2. amps-preamps
  3. 158217-148194

SMSL 98E killed my setup?

So today I got the SMSL SA-98E amp from amazon after waiting for 50 days. I was pretty excited since I could finally test out my new passive speakers. My setup up to then was a scarlet solo and a jds atom amp to drive my HD600s. So I unplugged my headphones, connected the rca outputs from the atom into the rca inputs of the smsl, and hooked the speakers to the smsl. When I tried to play music, the speakers made a high pitched buzzing sound not too different from a sine wave, and there was no hearable trace of the music I was trying to play. I started troubleshooting, rechecking the speaker cables were connected properly etc. I noticed that the buzz became much quieter when I unplugged the rca inputs of the smsl, and upon reconnecting said inputs, the speakers made a very loud sound like when you touch a live guitar cable; I immediately turned the smsl off, but the atom amp and the scarlet solo didn't survive the ordeal. Their lights were off and they showed no sings of life. Since then, my atom amp has turned back on but it outputs an
obnoxious sound like the one that came out of my speakers, even without any input at all, and my scarlet solo hasn't turned back on.
Have I killed my scarlet solo and atom amp? If so, was it something I did wrong with the wiring or can plugging a defective amp kill other components through rca?
Any help appreciated

santiagol

Showing 8 responses by santiagol

santiagol OP
9 posts
 
@dill 
I just plugged my phone into the smsl with a aux/rca adapter and it works fine.
I think I fkd up then.
I don't understand why the rca outputs of the jds atom are incompatible with the amp though.
Also I used to have active speakers connected to the atom amp in the same configuration and it worked fine. 
What inputs are safe for the smsl amp?

santiagol OP
9 posts
 
So I had no idea that the smsl had a preamp and a power amp.
Audio can be very confusing, so thank you for clearing things up.
From what I understand, the impedance mismatch made the signal backfire into the amp and scarlet, frying them both.
I think I'm going to get a new atom amp and scarlet solo, since I need the microphone input, and I was happy with my atom amp. If I understood correctly, I would need a new power amp to make the speakers work.
Do you have any recommendations for a power amp around 100$? Otherwise, how do I ensure the new amp I'm getting doesn't also have a preamp?

santiagol OP
9 posts
 
@roberjerman I still think it's a bit risky. I could accidentally press the GAIN button on the atom amp and kill everything, so I would rather just get a new amp and be safe.
santiagol OP
9 posts
 
@roberjerman Could I plug a scarlet solo into the SMSL? Or would I need to use a rca/aux adapter from my phone/pc?

santiagol OP
9 posts
 
I will also turn the components off before pluggin/unplugging!
santiagol OP
9 posts
 
@djones51 I think this is what happened, I certainly didn't unpress the gain button, and looking at the atom manual, it specifies the use of low gain when using it with speakers. 
So from what I understand my setup could work as long as I change the gain button on the atom every time I want to use the speakers? That seems pretty risky if I can fry 200$ worth of equipment at the press of a button or lack of thereof.
santiagol OP
9 posts
 
Question: When you plugged or unplugged the cables connecting the Atom to the SMSL, did you have the components turned off? If not that is what might have caused the damage.
 The atom was turned on, and I think the smsl was also turned on. I also had the volume cranked pretty high on the atom, with GAIN turned on.
I'm still surprised that the atom and the scarlet died but the smsl is intact
@almarg 
santiagol OP
9 posts
 
@roberjerman 
I now think that I simply had the volume too high on the atom. I will definitely be more cautious next time!
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