Can't find many 2-Ch amps, google taking the day off?

[lovinthehd]

Plenty of great mono blocks out there .......... Pass, Macintosh, , etc. For the $$ value it's tough to beat the Parasound JC1's though. They can be had used for 4-5k for the pair.

No intrest in tube gear ?

He's looking at stuff 10% of that price range and there is no reason to have monoblocks. Good golly why would anyone want tubes?

lovinthehd
I am interested in this two channel amp discussion. The link to the Crown amps is intriguing because it would seem those amps cater to a working DJ and not a home audio setup. Having read enough posts about "clean power is clean power is clean power", I am interested to know if that applies here too.

I have a list of 2 channel amps I am watching because someday I hope to upgrade my amplification. Would a 2 channel Crown be at home in a simple 2 channel setup? I really caught the Emotiva bug and have that at the top of my small but growing wish list. The list put together by the creator of this thread seems like a pretty excellent set of choices. I could accept a Christmas gift of any of them. In 2017, the gift is probably the only way I will see a new amplifier. But, its still early.

They're at home in either situation IMO. Have more useful features than many consumer amps, too (level/clipping indicators, clipping protection, has XLR, TS and RCA inputs to accommodate a variety of gear, and gain level control....and the new gen 2 even have adjustable sensitivity threshold). They do have fans, but they're extremely quiet. I bought a pair of Crown XLS1500s a few years ago and putting them in place of some consumer amps (Carvers) was seamless. I have four now, one in a two ch setup, three used for driving subs. I think they're an awesome bargain. Not the prettiest things....

 

[Dave Blount]

what I saw in the originators post was a budget of $1k. Maybe I just don't shop in the right places, but I don't see any high powered McIntosh's or tubers under $1k that are in working condition.

Opps ......my bad and I was offering mono blocks to boot !

as for the 1k limit that pretty much limits one to the used market which is fine. The exception possibly being Emotiva. In the used market offerings from Rotel, Aragon and well cared for Adcom pieces should fall in line with the Op's pricing.

 

[Bucknekked]

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/crown-amplifiers-vs-other-amps-in-the-audiophile-world.84943/

BoredSysAdmin:

Thank you for that link to the Crown discussion. It was spot on for my concerns and questions.
I like to cook and eat. An age old addage of chefs and cooks is "you eat with your eyes first".
For many diners, that first impression made by a dish seals its fate regardless of how it tastes.
That's not right or wrong, its just how people work from day to day.

The Crown amp seems to have the same shortcoming: home audio buffs take a look at it and its pedigree and decide to move on and eat something else. Again, not right or wrong, its just how a lot of people are wired.

There was a guy in the post that offerred a free amp to anyone who could tell the difference between his Crown amp and other installed amps in his home by just listening. No takers. I understand why.

 

[Dave Blount]

I didn't mean you could buy Parasound new for $500, I mean Crown XLS 2002 amp is $500 new as linked by the lovinghd

missread your post, didn't catch the link part.

 

[Dave Blount]

Good golly why would anyone want tubes?

Lol...........you obviously know little about quality tube amplification !

 

[Bucknekked]

Lol...........you obviously know little about quality tube amplification !

did you just say " you obviously know little?" to a guy you don't know much of anything about?

I thank the folks on this thread for the 2 channel info. I got something out of it.
I think this may turn in the direction of several recent threads.

 

[Dave Blount]

did you just say " you obviously know little?" to a guy you don't know much of anything about?

I thank the folks on this thread for the 2 channel info. I got something out of it.
I think this may turn in the direction of several recent threads.

Did you read his post ? Making a general statement (the likes of which he did) regarding modern tube gear is the reason for my rebuttal.

If you want to have a discussion on tube gear, bring it on, but to just 'poo-hoo' it shows you know NOTHING !

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Did you read his post ? Making a general statement (the likes of which he did) regarding modern tube gear is the reason for my rebuttal.

If you want to have a discussion on tube gear, bring it on, but to just 'poo-hoo' it shows you know NOTHING !

and that just seals it. One thing is to have opinion and another to is to have blind conviction strong enough to offend other.
Welcome to my ignore list.

 

[vsound5150]

Non-removable rack mounts, sorry.....never even thought of changing the whole face plate! Put it where you don't look at it if it bothers you?

Yep it is what it is, Crown replied back to me and said the same thing. I was hoping the amp came with an extra face plate to have both options for a rack or shelf mount.

On another note, regarding the Emotiva XPA-2 I'm guessing a 2-channel option would come with the same large case but just Qty. 2 interface cards? Can anyone confirm? Below is a pic of their 5-channel amp, let me know if I'm breaking forum policy posting the pic I'll remove it.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yep it is what it is, Crown replied back to me and said the same thing. I was hoping the amp came with an extra face plate to have both options for a rack or shelf mount.

On another note, regarding the Emotiva XPA-2 I'm guessing a 2-channel option would come with the same size case but just Qty. 2 interface cards? Can anyone confirm? Please let me know if I'm breaking forum policy posting the pic below I'll remove it.

View attachment 19861

Who knows, gen 3 might incorporate something, I've seen a few such requests. Another thought is dress them up yourself; a little bit of wood framing to mount them into their own minirack/facing might be an interesting project.

That's my understanding of the latest XPA amps as well, they're modular. https://emotiva.com/products/amplifiers/xpa-gen3

 

[vsound5150]

It's simple enough to sit the Crown amp on a shelf but the OCD inside me is begging please no lol.

 

[lovinthehd]

It's simple enough to sit the Crown amp on a shelf but the OCD inside me is begging please no lol.

Then get two so they're some symmetry involved... Seriously, for some the aesthetics can assist in the enjoyment of the gear. Only time I really look at my gear is my dusting sessions or when I'm looking for a setting of some sort (and do that mostly on screen/with remote).

 

[vsound5150]

for some the aesthetics can assist in the enjoyment of the gear.

That's the problem with the Emotiva XPA it's huge and has a 1970's look written all over it but a very fine amp. You brought up a good point about how often you look at the gear mine is hidden behind frosted glass doors can't see anything. Maybe I'll get the Crown and put some feet on it.

 

[lovinthehd]

That's the problem with the Emotiva XPA it's huge and has a 1970's look written all over it but a very fine amp. You brought up a good point about how often you look at the gear mine is hidden behind frosted glass doors can't see anything. Maybe I'll get the Crown and put some feet on it.

They come with a few little rubber pads you can use as feet....and the edges of the case could scratch your shelf otherwise, although fairly flat so if careful that's not an issue either.

 

[vsound5150]

Nice, so Crown threw in the feet as if made for non-rack setups, the sales guy didn't even mention it...now where's my shopping cart!

 

[lovinthehd]

Nice, so Crown threw in the feet as if made for non-rack setups, the sales guy didn't even mention it...now where's my shopping cart!

Pretty sure each of my gen 1 amps were packaged with them....but fairly standard kinda sticky feet you get with a variety of electronics....I often don't use all the ones I get so just throw them in a bag in the miscellaneous drawer if I ever do need 'em (or even need new ones if the old ones lose their stick).

 

[Bucknekked]

and that just seals it. One thing is to have opinion and another to is to have blind conviction strong enough to offend other.
Welcome to my ignore list.

BoredSysAdmin:
You provided yet another nugget from this thread. I didn't know there was an ignore function.
Very cool. I added yon insult artist Mr. Blount to my ignore list as the first and only entry.
There is something about the relative anonymity of being able to throw insults that makes it so common.
I have been on several forums where that first insult is your last. I was never a big fan of that. Having an ignore function is a pretty good compromise.

I am a relative newb here, and a bona fide cranky old man (hey you, get off my lawn). Manners matter and so does civil discourse. If you want to cross swords over ideas and opinions, that's ok. Its what makes places like this tick. Insults do not help, and blind faith in your own infallibility also doesn't help.

 

[Bucknekked]

Then get two so they're some symmetry involved... Seriously, for some the aesthetics can assist in the enjoyment of the gear. Only time I really look at my gear is my dusting sessions or when I'm looking for a setting of some sort (and do that mostly on screen/with remote).

the master of understatement.

 

[mapex636]

I just bought a Crown XLS1502 from Amazon. $335 shipped. Can't beat that. 300 watts @ 8 ohms

 

[Dave Blount]

I just bought a Crown XLS1502 from Amazon. $335 shipped. Can't beat that. 300 watts @ 8 ohms

let us know your listening impression vs. your Denon once it's up and running