Crown XLS 1502 amp Impression

[PENG]

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-LCG-3MVR-Autoswitching-Technology/dp/B0006PUDQK/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1526828698&sr=1-3&keywords=smart+power+strip

You plug a device into the blue CONTROL outlet and whenever current is drawn at that outlet, the green outlets become active (the red are always live). I set one up with the AVR as the Control and two subs (which took too long to become active using their buiilt-in "auto on" setting) with good result.

Price is right, but for people who use AVR+XLS1502, they need to delay the power amp on turn off and the AVR on turn off, so that kind of trigger won't work. Or it could work, though not perfect (may be 50% I guess) f it can at least delay turning on the power amp. One with a real trigger will be better.

 

[Verdinut]

Is there a cheap one, like <$50?

This product from the reliable Tripp-Lite company would be the one to get:

https://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-Protector-Right-Angle-TLP808NETG/dp/B003A7P262/ref=pd_sbs_23_9?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B003A7P262&pd_rd_r=6AR78SCYAN7X7SQ3J6M8&pd_rd_w=gMa4d&pd_rd_wg=5pClG&psc=1&refRID=6AR78SCYAN7X7SQ3J6M8

I've just noticed that this one doesn't either have a delay function. You would need a power sequencer.

 

[KEW]

Price is right, but for people who use AVR+XLS1502, they need to delay the power amp on turn off and the AVR on turn off, so that kind of trigger won't work. Or it could work, though not perfect (may be 50% I guess) f it can at least delay turning on the power amp. One with a real trigger will be better.

Is it problematic that I'm using one with AVR and subs?
What is the issue with AVR and Crown?

 

[PENG]

Is it problematic that I'm using one with AVR and subs?
What is the issue with AVR and Crown?

It could be with any amp depending on the design, example: some use relays, but I think there may already be enough delay from the current sensing thing so it should be 99.99999% good, just not quite 100.

 

[TechHDS]

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-LCG-3MVR-Autoswitching-Technology/dp/B0006PUDQK/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1526828698&sr=1-3&keywords=smart+power+strip

You plug a device into the blue CONTROL outlet and whenever current is drawn at that outlet, the green outlets become active (the red are always live). I set one up with the AVR as the Control and two Dayton Audio subs (which were slow to become active using their buiilt-in "auto on" setting) with good result.

KEW, thanks for posting up on a issue with a sub slow to come on. Specially with the cheaper subs I notice that issue to so I would just leave the select switch stead of “auto” just on. Thing about leaving the toggle switch on if you forget to switch it back auto or off you stayed powered up all the time.

 

[lovinthehd]

I turn on two Crowns when I turn on my avr with the smart strip, no issues. These Crowns IIRC have the soft start feature, here's the blurb from the Crown faq:

Many Crown amplifiers include "Soft Start," a feature designed to limit inrush current. Worst-case peaks for amplifiers without Soft Start may reach as high as 150 amperes; however, such numbers seldom have bearing on practical operation. For example, it is not unusual to find 3 or 4 Crown Micro-Tech amplifiers on a single 15A or 20A branch circuit without tripping breakers at turn-on. There are a couple of reasons why this is possible. First, peak inrush current is usually of such short duration that the breaker will not trip (maximum duration is approximately 18 msec). Second, Crown amplifiers are designed with design tolerances in the power supply start-up circuitry to make it highly unlikely for more than one amplifier channel to come out of standby during the same 18 msec interval.

 

[Verdinut]

I turn on two Crowns when I turn on my avr with the smart strip, no issues. These Crowns IIRC have the soft start feature, here's the blurb from the Crown faq:

Many Crown amplifiers include "Soft Start," a feature designed to limit inrush current. Worst-case peaks for amplifiers without Soft Start may reach as high as 150 amperes; however, such numbers seldom have bearing on practical operation. For example, it is not unusual to find 3 or 4 Crown Micro-Tech amplifiers on a single 15A or 20A branch circuit without tripping breakers at turn-on. There are a couple of reasons why this is possible. First, peak inrush current is usually of such short duration that the breaker will not trip (maximum duration is approximately 18 msec). Second, Crown amplifiers are designed with design tolerances in the power supply start-up circuitry to make it highly unlikely for more than one amplifier channel to come out of standby during the same 18 msec interval.

With a circuit breaker at 150 amps, it may be OK, but with an ordinary 15 amp. fuse, we can forget it! I doubt that even the slow-blow type would stand that kind of load.

 

[PENG]

With a circuit breaker at 150 amps, it may be OK, but with an ordinary 15 amp. fuse, we can forget it!

I am not concerned with current inrush, but the pops/thumps that may not be good to speakers. It is always good practice to switch power amps on last, and off first, to avoid any such pops that has nothing to do with soft start. Again, that smart strip should be fine because the amp will get turned on with a little delay that will most likely be enough. Some amps don't make such pops regardless, the Crown XLS likely is one of those.

 

[Verdinut]

I am not concerned with current inrush, but the pops/thumps that may not be good to speakers. It is always good practice to switch power amps on last, and off first, to avoid any such pops that has nothing to do with soft start. Again, that smart strip should be fine because the amp will get turned on with a little delay that will most likely be enough. Some amps don't make such pops regardless, the Crown XLS likely is one of those.

Don't most good power amps feature an on/off muting circuit to protect speakers?

 

[PENG]

Don't most good power amps feature an on/off muting circuit to protect speakers?

I would say yes, it's not hard to do but some just won't do it.

 

[lovinthehd]

With a circuit breaker at 150 amps, it may be OK, but with an ordinary 15 amp. fuse, we can forget it! I doubt that even the slow-blow type would stand that kind of load.

Mind explaining that? Or are you talking specifically about a certain setup? Mine's just an ordinary 15A circuit.

nm...I was focused on what we were talking about in the thread rather than the example I quoted

 

[lovinthehd]

I am not concerned with current inrush, but the pops/thumps that may not be good to speakers. It is always good practice to switch power amps on last, and off first, to avoid any such pops that has nothing to do with soft start. Again, that smart strip should be fine because the amp will get turned on with a little delay that will most likely be enough. Some amps don't make such pops regardless, the Crown XLS likely is one of those.

No pops/thumps for my setup.

 

[Verdinut]

Mind explaining that? Or are you talking specifically about a certain setup? Mine's just an ordinary 15A circuit.

nm...I was focused on what we were talking about in the thread rather than the example I quoted

I was just comparing the current peak limits of any fuse to that of a circuit breaker. The breaker will tolerate a quite higher amperage peak than the fuse.
I am sure that you have a 15 amp breaker and not a fuse in your setup.
As a matter of fact, I know that, at a time, Sylvania had been manufacturing circuit breakers which were not very safe. Once, an electrician showed me when he short circuited a church line circuit with a screwdriver and the breaker wouldn't trip.

 

[lovinthehd]

I was just comparing the current peak limits of any fuse to that of a circuit breaker. The breaker will tolerate a quite higher amperage peak than the fuse.
I am sure that you have a 15 amp breaker and not a fuse in your setup.

Yep, breakers in this house. Family did have a house that had fuses, tho....

 

[PENG]

No pops/thumps for my setup.

So I guessed right. Crown Audio knows very well how their proamps will be used, so they designed them accordingly. I think the proamp guys put practicality well above purity. It's the purists who won't budge on things like the use of relays, soft start, silver/gold plating, negative feedback, class AB biasing etc etc etc....

My point about doing the safe switching sequence is based on avoiding the probably less 0.000001% chance of speaker damages due to those on/off (that happens at just the right moment) transient related pops and/or thumps. In most cases, the build in triggers alone, with or without any smart strips will do it so why not, that's all.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Are we spoiled or what?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I am listening to “Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone” with this Crown amp.

Feels like I am sitting in a glorious symphony hall.

Such sweet........ Oh, sorry, I almost lost it there and thought I was writing a Stereophile review.

Love this album.

 

[ack_bak]

Resurfacing this.. I was all set to buy either a Monolith, Emotiva, Adcom, etc 3 channel amp to drive my LCR (JBL 590's) and vaguely remembered people raving about the Crown XLS gen 2 series.

Now I am seriously thinking about going the Crown route. Will post more thoughts as I go down the path but why not save some $$

This is in a dedicated theater room and I have a dedicated AV/rack area so don't mind the look of pro audio components. I already have an iNuke 3K DSP powering my bass shakers.

 

[lovinthehd]

Resurfacing this.. I was all set to buy either a Monolith, Emotiva, Adcom, etc 3 channel amp to drive my LCR (JBL 590's) and vaguely remembered people raving about the Crown XLS gen 2 series.

Now I am seriously thinking about going the Crown route. Will post more thoughts as I go down the path but why not save some $$

This is in a dedicated theater room and I have a dedicated AV/rack area so don't mind the look of pro audio components. I already have an iNuke 3K DSP powering my bass shakers.

Gen 1 is/was good, too Gen 2 a little more consumer friendly but not a lot. I have both Crowns and the 590s, altho I don't need the Crowns on the 590s, just run them off my avr, used them with other mains, tho; they're mostly on sub duties now except for an old 2ch setup with some very low sensitivity SVS speakers.

 

[ack_bak]

Gen 1 is/was good, too Gen 2 a little more consumer friendly but not a lot. I have both Crowns and the 590s, altho I don't need the Crowns on the 590s, just run them off my avr, used them with other mains, tho; they're mostly on sub duties now except for an old 2ch setup with some very low sensitivity SVS speakers.

Small world. The 590's seem to be fine with my Denon 4400H but some of these piss poor Disney UHD releases have bad audio mixes and I am really pushing the AVR. I haven't had any issues but, well, I like to buy audio and video gear and I am all set for awhile so why not buy an amp with the next bonus