The Crown XLS DriveCore Thread

[Adam]

Oh, dear, you must buy the XLS 1500 at Guitar Center.

Use the coupon code: MDAY15 and get 15% off. It expires today. So that's $52 off the $349.99 price = $297.50. But it expires today.

Thanks. The code doesn't seem to be working, but either way, the tax is going to get me back up to around Amazon prices even if it did.

 

[Gordonj]

Ok everyone. Here is the amp that everyone needs, does any one remember this one?

The Crown MA1000...

http://www.crownaudio.com/pdf/legacy/k10684.pdf

I remember when this one came out, one of the demos was to plug an arch welder into the output terminals!!!

I actually got to design a few projects around this monster, crazy stuff!

Ahh the good old days

Gordon

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Thanks. The code doesn't seem to be working, but either way, the tax is going to get me back up to around Amazon prices even if it did.

Bummer. The code worked for me when I tried it out this morning. You can always call them and get the discount over phone. The sales tax in Arizona is 6%? So $297 x 6% = $18 tax. So $315. Amazon is $350. And you can return locally if you need.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Ok everyone. Here is the amp that everyone needs, does any one remember this one?

The Crown MA1000...

http://www.crownaudio.com/pdf/legacy/k10684.pdf

I remember when this one came out, one of the demos was to plug an arch welder into the output terminals!!!

I actually got to design a few projects around this monster, crazy stuff!

Ahh the good old days

Gordon

Yeah, the good old days when things were still made in the USA.

 

[Adam]

Bummer. The code worked for me when I tried it out this morning. You can always call them and get the discount over phone. The sales tax in Arizona is 6%? So $297 x 6% = $18 tax. So $315. Amazon is $350. And you can return locally if you need.

6% would be awesome - we're at just over 9% (state plus local). I didn't actually go through the checkout fully, but I got to the page where it listed the code and my tax, and the code just said $0.00 while the Crown still said $349. I saw where I could call them, but Amazon has been so good to me...and I could have it Thursday with free shipping.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

6% would be awesome - we're at just over 9%.

Doh! Tax. Bad.

Well, you could put the $350 on your amazon card and pay over 6 months.

 

[Gordonj]

Yeah, the good old days when things were still made in the USA.

No Kidding!

 

[jinjuku]

Yeah, the good old days when things were still made in the USA.

You can still get major Pro-audio brands built in the U.S. I have seen many contracts stipulate no Chinese manufacture.

 

[Irvrobinson]

I have seen many contracts stipulate no Chinese manufacture.

Interesting. Do you know why that is? (Other than perhaps the US Gov's buy US policy.)

 

[jinjuku]

Interesting. Do you know why that is? (Other than perhaps the US Gov's buy US policy.)

Straight up reliability in a lot of the cases. My XLS 402D was Chinese, but you could also get them built in the U.S. Where up time is critical you will often see this rider in a RFP.

 

[Gordonj]

Interesting. Do you know why that is? (Other than perhaps the US Gov's buy US policy.)

Its called the Buy American Act and most of the big Gov projects are stipulated that way. We are in the middle of design for two huge Gov projects and the audio is easy. The video? Not so much.....

"The Buy American Act is the major domestic preference statute governing procurement by the federal government. Essentially it attempts to protect domestic labor by providing a preference for American goods in government purchases. It was enacted in 1933 and has only been substantively amended four times in the succeeding years."

Gordon

 

[jinjuku]

Its called the Buy American Act and most of the big Gov projects are stipulated that way. We are in the middle of design for two huge Gov projects and the audio is easy. The video? Not so much.....

"The Buy American Act is the major domestic preference statute governing procurement by the federal government. Essentially it attempts to protect domestic labor by providing a preference for American goods in government purchases. It was enacted in 1933 and has only been substantively amended four times in the succeeding years."

Gordon

Plenty of non-governmental contracts have this verbiage also. My understanding it is about quality controls (or the lack of).

 

[Gordonj]

Plenty of non-governmental contracts have this verbiage also. My understanding it is about quality controls (or the lack of).

Could be.

Just in case anyone wants to read for themselves....

http://www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/CRS_Report_-_The_Buy_American_Act_3.13.09.pdf

Gordon

 

[mtrycrafts]

..and intelligent design?

Well, a number of years ago we had an interesting thread on I think on the PA court case on this went on for a good bit of time. Even Gene and the other partner were part of it on different sides

 

[mtrycrafts]

..

Capacitance for starters. Just like your car doesn't need to be connected to 440 3 phase to generated peak 400 CCA's. It has a battery for that.

And, only 12 Volts at that.

 

[GranteedEV]

So, guys, I've had my XLS 2000 for just under a week now.

Do I have anything conclusive to say about its sound? Of course not - I'm not so arrogant. But man, does my system sound good. The bass is effortless, any harsh sibilance seems to be completely gone, the speakers sound good whether at -40 or +3, and I hear layer upon layer of content in different recordings. Whether that's the amp or not, I can't say. But I honestly can't imagine a better amplifier being available in the whole world at any cost. I'd love for someone to reliably prove me wrong but as it is, I'm just happy.

I would recommend anyone with great speakers, whether you spent 2K, 5K, 20K, or 50K to give these amplifiers a shot. You might be really damn biased, but who knows, maybe this amp sounds better than the name-brand audiophile amp you're looking at. Or it sounds the same but weighs a fraction as much. Or it sounds the same but costs a fraction as much. Just clear your mind for a moment and buy one from a local store with a return policy. You can make any decisions after that yourself. You might find yourself with a few grand in your wallet and a better sounding system.

The only complaint I'd make about this amp is that the blue LEDs are pretty obnoxious. I had to hide the amp behind an external hard drive and a gamecube.

 

[jinjuku]

And to think when I recommended an XLS over at Polk Forums they could do nothing but talk about how its pro-audio junk.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

And to think when I recommended an XLS over at Polk Forums they could do nothing but talk about how its pro-audio junk.

That's hilarious. So Polk is too good for Crown? What amps do they use that are better than Crown?

 

[jinjuku]

That's hilarious. So Polk is too good for Crown? What amps do they use that are better than Crown?

Parasound, Rotel, Carver (yah, seriously Carver). They got people purchasing busted *** whooped Carvers for $200-400 and then recapping and other refurbishment.

They got one guy so hood winked that he's blown a bunch of money on refurbing a Carver that he won't even entertain the thought of me bringing an XLS 1500 the next time I'm in Indianapolis for him to A/B.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Parasound, Rotel, Carver (yah, seriously Carver). They got people purchasing busted *** whooped Carvers for $200-400 and then recapping and other refurbishment.

They got one guy so hood winked that he's blown a bunch of money on refurbing a Carver that he won't even entertain the thought of me bringing an XLS 1500 the next time I'm in Indianapolis for him to A/B.

Funny.

Well, we all entertain one another.