Ampeg PF500

[mikeydee77]

Variable experience with Class D here. Usually D=Disposable and occasionally get success not measured but probably 10% of the time. Generally go with new board or module as scorch damage can be severe. Economically often isn't worth it for the client.

I did fix a PF500 one time just by removing the coins that had been inserted in the slots.

[bsco]

Hello folks,
I know the posts are 4yrs old, but I've found that trying to repair these Dclass amps is mostly an exercise in futility as you need to find matched FETS which I doubt are even available from Ampeg as they used to be for the SVT-Pros.
As AXTMAN suggested, it makes more sense to just replace the board for $180.00 with minimal time involved. Anymore my experience is that folks are just expecting the $500.00 1000watt amps that used to cost upwards of $2000+, are just disposable.
As BSCO indicated, the little bastards just keep coming back for reasons that are difficult to discover or understand AND when they crap out, it's a complete rebuild all over again as you never know what other parts the shorted FETS take out. Way too much lost labor for someone trying to make a living doing this not to mention the damage to the techs ego!
for the ones that are blown up, I've decided these amps aren't the hill I'm going to die on.
Just my take. More power to those who have more success with these amps that I believe were not built to be repaired in the first place.
g

I won't touch these with a 10 ft pole...they are impossible to repair for a reasonable price....I don't even trust the replacement boards to be quite honest.....after covid hit I had to shut down and now I only do this as a hobby so now I can pick my battles.....I spend most of my time booking shows for my wife and I, rehearsing and I am setting up a small home studio so we can record our original material....over the years I have collected a huge assortment of electronic equipment that I got for very cheap...now that I am retired, I can start going through this stuff to either fix and resell or scrap for parts as this stuff is hard to find parts for....so that is where I am at now in my life's journey....I have 3 shows to do in two days this week so I am very contented in spending a lot of my time at that....good luck with the class D amps....