Thoughts on new Crown XLS1502 running mains

[Ernie Schmuntz]

Just for giggles, and a desire to try my first class 4 amp. This is sort of making a decision on ordering new gear vs sending my aging Hafler XL-280 amps to a shop for service. Biggest bang for the buck so to speak. I also have a new (old) pair of deftech BP20 that handle 500 watts. I wanted to hit them and watch the cones for non-musical sound.

Setup of the Crown was a breeze. I have it hanging off a Pioneer receiver main outs. Started with known titles. This amp has a very warm sound, the treble is very smooth, great low end meat. So I put in the ear plugs, select tracks that stresses a woofer, then hit the volume. It’s only hitting the second reference in total signal, and the cats left the room. After I hit the next reference, I’m hearing the cones break up. And then, they splatter. My bargain BP20 woofers, after some swapping, appear to have suspensions that are completely shot. When they hit a peak, you can watch the cone break up with very unnatural sounds. The overall volume produced was massive, clean, clear and no where near clipping...not even half way there. The units not even warm.

I think I have my answer. I’ll put the Haflers out for sale tomorrow. I have one question for you all. How would you get a Pioneer 12 v trigger to speak to the Crown without adding and external dowacker.

cheers

i

 

[lovinthehd]

There are some guides on how to make a trigger for them if you search around, like this or you can buy this (look for maltboy's review on how this worked for him). Another way is to use a smart power strip with your avr as the master (what I do with my Crowns which are gen 1 and don't have the trigger option).

 

[Audiosaur]

I also use a smart strip to turn on my crown. Simple, low cost solution.

 

[Ernie Schmuntz]

Well, the new Crown helped me isolate a few issues with the lower bass output in my BP20. With earplugs in, I hit the volume then watched the cones start to go out of control because their spider and suspensions are shot. Very easy to observe the cone going whackO, and the amp didn’t get even near clipping. Man does this amp have some serious power.

After settling in for some two channel listening, the Crown is a really a nice sounding unit. It doesn’t image quite as well as the Pioneer receiver, but then again. It was a 4K receiver. I put it on my RBH 10” reference sub, and .....wow. Big-badda-boom.

I think I’ll keep it just for fun. It also brings about an end to my plans for two Hafler XL-280 amp rebuilds. If you can get such a nice sounding amp this cheap, I don’t think it’s worth the investment.

 

[lovinthehd]

How does an amp image?

 

[Ernie Schmuntz]

How does an amp image?

I spent quality time with the amp today....listening to tracks that have the greatest quality recording. The amp images extremely well, every bit of my Pioneer Elite 59txi. The top end has just a bit more grain to it with the Crown. The tweeters I’m using are ScanSpeak D2904/950000. They are superb and very revealing.

I put this amp on my RBH 1010SEN/R in mono mode, then turned on a sub test track from Scheffield test cd. The track starts at 10Hz. My grandson said he felt funny but could not hear anything. We took the grill off and observed the two drivers reproducing 10hz. When I lit up the sound meter, it showed that we had a very powerful sound source operating. As the track walked up to 400 hz, my entire house came alive with rattles in the walls, floors, windows...everywhere. This 9 lb amp can really move quality current. It’s back to stereo mode, driving two RBH 1010SEN/R subs. The first five minutes of U571 is mind altering when the depth charges pop. The bass is bottomless, tight, controlled and you feel the huge pressure waves. It takes nuts to do that. I have been using an excellent RBH A-400 sub amp. This betters it. and no heat issues, cool to the touch

 

[Ernie Schmuntz]

Just to give you an idea on sub drivers tested. That RBH 10” reference sub is insane how it moves in the frame. If you have the means, call them, and order a “ HP-10ALU”. I can only imagine the 12”. Oooooaaaaaaah.

 

[lovinthehd]

I spent quality time with the amp today....listening to tracks that have the greatest quality recording. The amp images extremely well, every bit of my Pioneer Elite 59txi. The top end has just a bit more grain to it with the Crown. The tweeters I’m using are ScanSpeak D2904/950000. They are superb and very revealing.

What’s very noticeable To my poor ears is the bam and follow through. This amp has crazy nuts to it. Any low frequency content is presented with full smack. A hard to put into words...I guess “with authority” is the short version. I’ve never seen the 1-10 light scale go above two lights. Gobs of power at your command.....

and when I put the Crown in bridged mode, then wired my RBH 1010SEN sub to it.....damn. The pair of drivers are not the same. I added a reference 10” driver to the cabinet. I put on U57, removed the grill and watched. The first close depth charge seemed to blow the standard 10” right out of the frame. It went way past it’s functional range. Now the RBH reference driver completed the scenes without any distortion and holy crap did it pressurize the room. The amp never went above three lights. The bass seemed bottomless and the pressure waves went right through my sphincters with tingles of joy.

now do I send it back? I have three RBH sub amps that rock. This amp is just excessive dirty unnecessary......and that shelf should work nicely.

I meant more in how does an amp image at all? Not a function of an amp....have no idea what you mean by grain either. Then again it may boil down to your experience and that is hard to put into words....

 

[Ernie Schmuntz]

The soundstage is very wide, great depth, (I’m using bi-polar towers). Been listening to classical brass recordings. They present great realism, and are the transients big. The top end is a little rough, or brassy. My ears fatigue quickly when I get up to concert levels.

I did some surgery in my sub this afternoon. I added another RBH 10” reference driver to the cabinet. I put the very lightweight Crown in the system configured as bridged.....that’s 1550 watts for the twin RBH 4 ohm drivers....the same drivers used in Status Acoustics Titus 8T system. They are normally feeding off multiple +40lb amps.

I haven’t the words folks. It’s the highest quality bass I’ve heard in my place. Quick. Bottomless, massive transients , a bit scary, but just as delicate and present at a lower volume. I have never seen the lights go above two. And it runs at room temp.......I’ll be dammed.

 

[Grandzoltar]

I meant more in how does an amp image at all? Not a function of an amp....have no idea what you mean by grain either. Then again it may boil down to your experience and that is hard to put into words....

Harsh

 

[Ernie Schmuntz]

The soundstage is very wide, great depth, (I’m using bi-polar towers). Been listening to classical brass recordings. They present great realism, and are the transients big. The top end is a little rough, or brassy. My ears fatigue quickly when I get up to concert levels.

I did some surgery in my sub this afternoon. I added another RBH 10” reference driver to the cabinet. I put the very lightweight Crown in the system configured as bridged.....that’s 1550 watts for the twin RBH 4 ohm drivers....the same drivers used in Status Acoustics Titus 8T system. They are normally feeding off multiple +40lb amps.

I haven’t the words folks. It’s the highest quality bass I’ve heard in my place. Quick. Bottomless, massive transients , a bit scary, but just as delicate and present at a lower volume. I have never seen the lights go above two. And it runs at room temp.......I’ll be dammed.

It’s 9pm, and I’ve thrown every recording with heavy low end that I can think of at this Crown. While hell on earth took place volume wise, the little signal lights rarely got above the 1st mark on the crown. It’s so tight, deep “scratch that itch” clean Judas Priest this is fun.

This box is of the devil. How the heck....whaa

 

[lovinthehd]

Harsh

Why is it harsh? FWIW I've been using Crown XLS 1500s for many years....they're good amps but I don't assign them properties they don't have....

 

[Ernie Schmuntz]

Why is it harsh? FWIW I've been using Crown XLS 1500s for many years....they're good amps but I don't assign them properties they don't have....

Had two of those. Love em.

 

[lovinthehd]

Had two of those. Love em.

The 1500s and 1502s have the same amp section....

 

[Danzilla31]

I own 2 1502's and use them in my bedroom theater setup to drive my front 3 and boy do they ever rock. They are a great amp for the buck sound great as in neutral to the source and just plenty of power and they never get hot! Ever! Cool as a cucumber no matter how hard I drive them!