Face Audio amps--Don't run bridged into 4 ohms

[kadiddle]

This series of messages has been copied from a thread in the "My Projects" forum. Oldest messages are first, newest are last.

Aug 20, 2008 13:54:27 GMT -7 ThomasW said:

Before you buy the amp ask them if it's safe driving stereo 2 ohm loads.

The US version of that amp created for 'Face', isn't happy being strapped (bridged) into mono and seeing a 4 ohm load.

You'll need a mono RCA to 1/4" adapter or a special cable with one RCA end and a single ended (mono) 1/4" or XLR end. In the US these can be purchased from pro audio stores, I don't know what's offered in the UK.

In addition you'll likely want some form of EQ to dial in the best response. The usual item for this is the Behringer DSP1124P. Yes it says Feedback Destroyer, but it's also a very nice low cost fully digital parametric equalizer.

You can read more about EQ starting here....
home.comcast.net/~thomasw-2/SubwooferSetupandEQpage5.html

Aug 20, 2008 14:35:32 GMT -7 kadiddle said:

Thomas,
I was unaware of this 4 ohm limitation for bridged mode on the Face amps. The specs say 3000w bridged into 4 ohm for the F1200-TS. What happens in bridged mode at 4 ohms?
thanks,
kadiddle

Aug 20, 2008 14:52:51 GMT -7 ThomasW said:

Hi Cliff,

On AVS Chasw98 has an amp testing thread.
www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=855865&page=40
Starting on page 40 he's testing a Face 1200TS. He blows up the first test amp.

He receives a replacement unit. In post 1267 he's told by the people at Face not to strap the amp into mono if he's running a 4 ohm load.
www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=14378793&postcount=1267

I'm not sure if it's Chas' extremely demanding testing that is the problem or if there's an issue with the amps themselves. (Chas' testing in no way duplicates real world use. It's more like running just below clipping to see how much the amp will put out into a load-bank)

Also on AVS there's a thread about the Face amps where we see the insides of the Face and T-amps are fundamentally identical. So I want to be sure the OP in this thread has an okay from the seller (or someone) if he wants to run a T-amp bridged with a 4 ohm load.

Aug 21, 2008 8:21:35 GMT -7 kadiddle said:

Thomas,
Thanks for the link and info. Fortunately, I run my F1200TS in stereo driving two pairs of Fi Q-18's at 8 ohms. This doesn't seem to be any problem for the amp and when I switched from the EP2500 there was an audible improvement, so I'll stick with it.
Don't you have two of these? What's your experience been with them?
kadiddle
ps, would you prefer this posted in the Amplifiers thread?

[needmorstuff]

so you have a fa amp - they are the same as the ta brand and you say the sound quality is better on the fa?

food for thought.. I am on the trigger ready to order either of these so hopefully this thread will get some feedback.

[ThomasW]

Thanks. Cliff...

Yes I have 2.

There was nothing else in the running given Kevin's 'introductory' pricing. The amp powering my big IB is over 20yrs old so I wanted a spare amp available when it bites the dust

The one on the family room IB is running stereo with a 8 ohm load.

After a month of burn in I tried one replacing an Ayre v5. Not to surprising that it wasn't as good. It certainly wasn't bad by any stretch of the imagination.

The one now running my small IB replaced an old adcom 555. I don't hear any real difference with the Face. Thing is that particular IB is never pushed.

I'm not sure all the AVS bashing of the Face amps is warranted. No one runs these amps like Chas is testing them.

The warning about not running these bridged with a 4 ohm load seems very strange though...That said I'm not a fan of bridging amps since doing so doubles the distortion.

[ThomasW]

Aug 21, 2008 10:52:20 GMT -7 needmorstuff said:

so you have a fa amp - they are the same as the ta brand and you say the sound quality is better on the fa?

food for thought.. I am on the trigger ready to order either of these so hopefully this thread will get some feedback.

As I posted in your thread I think the safest bet is the EP1500. People have been using these for years and any problems have been minimal. The one thing not to do is run them bridged with a 2 ohm load. That's not an option with your choice of drivers.

[needmorstuff]

excellent - thanks.