# Question for an old school soundstream guy....



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

I recently purchased an old Soundstream MC300 anp. It arrived today, and i noticed that the 4 speaker protection fuses did not match. I thought that was odd, so i did some research to try and find out what fuse should be there.

The Bottom of the amp specs 3amp above each fuse. There is a 5amp and three 7.5 amp fuses in place now. 

But then i went to Amp guts and they show the bottom of a MC300 to have 5amp fuses.

was there an upgrade for this model that would require 5amp fuses? I am sure 5 amps will be easier to find too...

Just looking for some info....(well and maybe to brag a little about my purchase


----------



## cueball981 (Feb 16, 2009)

To be on the safe side, I would consider putting back in the suggested rated fuse. Wondering if the person who owned this amp was having issues with blown fuses at the recommended amp rating and replaced them out with higher rated amps so the amp wouldn't cut out. Hmmm...just a thought! I currently own 3 D-seriesII amps and all my installed fuses are rated per recommended specs. Oh, btw, check out my newest post...bet you didn't get your MC300 for as cheap as I got my "soon to be arriving" D100II  Nice purchase, btw! I'll be looking for a MC300 after the first of the year.


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

I talked to the seller...who has great feedback so i have no reason to doubt him...but i tend to take what people say with cautious skepticism. He said his son stole the fuses out of the amp for another project and when the amp sold his son replaced them with the only fuses he had handy.

Bottom line is i will replace them with 3 amp fuses and see what happns...if it blows a fuse i will return it.

I didn't get a bargain i am sure, but it was the amp i wanted...in the condition i wanted (except the fuses)$275 shipped.

I was also looking for a super clean d100 2 or a PPI a600.2....but this 300 was my first preference.


----------



## Guy (Feb 16, 2006)

miniSQ said:


> was there an upgrade for this model that would require 5amp fuses?


The first boards and the earliest revision boards were 3 amp spec'd, then they were produced with 5 amp fuses.


----------



## cueball981 (Feb 16, 2009)

Thanks for chiming in with that info, Guy! Good to know!


----------



## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

What are your speakers >>> 

quote:

Soundstream MC300 
Output Power at 20Hz ∼ 20kHz:
4 x 75W @ 4 or 2 ohms
2 x 150W @ 4 or 8 ohms bridged
THD: <0.1% (20Hz ∼ 20kHz, full power, 2, 4 or 8 ohms)
S/N Ratio: >100dB
Damping Factor: >200
Max. Current Draw: 45A
Fuse: *Internal 30A** (4 x 5A for speaker protection)*

quote:

http://ampguts.realmofexcursion.com/Soundstream_MC300/


----------



## Blazemore (Dec 1, 2006)

Guy said:


> The first boards and the earliest revision boards were 3 amp spec'd, then they were produced with 5 amp fuses.


Guy, is that David Bowie's eye?


----------



## Guy (Feb 16, 2006)

Blazemore said:


> Guy, is that David Bowie's eye?


Yes.

The most off topic addition to a thread  ... It's a pic of his left eye- his eyes appear to be different colors, but when he was young his eye was damaged in a fight when he tried to help out a buddy who got jumped outside a show. It caused his eye to stay permanently dilated- doesn't show up very well in this pic.


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

a$$hole said:


> What are your speakers >>>
> 
> quote:
> 
> ...


I am going to be using this to power my front comps, and rear fill....


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

Guy said:


> The first boards and the earliest revision boards were 3 amp spec'd, then they were produced with 5 amp fuses.


thanks...thats what i expected to hear. Obviously the first boards were the desirable ones to have then right?


----------



## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

a$$hole said:


> What are your speakers >>>
> 
> quote:
> 
> ...



Whiskey Tango Foxtrot... 



> Max. Current Draw: 45A
> Fuse: *Internal 30A** (4 x 5A for speaker protection)*


I'd like to know how 30A of internal fusing is made up out of 4- 5A fuses...:laugh:

Call SoundStream, heck if you look hard enough on the site, in the archives, I bet you can get the manual...(EDIT: nope, call them)


----------



## Blazemore (Dec 1, 2006)

Guy said:


> Yes.
> 
> The most off topic addition to a thread  ... It's a pic of his left eye- his eyes appear to be different colors, but when he was young his eye was damaged in a fight when he tried to help out a buddy who got jumped outside a show. It caused his eye to stay permanently dilated- doesn't show up very well in this pic.


Yeah I know :worried: Wifey was looking over my shoulder and said "Thats David Bowie's eye". I was like "What the hell are you talking about?" Fast forward 30mins later, she needed to know so her mind could be at ease and the threat of no supper was the breaking point.


----------



## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

Some amps have internal 12v supply fuse and speaker fuses, could be what they mean. Fuses will take much more for a moment anyway.


----------



## Guy (Feb 16, 2006)

sqshoestring said:


> Some amps have internal 12v supply fuse and speaker fuses, could be what they mean. Fuses will take much more for a moment anyway.


Yep. I should have elaborated in my first post- there is a 30 amp main fuse that can only be accessed by removing the bottom cover. The four 3 amp (or 5 amp) fuses are speaker fuses as A$$hole posted.


----------



## Guy (Feb 16, 2006)

miniSQ said:


> thanks...thats what i expected to hear. Obviously the first boards were the desirable ones to have then right?


I have always upgraded my Soundstream amps to the final revision specs, but frankly I haven't found a performance difference between the different MC300 boards, be they 3 amp or 5 amp speaker fused. As far as collectibility, there isn't a difference between them.

Last time I went to the Soundstream site, I couldn't find a link to archived manuals. It is still up though...
http://soundstream.com/owner-manuals.htm

And lol, Blazemore... She must be a hell of a cook.


----------



## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

Guy,Blazemore,

That woman knows what to look for in a person and when she sees it she doesn't forget 

"The eyes are the mirror of the soul"


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

Guy said:


> I have always upgraded my Soundstream amps to the final revision specs, but frankly I haven't found a performance difference between the different MC300 boards, be they 3 amp or 5 amp speaker fused. As far as collectibility, there isn't a difference between them.
> 
> Last time I went to the Soundstream site, I couldn't find a link to archived manuals. It is still up though...
> http://soundstream.com/owner-manuals.htm
> ...


I have the manual....but i can't seem to find 3amp fuses locally. I bought 4 5amp fuses just because it was better than the mix that was in the amp when it arrives. I would NEVER sell anything on ebay and not have the proper fuses in place...but maybe that is just me. 

I have ordered some 3amp fuses from amazon...should be here in 2 days...and if the rain doesn't stop they may be here before i get it powered up

So tell me more about this updating the amp to the newer revision? Where would i find info on this? I am not collecting this amp..i am using it in my daily driver.


----------



## Guy (Feb 16, 2006)

The Soundstream board revisions had more to do with component sourcing than anything else. I don't remember specifically what the changes were for the MC300 other than supplier changes... IIRC they did change the thermal power reduction circuit not too long after the first run.


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

I got the amp fired up, and it seems to be working perfect....

but i am having a problem with wiring. 

I can't seem to lock down the power and ground wire...the screw bites fine, but it seems like the metal piece that the screw puts pressure on to secure the wire is bent or angled in such a way that locking it down actually forces the wire out of the hole.

Being that this is an old amp, i want to ask first before breaking something, i don't remeber ever having a problem with any of my d100.2's or refernce series back in day...and i used to put 8 ga on those...here i am using like 10 ga. I am not having this issue with the speaker wire or remote wire...just with the power and gound.

Any tips here???


----------



## turbo5upra (Oct 3, 2008)

on my mc245 I unscrewed the screws fully, took a small screwdriver and pushed the tabs up, slid the wires in as far as they could go, and they seem to be holding just fine,.... hopefully when my d60 and d100 show up this week they are in as good as condition as that was...


----------



## miniSQ (Aug 4, 2009)

turbo5upra said:


> on my mc245 I unscrewed the screws fully, took a small screwdriver and pushed the tabs up, slid the wires in as far as they could go, and they seem to be holding just fine,.... hopefully when my d60 and d100 show up this week they are in as good as condition as that was...


yeah, i was wussing it because i didn't want to break anything...i backed it all the way out and reached in with a nice flat blade and gave it a good push...that opend it up to really get the wire in good...i just had visions of that tab breaking and being f'ed.

all set....thanks!!


----------

