Two Anthem STR amp failures within 1 year

[TLS Guy]

I would hope that a power amp with that price would be able to drive just about any speaker load.

I bet the 2 Ohm load is purely resistive but B&W have a reputation to uphold, so that may be part of their reason for not designing the speakers to NOT be a torture test.

Maybe the motto "If you want to buy our speakers, it's gonna hurt" applies.

I don't think we know what speaker Will Brink is using. However, the load of the OP's speakers was horrible and not in any way resistive. That is going to stress any amp. I know you can bench test amps and they pass a 2 ohm test. However, I ask do they really? Being on the test bench for a few minutes is not day after day, hour after hour. Not only that but speaker loads are not reisitive, like they are on the test bench.

My point is that systems do have to be thought out holistically from input to speakers.

These sort of speaker designs are actually totally inexcusable. I don't do it, and nor should they. It really again makes the case for active speakers where amp and speakers are designed as a totality as one unified design.

 

[Will Brink]

I don't think we know what speaker Will Brink is using. However, the load of the OP's speakers was horrible and not in any way resistive. That is going to stress any amp. I know you can bench test amps and they pass a 2 ohm test. However, I ask do they really? Being on the test bench for a few minutes is not day after day, hour after hour. Not only that but speaker loads are not reisitive, like they are on the test bench.

My point is that systems do have to be thought out holistically from input to speakers.

These sort of speaker designs are actually totally inexcusable. I don't do it, and nor should they. It really again makes the case for active speakers where amp and speakers are designed as a totality as one unified design.

At that time, ATC SCM 19 v2, but mine was not an amp issue but an electronic issue of some kind. As they simply replaced the unit, I don't know what the source of the issue was. I have had 3 different pairs of B&Ws over the decades and while I found they did need plenty of juice to sound good, amps with less power than the STR never shut down on me at high SPL. I'd be really surprised if the STR amps could not easily handle verutally any load any B&W could offer up. Gene also speaks highly of the STR series. Finally, I did have another Anthem amp (P2) that gave me problems, but it was not a power issue either.

 

[PENG]

I'd be really surprised if the STR amps could not easily handle verutally any load any B&W could offer up. Gene also speaks highly of the STR series. Finally, I did have another Anthem amp (P2) that gave me problems, but it was not a power issue either.

Those are very powerful power amplifiers, though Anthem, like others typically advertised using "massive" p/s/transformers, if you looked at the collaborative info such as website photos, weight, specs, measurements (limited), they are not really that massive relative to competing ones such as ATi's, McIntosh, Parasound, Bryston, even Monolith's.

As to whether they could or could not easily handle any load any B&W..., that is a very interesting question for people like me who are keen on specs and measurements, but I don't believe it can be answered without knowing the specific B&W speakers and the use case based on distance and required spl at the specified distance. For example, if I had the 802D/D2/D3 or above models, and if I listen to 10 dB below reference peaks from 4 meters, I would not use the STR, but something like McIntosh 1 kW, or higher monoblocks lol.. I never owned such B&W speakers but have read/heard about how people got their diamond tweeters damaged, presumable/apparently due to distortions being too high under their use conditions. It wasn't just isolated cases, when it happened enough times to enough people, such suggested reasons for damage might have been credible. They might have done something to protect those tweeters in recent years but I have stopped researching on B&W speakers, when I decided they are a) not something worth spending so much on, and b) they don't sound better to me compared to speakers that are much more affordable (for me). So, it is possible that amps like the STR can drive safely, not sure about easily, B&W speakers, but again that would still, as always, depend on the use case to some extent.

 

[TankTop5]

A pair of these would probably do the trick

Mola Mola

Description

www.mola-mola.nl

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

if I had the 802D/D2/D3 or above models, and if I listen to 10 dB below reference peaks from 4 meters, I would not use the STR, but something like McIntosh 1 kW, or higher monoblocks lol..

And would probably blow those fragile synthetic diamond tweeters.

 

[Will Brink]

Those are very powerful power amplifiers, though Anthem, like others typically advertised using "massive" p/s/transformers, if you looked at the collaborative info such as website photos, weight, specs, measurements (limited), they are not really that massive relative to competing ones such as ATi's, McIntosh, Parasound, Bryston, even Monolith's.

Funny you should mention that, as it's same impression I had when I looked at it, it didn't seem particularly "massive" especially when you consider the power rating. It did seem to live up to it's power ratings at least. Overall, measured well to excellent.

As to whether they could or could not easily handle any load any B&W..., that is a very interesting question for people like me who are keen on specs and measurements, but I don't believe it can be answered without knowing the specific B&W speakers and the use case based on distance and required spl at the specified distance. For example, if I had the 802D/D2/D3 or above models, and if I listen to 10 dB below reference peaks from 4 meters, I would not use the STR, but something like McIntosh 1 kW, or higher monoblocks lol.. I never owned such B&W speakers but have read/heard about how people got their diamond tweeters damaged, presumable/apparently due to distortions being too high under their use conditions. It wasn't just isolated cases, when it happened enough times to enough people, such suggested reasons for damage might have been credible. They might have done something to protect those tweeters in recent years but I have stopped researching on B&W speakers, when I decided they are a) not something worth spending so much on, and b) they don't sound better to me compared to speakers that are much more affordable (for me). So, it is possible that amps like the STR can drive safely, not sure about easily, B&W speakers, but again that would still, as always, depend on the use case to some extent.

I am in the same position, the brand no longer interests me and I am several brands passed B&W at this point.

 

[highfigh]

I don't think we know what speaker Will Brink is using. However, the load of the OP's speakers was horrible and not in any way resistive. That is going to stress any amp. I know you can bench test amps and they pass a 2 ohm test. However, I ask do they really? Being on the test bench for a few minutes is not day after day, hour after hour. Not only that but speaker loads are not reisitive, like they are on the test bench.

My point is that systems do have to be thought out holistically from input to speakers.

These sort of speaker designs are actually totally inexcusable. I don't do it, and nor should they. It really again makes the case for active speakers where amp and speakers are designed as a totality as one unified design.

Sure, they can pass the 2 Ohm test, but is it at full rated output or 1W, how is it cooled (fans, etc), how long does the test endure, what signal is used, etc? Without knowing the test parameters, it's just an exercise.

 

[Verdinut]

There is the advantage with Crown and QSC power amps. They are affordable, and most of them if not all, are specifically rated for 2 ohm loads at full power and with acceptable distortion levels. They are a lot cheaper than McIntosh or Bryston products.

 

[TLS Guy]

There is the advantage with Crown and QSC power amps. They are affordable, and most of them if not all, are specifically rated for 2 ohm loads at full power and with acceptable distortion levels. They are a lot cheaper than McIntosh or Bryston products.

It is a pro amp. However the bottom line is that a speaker that presents a 2 ohm load almost certainly has a serious design flaw from sheer incompetence. The crossover will most likely be in resonance and the amp will be blown up by that quicker than the 2 ohm load.

 

[Verdinut]

It is a pro amp. However the bottom line is that a speaker that presents a 2 ohm load almost certainly has a serious design flaw from sheer incompetence. The crossover will most likely be in resonance and the amp will be blown up by that quicker than the 2 ohm load.

As for the QSC DCA amplifier series, The DCA 1222 model, which I have in my HT system, is actually used in Cineplex theaters for driving surround speakers. Actually, QSC report that they use some to drive four of their 8 ohm speakers in parallel. No, you can't blow those amps because of their protective circuit.

One of my friends plays musical instruments in gigs. Over the years, he used most brands of pro amps. The only brand of amplifiers he hasn't been able to kill is the QSC.

Have a look at these specs:

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

As for the QSC DCA amplifier series, The DCA 1222 model, which I have in my HT system, is actually used in Cineplex theaters for driving surround speakers.

Surround speakers?

Why don’t Cineplex theaters use the QSC amps to power the MAIN speakers, which are the salient speakers?

 

[Verdinut]

Surround speakers?

Why don’t Cineplex theaters use the QSC amps to power the MAIN speakers, which are the salient speakers?

Are you sure about that? I doubt it because they have very powerful amps which should be able to do the job. For instance, their most powerful amp can output 1700 watts through a 2 ohm load. HAVE A LOOK AT THEIR FULL SPECS LISTED with the link in Post #30.

 

[gene]

something is not right here. Perhaps your amps are lacking proper ventilation or your line sag is so drastic that the current demand on the amp is intense due to line voltage sag?

I successfully used the Anthem STR power amp to drive my Status Acoustics 8T speakers for years in a 6,500 ft^3 room at reference levels with LFE going to them and never had a problem. The 8Ts impedance dips to 2 ohm territory in bass and the Pass Labs X350.5 could NOT drive them as well as the Anthem STR.

see the Status 8T speakers:https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/titus-8t-review

impedance graph: https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/titus-8t-review/copy_of_GenesStatus8Tsystemz.jpg/image

 

[TankTop5]

As for the QSC DCA amplifier series, The DCA 1222 model, which I have in my HT system, is actually used in Cineplex theaters for driving surround speakers. Actually, QSC report that they use some to drive four of their 8 ohm speakers in parallel. No, you can't blow those amps because of their protective circuit.

One of my friends plays musical instruments in gigs. Over the years, he used most brands of pro amps. The only brand of amplifiers he hasn't been able to kill is the QSC.

Have a look at these specs:

Pretty sure a lot of cinemas use Dolby DMA amplifiers but those are up to rated 32 channels 600 watts at 2ohms

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Are you sure about that? I doubt it because they have very powerful amps which should be able to do the job. For instance, their most powerful amp can output 1700 watts through a 2 ohm load. HAVE A LOOK AT THEIR FULL SPECS LISTED with the link in Post #30.

I was just quoting you. You said they used the QSC amps for the “SURROUND” speakers.

And I said why do they just use the QSC amps for only the SURROUND speakers?

Why not use the QSC amps for ALL the speakers, not just the surround speakers.

 

[PENG]

something is not right here. Perhaps your amps are lacking proper ventilation or your line sag is so drastic that the current demand on the amp is intense due to line voltage sag?

I successfully used the Anthem STR power amp to drive my Status Acoustics 8T speakers for years in a 6,500 ft^3 room at reference levels with LFE going to them and never had a problem. The 8Ts impedance dips to 2 ohm territory in bass and the Pass Labs X350.5 could NOT drive them as well as the Anthem STR.

see the Status 8T speakers:https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/titus-8t-review

impedance graph: https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/titus-8t-review/copy_of_GenesStatus8Tsystemz.jpg/image

I would say those big 8T towers aren't as difficult to drive than just the impedance graph alone might indicate, because of the good sensitivity, and you noted it even had a bump in the bass..., and, phase angle isn't horrible to that may help the average high power amps too.

From your linked review:

I measured about 92dB with a slight bump in the bass so their claim seems to be pretty accurate.

6500 cu.ft is big, but what's your listening distance, 4 meters, or 6 meters, or more?
Not saying anything bad about the STR amps, they are very powerful for sure, more powerful than the X350.5, for real world use for sure, when literally continuous ratings aren't as important, Anthem output specs for 2 ohm dips seems to be rated for up to 3 seconds, that's long enough. I would think real world contents rarely has bass frequencies the range shown in the impedance graph that would last longer than 3 seconds, except some rare huge pipe organ music. Again, amps like those are powerful, I am just being curious about the minor details, and, the typical marketing hype (such as "massive") that usually exaggerates things to make their points.

 

[highfigh]

And I said why do they just use the QSC amps for only the SURROUND speakers?

Why not use the QSC amps for ALL the speakers, not just the surround speakers.

Better to ask the designers of the systems- I'm sure they have their reasons.

 

[Verdinut]

Better to ask the designers of the systems- I'm sure they have their reasons.

There's a mix-up here. I never said what you were referring to but Andrew did while replying to one of my posts. I have known for awhile that QSC had powerful amps to drive their front theatre speakers and in large venues. If you had perused the link in post #30 which directs you to QSC's line of Digital Cinema amps and their specs, you would have found the real facts.

 

[highfigh]

There's a mix-up here. I never said what you were referring to but Andrew did while replying to one of my posts. I have known for awhile that QSC had powerful amps to drive their front theatre speakers and in large venues. If you had perused the link in post #30 which directs you to QSC's line of Digital Cinema amps an their specs, you would have found the real facts.

These are the questions that you posted, and I responded-

"And I said why do they just use the QSC amps for only the SURROUND speakers?

Why not use the QSC amps for ALL the speakers, not just the surround speakers."

I'm familiar with QSC and their quality.

 

[Verdinut]

These are the questions that you posted, and I responded-

"And I said why do they just use the QSC amps for only the SURROUND speakers?

Why not use the QSC amps for ALL the speakers, not just the surround speakers."

I'm familiar with QSC and their quality.

What I said is that QSC were using the DCA 1222 amp for surround speakers. That of course did not imply that they were not using other amps for the front speakers.