Making ADS 910 Tri-amp Program Cards

[Bracy]

(First time creating a thread.)

I have been looking for ADS 910 tri-amp cards. However, I am not finding any for sale (the guy at www.vintageaudiorepair.ca is keeping his). Having previously made a bi-amp card, which is now happily in service, I am looking to make my own tri-amp cards. To do that I need to know the layout for etching the copper cards and about electronic components (capacitor and resistors) that go on the cards, e.g., types and values. I saw some photos posted earlier with these cards, and I think I can etch the cards from one of those, though better photos would help ensure proper routing on the edge of the card. Perhaps close up inspection of the resistors and capacitor and/or close up photos would provide the required details? And perhaps an ADS schematic for the card is out there somewhere?

Thank you! --Bracy

 

[Alexxx]

Hi there. How is it going with the tri amo cards? I did muy bi amp cards succesfully. And I am thinking on doing muy tri Inês. Also working on modified led meters.

 

[GD70]

Hi there. How is it going with the tri amo cards? I did muy bi amp cards succesfully. And I am thinking on doing muy tri Inês. Also working on modified led meters.

I think Bracy convinced the gent to sell them to him.

 

[Bracy]

I did get the tri-amp cards. I have not yet installed them. I will report on whether they work.

Regarding reverse-engineering them, I don't know absolutely what the three black-boxed circuit items are, though suspect, based on photos in the ADS 910 brochure, they are some kind of capacitor, likely with three different values. None of the circuit components are labeled with what they are. The cylindrical black item I know is a 100 uF 100 VDC bi-polar capacitor; I don't know what the other three items are. I have learned it can be tricky determining the value of a capacitor; I will first have to desolder them to measure them, and I have to learn exactly how to measure them. Also, I am unsure how to figure out whether they are bi-polar. If not, I also don't know how to determine which orientation (polarity) to use. So, I have some figuring out to do. I am thinking to take the card to Parts Express (20 min drive) to see what they think. If I figure it out, I plan to make cards to verify and then post the info so that others can make them, too. This is turning out to be a longer term project than I first anticipated. ;-)

 

[GD70]

To work properly, you'll need an external crossover, as noted in the user manual, an SAE 4000 or equalivent.
I believe the square caps are all film variety,

 

[Bracy]

Indeed. I have one of those, though some of yhe soldering and laminate on the circuit board have separated so it is not working. I now also have a Behringer DCX2496 which can implement a two- ir three-way active (digital) crossover. So, I can do both bi- and tri-amp setups.

And, yes, I saw similarly shaped components on Mouser, and they are film caps...

 

[GD70]

Indeed. I have one of those, though some of yhe soldering and laminate on the circuit board have separated so it is not working. I now also have a Behringer DCX2496 which can implement a two- ir three-way active (digital) crossover. So, I can do both bi- and tri-amp setups.

And, yes, I saw similarly shaped components on Mouser, and they are film caps...

I'll be watching with interest to see how you hook it all up and your listening impressions.

 

[Goggle1824]

Ditto!

 

[dshoaf]

I've got the bi- and tri-amp cards for my 910s and would love to know how it would sound. I've got a lot of power amps and electronic crossovers, too, but frankly the stack of gear I'd have to have in the living room would be big. I'm using a Hafler XL-600 right now and its big enough as it is.

Someday the wife will be out of town and I can tear the whole living room apart to give this a try. Better yet, maybe I'll move the 910s out to the 3-car garage I now have after moving to a retirement house and do them up right. Yet another long-term project.

Cheers,

David

 

[GD70]

I've got the bi- and tri-amp cards for my 910s and would love to know how it would sound. I've got a lot of power amps and electronic crossovers, too, but frankly the stack of gear I'd have to have in the living room would be big. I'm using a Hafler XL-600 right now and its big enough as it is.

Someday the wife will be out of town and I can tear the whole living room apart to give this a try. Better yet, maybe I'll move the 910s out to the 3-car garage I now have after moving to a retirement house and do them up right. Yet another long-term project.

Cheers,

David

Hey David,
Can you see the cap values on your cards, and if so, can you post some pics? A good reference for those wanting to DIY the cards. The cards from Canada don't have any value markings, and even the electrolytic value was scratched off, why I don't know. Maybe he want's a monopoly on making and selling them.
Glenn

 

[dshoaf]

That's where I got mine - from the CA guy. I'll check them when I get home tonight and post in the next day or so.

Cheers,

David

 

[GD70]

That's where I got mine - from the CA guy. I'll check them when I get home tonight and post in the next day or so.

Cheers,

David

Then yours will most likely look like mine.

 

[Aptone]

To work properly, you'll need an external crossover, as noted in the user manual, an SAE 4000 or equalivent.

To triamp I think you will need two SAE 4000 to split and then split the signal some more.

 

[sregor]

Just a lurker, but someone should get one of the 15-20 dollar component testers and just measure the caps...

 

[Alexxx]

Fantastic Bracy, those components you mention seem to be mylar capacitors, almost sure that that is what they are, and as such they stay in value for thousands of years, ahahaha, so you can measure them with a cheap multimeter with capacitance, and if you get me the readings, I can tell you if they make sense, they should make sense asl filters in the circuit, I am working now on the LED meters, some one was kind enough to send me some pictures, detailed ones of their led cards, so with that I am planning on having the drawings for the phenolic plates pretty soon, and I am willing to share. I would love to get info on the tri amp cards also so I can make mine, just to try them and see how the 910 sounds, another option regarding the crossover is the miniDSP it isexpensive, that is the downside of it, but... it can do other things ... hehehe, for now I am doing the leds and I am hunting for a nice and cheap crossover, patience is a virtue in this kind of affairs,

 

[GD70]

Fantastic Bracy, those components you mention seem to be mylar capacitors, almost sure that that is what they are, and as such they stay in value for thousands of years, ahahaha, so you can measure them with a cheap multimeter with capacitance, and if you get me the readings, I can tell you if they make sense, they should make sense asl filters in the circuit, I am working now on the LED meters, some one was kind enough to send me some pictures, detailed ones of their led cards, so with that I am planning on having the drawings for the phenolic plates pretty soon, and I am willing to share. I would love to get info on the tri amp cards also so I can make mine, just to try them and see how the 910 sounds, another option regarding the crossover is the miniDSP it isexpensive, that is the downside of it, but... it can do other things ... hehehe, for now I am doing the leds and I am hunting for a nice and cheap crossover, patience is a virtue in this kind of affairs,

I believe that was me that sent you the LED card pics. Would love to see how they are coming along.
Glenn

 

[Alexxx]

That is right, and thanks a lot for the couple of pics, those put me on track, recently I got a couple of more detailed ones, and it would be great to have another couple of shot of yours by the way, specially of the A 18 and A43 transistors (the black ones in the middle) just to see if there is something different, the diode on the left side looks like a normal rectifier diode, and the resistors I can see in the new pics much more clearly but if you feel like taking a couple of shots of those that would be cool,

thanks for your pics and if you can take another couple of shots so i can take a closer look at you components and read the values awsome man, in tha wayI can check them against the pics i got recently, the more info the better, although i am sure they should be really similar,

i will modify the circuit so all the holes in the speaker are used, i think it is possible, if not we can put an IC in there an have a card with special effects and stuff, although maybe that will need a batter, so.... I will keep you posted on the progress. I will have ready the plates next week, and then I will look for the components, they seem to be common npn transistors, so i am sure there are subsitutes for them if i cannot find the original ones
funnnnnnn
I am going to start working on my legs pretty soon tooo.... ahahha, and this is all possible thanks to AudioKarma, man, I am a fan

 

[Alexxx]

I got this set of photos, apparently some other folks have been also doing their cards, do you think this ones are originals, i do not, the originals are kind of grayish looking

 

[Alexxx]

 

[bbash]

I know this is an old thread ... but I would love find some cards to bi-amp my 910's ... anyone here know if they can still be made?

I can also be found on the ADS & Braun Speaker Fans forum on Facebook ...