The Crown XLS DriveCore Thread

[Irvrobinson]

technically it does

Please enlighten us, Obi Wan...

[Irvrobinson]

I don't consider a 2RU 2-channel amp particularly compact, though the Crowns are fairly shallow at least.

Oh what a difference in perspective. Compared to the 100lb++ ATI AT3005 they look positively lilliputian!

[Gordonj]

I have to admit that this conversation regarding Crown XLS and CT amps and the like fascinates me. In the world I work in (high end pro audio) we would not even consider using these amps. We would be looking at the higher end touring/performance range. Why? Because there is a big difference in the sound quality of the amps you are talking about and the touring class - big difference and a big difference in performance.


It is a very interesting post.

Gordon

[jinjuku]

I've worked with almost every amp in the Crown and QSC line up and would have to wholeheartedly disagree with you.

This is coming from a guy that absolutely loved the Macro-Tech and iTech lineup from Crown. Also the big bruisers from QSC the PLX series.

I don't know if the XLS's are touring grade. But touring grade simply means you can beat the crap out of them, drop them off the back up a truck, pick them up and plug in and go.

You wouldn't believe how many of these amps I have seen with a bent rack ear from being dropped or a dented corner.

[Irvrobinson]

there is a big difference in the sound quality of the amps you are talking about and the touring class - big difference and a big difference in performance. Gordon

Now you've stepped in it! Don't you know where you are?

Which high-end pro audio venues do you think would reveal differences in sound quality?

[fuzz092888]

I don't mean to hi-jack the thread, but since we're talking about crown may I throw out a quick question? Any thoughts on the crown macro reference?

[jinjuku]

I don't mean to hi-jack the thread, but since we're talking about crown may I throw out a quick question? Any thoughts on the crown macro reference?

Killer amp. Absolutely bullet proof. High S/N ratio. A pro audio amp that even an audiophile could love. They will gobble power however. I've seen people drop 30 amp circuits for the 2400.

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Because there is a big difference in the sound quality of the amps...

Maybe if you are playing a105dB music concert on the football field and one amp is clipping/ distorting to keep up.

But it has been proven time and time again that if you play the amps within their capacity, they will not have a sound of their own if they measure similarly.

That is why my $22,000 Revel Salon 2 sound the same on a $3,000 AT3000 amp vs a $500 Crown XLS amp. It tells me the Crown XLS sounds EXACTLY the same as the much more expensive ATI amps (which are the OEM of the $7,000 Lexicon 300wpc amp).

Irvrobinson can tell you his $3K ATI amp sounds at least as good as his $20K Mark Levinson amps.

So cost and status means nothing when it comes to amps or speakers - it's about performance. Well, okay, aesthetics too.

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Now you've stepped in it! Don't you know where you are?

Which high-end pro audio venues do you think would reveal differences in sound quality?

And we better see a SNR of -130dB and Crosstalk of -120dB like Mark Levinson and Krell.

Because if the SNR of these "better sounding" amps are -105dB and XTalk of -85dB, we will have no choice but to laugh out loud.

[DS-21]

Oh what a difference in perspective. Compared to the 100lb++ ATI AT3005 they look positively lilliputian!

True. And in terms of mass the contrast is obvious. But in terms of frontal area and to a lesser extent volume it's not quite as clear-cut.

Per their website, an AT3005 is narrower than a standard amp (listed at 17"; a standard rack amp is 19" wide), 5RU high, and 18" deep. Ignoring depth for a moment, that means that five channels of XLS amp will have a larger frontal area, as five XLS channels will be 2" wider and 1RU taller. Though counting depth overall cubic volume will still be greater for the ATI: ~1.5 cubic feet for the 3005, ~0.9 cubic feet for the XLS1000/1500, and ~1.25 cubic feet for the XLS2000/2500.

Obviously, for two channels the Crown is a lot smaller than the AT3002. But for seven channels the AT3007 will be a fair bit more compact than four XLS amps. Like you, presumably, I'd still rather move the four XLS amps, even at once, than the ATI monster!

I have to admit that this conversation regarding Crown XLS and CT amps and the like fascinates me. In the world I work in (high end pro audio) we would not even consider using these amps. We would be looking at the higher end touring/performance range. Why? Because there is a big difference in the sound quality of the amps you are talking about and the touring class - big difference and a big difference in performance.

Yeah. Nobody's going to run a stadium system, or even a medium-sized music performance venue, off of XLS DriveCore or Peavey IPR/Crest ProLite amps. The more expensive amps have a lot more power, and also in the modern age DSP control/monitoring functions that are very useful when running huge speakers and/or line arrays to provide sound coverage for a huge area.

But for home use, those things are a lot less important. And, in fact, the bigger amps may not be as good, simply because they have so much gain that they hiss at short listening distances.

I'm curious, given the context, what you think of the EV amps. (If anything.) I'm very impressed with the CPS 8.5 as an amp to drive multiple subwoofers. I have no idea how it would perform as a touring amp.