Request for pro amp reviews

[fuzz092888]

Says the guy who admits that the B&W 802D's will only sound AS good as the Phils, if that, and still wants to buy them anyways

Couldn't resist

 

[KEW]

I've lost track - is there a consensus (or opinion) on which pro amp(s) we'd like to see tested?

Here are the criteria I would suggest (I don't know enough about the pro amps to suggest a specific model):
1) Represent mainstream pro-amp design/construction.
2) Represent substantial savings over a consumer amp of equal capabilities.
3) Be manufactured by a well established player with a good reputation in the pro-amp market.

If the Crown XLS fits these criteria, it gets recommended pretty often, so it would be a good choice.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Says the guy who admits that the B&W 802D's will only sound AS good as the Phils, if that, and still wants to buy them anyways

Couldn't resist

I will never hear the end of it for sure.

Oh, BTW I'm listening to Phil3 now - Yo-Yo Ma playing Vivaldi concertos.

 

[templemaners]

I've lost track - is there a consensus (or opinion) on which pro amp(s) we'd like to see tested?

Well, I think it would need to be an amp with moderate power (relatively speaking), since the debate is around using one of these in place of a so called HT amp - the ATI/Emotiva/Parasounds of the world - for your mains or surrounds. Something in the 200w - 500w x 2 range would work fine. I think there's less of a debate in using a pro amp for subwoofers, so the massively powered pro amps aren't necessary.

I'd be most interested in seeing one - or both - of the following lines tested:

• Yamaha P series (2500S or 3500S)
• Crown XLS Drivecore (1500 or 2000)

Those two give a nice mix of class AB (or whatever Yamaha is using with their EEE technology) and class D style amps, plus, I think those ranges probably have the most written about them in this forum (the Behringer EP2500/EP4000 not withstanding) - the Crown XLS recently and the Yamaha a few years ago.

I'd also cast a vote for:

• Behringer iNuke (3000DSP)
• Peavey IPR (1600, either with or without the DSP)
• Lab.Gruppen (FP9000)

Just kidding on the last one... Hey, I can wish for it can't I?

 

[fuzz092888]

Haha, probably not, but I'll never argue about how they look

Not a bad choice at all

 

[jdskycaster]

Have no direct experience comparing pro-amps to consumer but have to say that I would be interested in a review although I prefer measurements combined with DBT's when it comes to amp comparisons.

I participated in several of these comparo's some years ago and it was eye opening to say the least.

 

[cpp]

Well, I think it would need to be an amp with moderate power (relatively speaking), since the debate is around using one of these in place of a so called HT amp - the ATI/Emotiva/Parasounds of the world - for your mains or surrounds. Something in the 200w - 500w x 2 range would work fine. I think there's less of a debate in using a pro amp for subwoofers, so the massively powered pro amps aren't necessary.

I'd be most interested in seeing one - or both - of the following lines tested:

• Yamaha P series (2500S or 3500S)
• Crown XLS Drivecore (1500 or 2000)

Those two give a nice mix of class AB (or whatever Yamaha is using with their EEE technology) and class D style amps, plus, I think those ranges probably have the most written about them in this forum (the Behringer EP2500/EP4000 not withstanding) - the Crown XLS recently and the Yamaha a few years ago.

I'd also cast a vote for:

• Behringer iNuke (3000DSP)
• Peavey IPR (1600, either with or without the DSP)
• Lab.Gruppen (FP9000)

Just kidding on the last one... Hey, I can wish for it can't I?

Add Crest and Powersoft

 

[jinjuku]

I've lost track - is there a consensus (or opinion) on which pro amp(s) we'd like to see tested?

Yamaha PS2500 for one. Crown XLS 1500 Drive Core, Crown I-Tech HD.

 

[Gordonj]

Yamaha PS2500 for one. Crown XLS 1500 Drive Core, Crown I-Tech HD.

How about:

Lab Gruppen -
E:2 - 2x800w @8
C20:8x - 8x250 @ 8
C5:4x - 4x125 @ 8

Crest -
Ci20x8 - 8x200 @8
CM2208 - 8x210 @8

Crown -
D-75A - 2x35w @8
XLS-202 - 2x200w @8
CTs-600 - 2x300w @8

Power Soft -
M14D - 2x360w @8
Q3002 - 4x250w @8

A sampling of each....

Unless you want the big guns brought out.


Gordon

 

[avnetguy]

There is also amps by QSC.

Steve

 

[slipperybidness]

Well, the ATI AT3000s have a 34dB gain. But they are still dead silent. Even when I crank the Denon volume to +17.0 (in STOP mode, of course).

Well, my Parasound 1206 and the amps in my Pioneer Elite VSX-82TXS are both dead-silent on the hiss, even if no input source and cranked to reference levels. These are probably not considered "audiophile", but I would certainly return any amp with audible hiss (assuming that I was 100% confident that it was the amp). Regardless of how (electronically) the hiss gets there, it is unwanted.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Well, my Parasound 1206 and the amps in my Pioneer Elite VSX-82TXS are both dead-silent on the hiss, even if no input source and cranked to reference levels. These are probably not considered "audiophile", but I would certainly return any amp with audible hiss (assuming that I was 100% confident that it was the amp). Regardless of how (electronically) the hiss gets there, it is unwanted.

Funny how many people laugh at AVR, even though I never had an AVR with hiss noise or ground hum noise, unlike some pre-pro and amps.

No-Hiss List:
Parasound
ATI (& sister 200wpc & 300wpc amps like Lexicon, ML, JBL, Cary, B&K, Theta, Outlaw)
Rotel
Receivers

Hiss List:
Emotiva (probably Sherbourn)
Classe
McIntosh
Acurus
Crown XLS

 

[fuzz092888]

I will say that there was a little hiss out of my outlaw 755 when it was plugged into the wall, but plugged into the APC S15 it completely went away.

 

[SpyVSpy]

It worked for someone else with a similar issue on another forum.

Have you actually tried this yourself and it worked, or is this just an idea?

I do have 5 XLR-RCA cables in the closet. But the SNR & gain between balanced and unbalanced is usually insignificant. So I don't see how it would completely remove the hiss.

But I guess I could try this.

 

[jinjuku]

Here is a good read from the Editor at Hometheaterequipment.com

Another convert to Pro-audio amps for home use. Like me he preferred the Crown over his Parasound (in his instance a 2250).

Still have never heard from any of the naysayers why this product isn't suitable for home use when it comes to SQ.

 

[cpp]

Still have never heard from any of the naysayers why this product isn't suitable for home use when it comes to SQ.

I think the naysayers have to much invested in cute and pretty audio amp's to bother with these pro-amps. I think most use the "If it costs a lot it must be the best theory" for their logic.

 

[Soccerkid830]

I think the naysayers have to much invested in cute and pretty audio amp's to bother with these pro-amps. I think most use the "If it costs a lot it must be the best theory" for their logic.

The new Bose lifestyle system costs $2,500 so it must be good. Maybe if we all got one of those we wouldn't need to worry about the amp issues at hand.

 

[GranteedEV]

I think the naysayers have to much invested in cute and pretty audio amp's to bother with these pro-amps. I think most use the "If it costs a lot it must be the best theory" for their logic.

*If it weighs a lot

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

*If it weighs a lot

Heavy is good, heavy is reliable. If it doesn't work you can always hit them with it.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Here is a good read from the Editor at Hometheaterequipment.com

Another convert to Pro-audio amps for home use. Like me he preferred the Crown over his Parasound (in his instance a 2250).

Still have never heard from any of the naysayers why this product isn't suitable for home use when it comes to SQ.

I been reading it... this is one very interesting post:
Crown Audio XLS Drivecore Series Amplifier - The OFFICIAL Thread - Page 4