Soundcraftsmen MA5002

[John]

Just picked this up. Anyone have any experience's with this amp or Soundcraftsmen??? Also does anyone have the service manual on hand.

[grumpy]

No manual here. Can buy them online (~$20). Soundcraftsman made some good stuff
early on, and made quite a name for their higher-line EQ's (I have one tucked away
somewhere). The meters look cool compared to the later LED bargraphs (just my pref).
Listened to a later model hooked up to very nice speakers (L100T, Ohm F, ...)
and was not dissapointed (this -was- quite a few years ago). If this is the rail-switching or
sliding bias unit, it might be tricky to work on, so I hope it works... they were just down
the road a bit from me, but they're long gone. 'bout all I can spew on this (you asked) :)

-grumpy

[terryblulite]

Talk to "Bully" at AudioKarma forums-He is probably listening to the same thing as we speak.PS-I have Soundcraftsmen PM840-I like yours better!:applaud:

[John]

Thanks guys. I found this unit when I was picking up a pair of 4333,s. I thought of asking the seller what he used for power when he last used the 4333,s ? He pulled out the Soundcraftsmen amp and said it worked when he last had the system up and running 5 years ago. He offered it to me for $150. I asked if we could plug it in to see if the power light works and it did except for the back lighting on one VU meter. I said I'll take it even before the seller lowered the price to $125 due to the faulty VU meter light. I have not had time to try it out yet but did open it up and blew out a small amount of dust and poked around. Everything looks good with no burn marks anywhere. I have no reason not to believe it will make tunes. One thing I would like to change is the input jacks which are 1/4" jacks. Would like to install some good quality RCA jacks. It is a really good looking unit. I think I was at the right place at the right time.:bouncy:

Thanks to the forum member who hooked me up, He knows who he is.:applaud:

[Regis]

I picked up one of these exact amps for a buddy, who's using it to drive his 250 Ti LE's. Soundcraftsmen was based in Santa Ana, California and they built some nice amps. They used MOSFET's and accordingly, the sound is warm. It was a good amp for the day, but the newer MOSFET amps with torroidial transformers and updated designs have a definite edge over the older ones. Still, if it's what you've got, you'll like it nonetheless.

[Mike Caldwell]

Hello
Nice find!
I would leave the 1/4 jacks in place and use some good 1/4 to RCA cables. The 1/4 jacks maybe balanced using the tip ring sleeve type on connector. If it is it's not a problem to plug in a standard tip sleeve 1/4 jack.

Mike Caldwell

[Mr. Widget]

Anyone have any experience's with this amp or Soundcraftsmen??? I have a couple of the half rack width PM860s and a PM840. There are also PCR800s and possibly a couple of other model numbers for these amps. They are all rated at 200wpc into 8 ohms and 300wpc into 4 ohms. I have no idea what is the difference between the various model numbers of the seemingly identical amps. I think they were very optimistic in their rating but they are decent amps... I liked the sound better than the Flame Linear 400 and SAE 2600 that I had when I first picked up one of these amps... They are not great sub amps as they seem somewhat current limited. Your amp is physically twice the size... maybe it has more reserve capacity in it's PS.

Here is a site with more info:

http://www.soundcraftsmen.com/

Widget

[John]

Thanks guys for all the info and links.:applaud: I got this test sheet with the unit as well.

[L100t Owner]

Thanks guys for all the info and links.:applaud: I got this test sheet with the unit as well.

I have a Soundcraftsmen amp that I bought new in 1989. I used to to drive 4 ohm subwoofers for years. I seem to remember it being rated at 375 watts at 4 oms at clipping. It delivered a good punch. It is in storage. I plan on using it for HT use.

[QwertyAccess]

I have a soundcraftsmen EQ, they make nice things, its a real shame that MTX bought them out and basically killed them :(

[spkrman57]

I bought 3 pairs(comes 2 to a pack RS#274-320) for around $4.50 a pack(1 pr). They are decent enough to use and easily available.

Then you could use your preferred cables with them!

Hope this helps!

Ron;)



Hello
Nice find!
I would leave the 1/4 jacks in place and use some good 1/4 to RCA cables. The 1/4 jacks maybe balanced using the tip ring sleeve type on connector. If it is it's not a problem to plug in a standard tip sleeve 1/4 jack.

Mike Caldwell

[Titanium Dome]

I bought 3 pairs(comes 2 to a pack RS#274-320) for around $4.50 a pack(1 pr). They are decent enough to use and easily available.

Then you could use your preferred cables with them!

Hope this helps!

Ron;)

I use the same adapters on some recently acquired Hafler 600W/ch pro amps with balanced outputs, and they work fine.

My equipment includes many pieces of Soundcraftsmen:
4 PCR800 amps
1 S800 amp (in road case)
2 A200 amps
1 A400 amp
1 Pro Control amp
1 A2502 amp
2 RP2215-R EQs
1 AS1000 analyzer/EQ
1 AE2000 analyzer/EQ
2 DX4200 auto-bridging preamp EQs
1 Pro Control Four C-MOS Digital Preamp
1 T6200 tuner

and the old EQ/test LP that I still use when calibrating a system for a turntable.

[hunterdog61]

Just picked this up. Anyone have any experience's with this amp or Soundcraftsmen??? Also does anyone have the service manual on hand.
I have two of these amps, GREAT amps, trying to find out if they are bridgeable using the soundcraftmen a1-b bridgeable adapter.??
thanks
hunterdog61

[hjames]

I have two of these amps, GREAT amps, trying to find out if they are bridgeable using the soundcraftmen a1-b bridgeable adapter.??
thanks
hunterdog61

Gee guy - this is the third thread you've asked the same question in ... maybe ask once and be PATIENT ... surely someone will get back with you at some point. But its considered rude to repeatedly keep posting the same question over and over again - its like spamming a forum!

Patience, Mr Frodo ...

[Ken Andrew]

I had this amp powering my 4315 for about 7 years. It does not have a cooling fan which was rare for a super amp in those days. I thought it was class H. 250W RMS normal plus 125W extra for headroom. Never gave me any trouble until the mains transformer died one day. The shop said it was designed for 220V, not the 240V which we have in Australia. Consequently life was reduced.

I can't remember the sound quality being in any way exceptional but it was certainly loud enough for my needs and did the job.

[Ed Zeppeli]

I am currently running an MA5002 to power a pair of 2234s in my set-up.

The amp does a great job of powering them but makes an audible hiss (white noise). The noise is gain related on the amplifier itself. At about 50% gain the noise virtually disappears but where I run them the noise is present; not incredibly loud, just 'there'.

I'm wondering if any of the more tech oriented folks here can recommend some troubleshooting tips for me. Is this just the nature of the beast? Would a dose of deoxit at the inputs and gain pots possibly help or is this just due to age and and will it likely require a trip to a good tech to fix?


Thanks much,

Warren

[Mike Caldwell]

Do you get the noise with out any inputs connected to the amp?

[BMWCCA]

Do you get the noise with out any inputs connected to the amp?:lurk:

[Ed Zeppeli]

Do you get the noise with out any inputs connected to the amp?

No, I'll give that a shot. I can mute the inputs easily enough. I know, not the same thing.

One other clue. I'm using TRS connectors to the MA5002 wired from an XLR balanced output in the usual balanced configuration. Would that possibly offer an explanation?

Cheers,

Warren

[Mike Caldwell]

No, I'll give that a shot. I can mute the inputs easily enough. I know, not the same thing.

One other clue. I'm using TRS connectors to the MA5002 wired from an XLR balanced output in the usual balanced configuration. Would that possibly offer an explanation?

Cheers,

Warren

Try it with the amp completely disconnected from any input source.

What type of unit is the input source, a balanced connection from your input source's output to the amp's input is the best way to do it.

[Ed Zeppeli]

It's the balanced out of the dbx Venu360. I'll try some things and report back.

[Ed Zeppeli]

No inputs; no hiss. Instead, without any inputs connected I get a mild (60 hz?) hum which doesn't seem present with inputs attached. It's quiet so it's possible that the white noise masks it but I doubt it.

Sooooo, does this narrow things down a bit?


Thanks,

Warren

[Mike Caldwell]

No inputs; no hiss. Instead, without any inputs connected I get a mild (60 hz?) hum which doesn't seem present with inputs attached. It's quiet so it's possible that the white noise masks it but I doubt it.

Sooooo, does this narrow things down a bit?


Thanks,

Warren

That helps narrow it down.
Now try it with the 360 connected to the amp but with nothing connected to the inputs on the 360 and see what you get.

The 60hz hum may be nulled out when the amp is connected to balanced input, having said that there should be no 60hz or harmonic there of from an power amp that has nothing connected to the inputs.

In the utility setup menu on the 360 there is an input and out gain/level set up menu, adjust those levels may help your noise issue if it's a gain structure issue.
If the system is quite with the 360 connected to the amp and with nothing connected to the 360's inputs that means your noise is coming from the source unit connected to the 360's inputs.


Let me know
Mike C.

[Ed Zeppeli]

Ok. I'm on it as soon as possible....


...and thanks for the walk-thru.


:)