W plate amp by now.

Darren_T · 07-10-2003, 10:55 AM

I was kinda thinking the same thing. The AV15 should perform beautifully with that amp based on it's specs and the enclosure designs out there. It is possible that the amp was being driven beyond it's intended purpose and was distorting which could damage the driver but that's the only thing I can think of unless the driver was bad.

Kyle Richardson · 07-10-2003, 01:10 PM

The only reason the amp was being looked at as the cause is because it would make some clacking noises then shut down.
Brian, it very well could be a combination of both.

Jeffrey Stanton · 07-10-2003, 01:16 PM

Yeah, it made a real loud snap/clack noise and then the amp was OFF. It never happened with music no matter how loud I got it, only during REAL HEAVY LFE sections of DTS DVDs played at normal (reference or near-reference) levels. But it was after several of these episodes that I started hearing the metallis "chirping" noise coming from the driver when playing music at moderately loud levels...

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Anthony_Gomez · 07-10-2003, 01:34 PM

You will not find any non-plate amp with an appropriate rumble filter. You will have to either buy one (like the SVS black box), build your own, or do without.

I think a great amp would be a crown K1 bridged. This is one hefty amp and does have (IMO) the potential to fry the driver if you really push it. I have a K2 and a single channel is good enough....bridged (If I really wanted to hurt my ears and apartment integrity) could easily toast the tumult as some have proven.

I know you don;t want a plate amp because you do not want to make a hole in the box (I sure wouldn't!), but you can still do a plate amp like the HS500 or the new powerhouse (the Keiga 1000watt). I have seen people build separate enclosures for the plate amp. ...just a thought

Dan Hine · 07-10-2003, 01:44 PM

http://www.io.com/~patman/ampbox.html

Brian_DR · 07-10-2003, 02:28 PM

Jeff,

First, very sorry to hear your story. Second I would like to understand the cause of it. It sounds like the driver has been bottomed out very often. Is the sub a vented box? The reason I ask is because vented box has 3 times excursion requirement below resonance frequency. Without a rumble filter, the result will be much worse. Our amps have adjustable rumble filters because each person has different playback habit. For maximum play back level, the rumble filter should be set to highest 28hz setting. Amp clipping is different from bottoming. The amp has short circuit protection for excessive current. However, in vented box, the excursion below resonance frequency does not require a lot of current. So the only way to protect it is with excursion limiter. But the excursion limiter needs to designed specific for a driver. It is not just my amps, any other high power PA amp can do the same thing. Over excursion is particularly problematic with aluminum former. I would like to keep my customers happy. Apparently you are not now.

Regards,

Brian

Rythmik Audio

Jeffrey Stanton · 07-10-2003, 02:33 PM

I don't think you can bottom an AV-15 with only 380 watts. Amp clipping seems a more likely possibility. AV-15's in a 24" cube with two 1600 gm PRs (one 'o Kyle's babies), using 380 watt Rythmic Audio plate amp...

I also would like to understand what's going on because I do not want to repeat this scenario.

Jeff S.

Brian Bunge · 07-10-2003, 02:46 PM

Jeff,

Technically you can't if it's built properly. If the build house screwed up then it's quite possible to bottom the AV15 with 380W.