Request for pro amp reviews

[WaynePflughaupt]

Crown makes variants of the MacroTech line. Anywhere from 108SNR to 112. Take your pick. Still waiting for any argument that these are problematic to SQ.

The S/N spec for both the MT and MTi series is A-weighted. The problem with an A-weighted spec is that it “ignores” the outer frequency extremes. If perchance these amps have more hiss or low-freq hum than they should, spec’ing noise as A-weighted makes for a “better” figure. An unweighted spec could be as much as 10 dB lower (e.g. SNR 108 to 112 dBA becomes 98 to 102 dBu). I’m not saying that this has any effect on sound quality, only that the MT and MTI noise specs might not be as fabulous as they appear.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[jinjuku]

The S/N spec for both the MT and MTi series is A-weighted. The problem with an A-weighted spec is that it “ignores” the outer frequency extremes. If perchance these amps have more hiss or low-freq hum than they should, spec’ing noise as A-weighted makes for a “better” figure. An unweighted spec could be as much as 10 dB lower (e.g. SNR 108 to 112 dBA becomes 98 to 102 dBu). I’m not saying that this has any effect on sound quality, only that the MT and MTI noise specs might not be as fabulous as they appear.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Hi Wayne,

Good to see you around. I believe Crown provides both A-Weighted and Unweighted.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Was at a B&W dealer today. Had Classes 300wpc x 5ch amp hooked to B&W 800D. Heard hissing noise in the 800D tweeters from 2 ft away.

Put ear next to tweeter to make sure. Yes. Hissing noise! High-end?

The Crown XLS has less hiss than that!

 

[Irvrobinson]

Was at a B&W dealer today. Had Classes 300wpc x 5ch amp hooked to B&W 800D. Heard hissing noise in the 800D tweeters from 2 ft away.

Put ear next to tweeter to make sure. Yes. Hissing noise! High-end?

The Crown XLS has less hiss than that!

It's amazing that once humans are sensitized to something, anything, how obvious it becomes. The same thing happened to me with my Levinsons. Once I noticed the hiss they had to be history. I checked out a lot of amps when I replaced them. Anything with a hint of hiss was off the list.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

It's amazing that once humans are sensitized to something, anything, how obvious it becomes. The same thing happened to me with my Levinsons. Once I noticed the hiss they had to be history. I checked out a lot of amps when I replaced them. Anything with a hint of hiss was off the list.

You and I are kind of nuts.

 

[Soccerkid830]

It's amazing that once humans are sensitized to something, anything, how obvious it becomes. The same thing happened to me with my Levinsons. Once I noticed the hiss they had to be history. I checked out a lot of amps when I replaced them. Anything with a hint of hiss was off the list.

Adding to the sensitizing thing...

Not really audio, but I worked with GM for couple summers in a row on internships with their Paint & Polymers group. After looking at and measuring paint quality on hundreds, if not thousands, of cars you start to just notice the defects in paint without having to measure anything.

Now I hate seeing my own car because I see all the paint defects that I NEVER used to see/notice/know about. Same with other cars driving down the road. Going to make it really hard for me to buy a new car someday . Luckily for me I have big chrome bumpers on my Yukon, otherwise I'd have to deal with the color mismatching between the fascia and body panels as well.

Orange peel, sags, DOI, etc still are had to overlook now

 

[jinjuku]

It's amazing that once humans are sensitized to something, anything, how obvious it becomes. The same thing happened to me with my Levinsons. Once I noticed the hiss they had to be history. I checked out a lot of amps when I replaced them. Anything with a hint of hiss was off the list.

Yep, My Parasounds days were numbered when I got my Crown XLS402D. With the gains all the way up.....nothing

 

[ahblaza]

You and I are kind of nuts.

Thanks ADTG for validating my suspicions

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Thanks ADTG for validating my suspicions

I'm a Vampire.......from Krypton........... who is nuts.

 

[ahblaza]

The S/N spec for both the MT and MTi series is A-weighted. The problem with an A-weighted spec is that it “ignores” the outer frequency extremes. If perchance these amps have more hiss or low-freq hum than they should, spec’ing noise as A-weighted makes for a “better” figure. An unweighted spec could be as much as 10 dB lower (e.g. SNR 108 to 112 dBA becomes 98 to 102 dBu). I’m not saying that this has any effect on sound quality, only that the MT and MTI noise specs might not be as fabulous as they appear.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

Hi Wayne, glad to have you back around my friend
Jeff

 

[ahblaza]

I'm a Vampire.......from Krypton........... who is nuts.

Do you have problems (smoking) being out in the sun light?

 

[Irvrobinson]

Do you have problems (smoking) being out in the sun light?

One thing is for sure, he's going to need a bigger house.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Do you have problems (smoking) being out in the sun light?

When I was in Cancun a few weeks ago, I wore full wetsuits & swim shoes everyday (neck to toe). Heavy sunscreen on face and hands. Great for vampires.

 

[GranteedEV]

Do you have problems (smoking) being out in the sun light?

Come now, Vampires don't burn in sunlight.

 

[ahblaza]

Come now, Vampires don't burn in sunlight.

Yeah he is like Wesley Snipes in the Blade movie, he has what all the other vampires want, to be a Day Walker, being a Kryptonite is another story to be told.

 

[ahblaza]

When I was in Cancun a few weeks ago, I wore full wetsuits & swim shoes everyday (neck to toe). Heavy sunscreen on face and hands. Great for vampires.

What about this, how does it feel looking at that with your wetsuit on?
Cross In Water, Bewick, England Photograph by John Short - Cross In Water, Bewick, England Fine Art Prints and Posters for Sale

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

What about this, how does it feel looking at that with your wetsuit on?
Cross In Water, Bewick, England Photograph by John Short - Cross In Water, Bewick, England Fine Art Prints and Posters for Sale

Crosses don't phase me.

I have an 18K gold cross necklace. I also have Rosaries all over my house. So I've been desensitized.

Unlike the hissing noise caused by high-end Classe amps.

 

[ahblaza]

Crosses don't phase me.

I have an 18K gold cross necklace. I also have Rosaries all over my house. So I've been desensitized.

Unlike the hissing noise caused by high-end Classe amps.

Good to hear that brother especially if you know how to (say) pray the Rosary. Speaking of hiss, your Crown XLS is quiet, I've always wanted to hear a Classe amp, was the hiss present on multiple speakers?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Good to hear that brother especially if you know how to (say) pray the Rosary. Speaking of hiss, your Crown XLS is quiet, I've always wanted to hear a Classe amp, was the hiss present on multiple speakers?

The Classes was hooked to the 800D. Both the 800D were making that hiss noise. The 802D were hooked to the Rotel amp, which didn't seem to have the hiss, at least not from 1ft away. I didn't place my ear by the tweeter on the 802D/ Rotel.

 

[SpyVSpy]

The Harman Crown XLS sounds the same to me as the ATI 3002.

There is some speaker hiss (secondary to gain?) from the Crown @ less than 6 inches away, while the ATI is dead silent.

But they sound the same to my hears.

And I say "Harman Crown" to remind us that Harman makes them - Harman as in JBL Everest, Revel Salon, Mark Levinson, & Lexicon - that Harman.

Are you using the rca's? If so get some XLR to rca adaptors and that should get rid of any noise. I like the look of the XTi 2 Series better then the XLS, tis what I'm getting for my setup.