Tired of EP2500. Need replacement ideas.

[monsterman]

I am having issues with heat and power. Also with overall quality. I need a better quality product to go along with my gear. Budget around 500-1k new. I will wait around until I find it used.
Maybe like a Crown DSi 2000?
Emotiva XPA-2 Amplifier?

 

[GO-NAD!]

I am having issues with heat and power. Also with overall quality. I need a better quality product to go along with my gear. Budget around 500-1k new. I will wait around until I find it used.
Maybe like a Crown DSi 2000?
Emotiva XPA-2 Amplifier?

I can't offer any advice on a replacement, but I'm interested in the problems you're having with the EP2500. Do you know why it's overheating? And, how could it possibly be lacking in power?

I'm curious, because I have an EP2000 on order to power a pair of subwoofers.

 

[T2T]

If you could take your $500 - $1k budget and look at used gear, you'd have a lot of options. One such dreamy choice, would be the Parasound HCA-2200 amp. You have to do a bit of looking (Audiogon, eBay, etc.) for them, but they sell in your price range and put out 250 watts into 8Ohms. 385 into 4Ohms/per channel.

 

[monsterman]

I have no idea why it's overheating. The power is not a problem... there is plenty actually. I just have no respect for a product that has any issues whatsoever. I will not buy or use the EP2500 anymore. This is my search for a newer better product.

 

[Rickster71]

Is the cooling fan still working?

 

[KEW]

Definitely check the fan. I see your signature lists "Silent Behringer EP2500", so I assume you switched the fan out.

Also, double check the ventilation clearances and temperatures of any adjacent electronics. It'd be a real bummer to buy a new/different unit and have the same problem with it.

There are a lot of proponents and owners of this unit on this board, so please keep us posted.

 

[T2T]

A few thoughts came to mind. Did you perform any fan modifications for this amplifier? Lots of people have performed fan mods by installing quieter fans. Are you sure you amp is still running the original fans? Also, if a fan modification was performed, which way is the air going through the chassis of the amp? I believe, it should be pulling air from the front and across the heat sinks and blowing it out the rear.

Finally, is your amp enclosed in a cabinet or something that isn't allowing sufficient air around it?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

My 2500 is stuffed in my credenza with zero room above it, a closed back and a tad of room on the sides. It has a fan mod, which I turned the "silent" fan the opposite way so it pushes air out the front. It doesn't even get warm and it has been going strong for 2 years now.

 

[Rickster71]

Sounds more like a speaker wire strand is touching or shorting somewhere.

I thought the factory fan vented back to front?

 

[highfigh]

I am having issues with heat and power. Also with overall quality. I need a better quality product to go along with my gear. Budget around 500-1k new. I will wait around until I find it used.
Maybe like a Crown DSi 2000?
Emotiva XPA-2 Amplifier?

What kind of speakers and what is the actual load? Is it cramped or not allowed fresh air?

 

[chris357]

if you like the pro amp deal, the yamaha pro amps seem to be very popular on here and they say the quality is top notch. also th efan I think I heard is automatic so the noise is a non issue and cooling seems to be a non issue.

plus they look pretty good too

the consumer stuff I like the looks of the emotiva and people say alot of good stuff about them, and you cant beat there prices either. The emotiva's are probably the sexiest looking amps for almost any price.. (MY KRELL IS STILL THE SEXIEST)

 

[TLS Guy]

I have no idea why it's overheating. The power is not a problem... there is plenty actually. I just have no respect for a product that has any issues whatsoever. I will not buy or use the EP2500 anymore. This is my search for a newer better product.

If you want the best amp I know of that will deliver 250 watts per channel into four ohms, then the Quad 909 is what you want. Reliability and durability of the late Peter Walkers designs are legendary.

You can look for one used on Audiogon. A Quad dealer on eBay going under the name Lanemart, sells his demo unit periodically at $750 under buy now. There are usually gone within six hours so put it on your search list, or try and contact him.

I have used Quad amps exclusively for over 40 years, and expect I always will.

 

[Alex2507]

I have used Quad amps exclusively for over 40 years, and expect I always will.

 

[highfigh]

I am having issues with heat and power. Also with overall quality. I need a better quality product to go along with my gear. Budget around 500-1k new. I will wait around until I find it used.
Maybe like a Crown DSi 2000?
Emotiva XPA-2 Amplifier?

If you're pushing this amp as hard as I think you are, why would you expect it to run cool? Current flow and amplifier inefficiency produce heat and it's not possible to avoid it.

 

[WmAx]

Well, if you are running the amp near it's full power often, then the 'silent' fan does not push the volume of the air of the original and you can expect over-heating problems. That is an issue when doing these mods for home use. But very rarely does anyone push these amps at high power on a continuous basis (high power output usually only occurring during short periods) in the home environment.

If you need a lot more continuous power and a silent amp(no mods needed), the Yamaha P7000S outputs nearly 1000 watts x 2 at 4 Ohms, both channels driven, 20Hz-20,000Hz. If you need a bridged mono at 4 Ohms, though, the Yamahas are not intended to drive 4 Ohms bridged.

-Chris

 

[highfigh]

Cranking the snot out of an amp after doing a mod to silence the fan makes no sense.

 

[mike c]

we need a picture of the amp in it's stand/rack and confirmation if the modded fan is still running.

if there's space, i'd sooner cut out about 3-4 fan sized holes at the top of the amp casing, right above the heatsinks ... put some of them quiet PC fans on top than buy another amp.

edit: also, what load did you put on it? how many VC's does that driver have?

 

[walter duque]

Cranking the snot out of an amp after doing a mod to silence the fan makes no sense.

Good point. When I push my Cinepro to the limit for an hour or so you couldn't put your hands on the heatsinks for more then 15 seconds without almost burning yourself. That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the amp, besides my amp is 12 years old and never had a problem. I wouldn't mod that fan, besides at high volume you can't hear it anyway. Myself I like a hot running amp. Makes me feel like I got something under the hood.

 

[highfigh]

Good point. When I push my Cinepro to the limit for an hour or so you couldn't put your hands on the heatsinks for more then 15 seconds without almost burning yourself. That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the amp, besides my amp is 12 years old and never had a problem. I wouldn't mod that fan, besides at high volume you can't hear it anyway. Myself I like a hot running amp. Makes me feel like I got something under the hood.

Hot is OK, to a point. If it's not well-protected, thermal runaway is a real problem.

 

[monsterman]

A few thoughts came to mind. Did you perform any fan modifications for this amplifier? Lots of people have performed fan mods by installing quieter fans. Are you sure you amp is still running the original fans? Also, if a fan modification was performed, which way is the air going through the chassis of the amp? I believe, it should be pulling air from the front and across the heat sinks and blowing it out the rear.

Finally, is your amp enclosed in a cabinet or something that isn't allowing sufficient air around it?

I have the new 'quite' fan blowing outwards ... the amp itself is sitting on carpet with my DCX2496 on top. The fan is working and most of the time its not hot. But when I blast music and crank my woofer it gets hot quick.
As a matter of fact, it has gotten so hot that it made a very funny smell in the room and I had to shut it off.