New Power Amplifiers??

Re: New Power Amplifiers??

Vinny D'Agostino wrote on Sun said:
Marlow Wilson wrote on Sun said:
So you have a general space issue or a weight issue with that specific case?
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Yes, it is pretty much just that amp case.
I don't ever see me needing a larger system, I don't work in the rooms that would need it and I don't have the clientel that would pay for it!
It is why for me I feel what would fix my issues is just replaceing the amp with a lighter one......
But this is back to my main question :)is there anything new out (coming out) that I should consider?

I like the look of the new Crown XTI series, but just curious if they will be hated as much as the original XTI series :D~:-D~:grin:

What ever happened to the new lightweight Crest amps? (still waiting for Peavey to finish there IPR series?)

I wish QSC would make a PL360! the PL340 just isn't quite enough and the PL380 is too much!!
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The difference between a pl360 to either the 340 or 380 would be negligible. You really need to double the power to make it worthwhile, as the difference between 1200 watts and 1500 watts won't matter. You're probably over-thinking this though. On the one hand you aren't happy with PLX performance on subs, but on the other hand you're happy to try new unproven lightweight amps on sub duty.

I also don't think a PL380 is too much, but you might have power issues, hence my itech direction. I'd much rather a used IT4000 than a new XTI4000.

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Re: New Power Amplifiers??

Vinny D'Agostino wrote on Sun said:
Tim McCulloch wrote on Sun said:
Hi Vinnie-

As much as I like new amps, I think what you need is a RAMP. The fold-up ''accessibility'' ramps are cool and will support 400#.

You might want to search the PSW FUDforums as ramps have been discussed in the past 6 months or so. IIRC there were links to a variety of compact ramps...

A ramp will serve you well in a variety of situations and will help with more than a single 6 space amp rack


Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc
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I have wooden ramps that I use at home and they do help a lot, if I could find some quality folding ramps cheap they may possibly work.
The problem is, I am really maxed out with how much available room there is left in my truck.
As it is now I am holding items with one hand and slamming the door shut with the other to get everything to fit!
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This past year I focused on getting the rig a bit smaller so it fit better. I looked at everything we hauled and asked is there an improvement we can make here that will:

1) make it smaller
2) make it lighter
3) make set up easier
4) make it do a better job

Smaller and lighter were first priority, then the rest. I found that in some cases, making it easier also made it smaller.

For example... I standardized on all 20' cables for the B rig, added a small stage sub snake, worked out the reasonable lengths and numbers of power and speakon I needed and they was able to get all that plus the mics, mounts, and DIs in a pair of these

http://www.audiopile.net/products/Cases/M_series_mic_cases/M040-MT/M040-MT_Case_cutsheet.shtml

This got rid of a bunch of odd shaped things and improved pack.
 
Re: New Power Amplifiers??

Vinny-

I can see you're at the limit of your pickup/cap combination from the pic in another post. Really, other than the weight you have no issues?

I think the pool of ''B'' stock/re-certified I-Techs has been drained of the 4000/6000 models. A couple of eBay vendors seem to have the remaining 8000s. For $1800 you can have serious bragging rights and take 40# out of your amp rack.

As for current draw, your 4050HD draws 10 amps at 1/8 power, 20 at 1/3. The PL380 draws 8.7 amps/16 amps respectively, and the IT8000 draws 8.3/18.1 while delivering more than twice the output of your 4050. If you don't push the IT any harder than you've pushed the 4050, you're ahead in the current draw game.

So, what do you think?

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc
 
Re: New Power Amplifiers??

The PL380 is actually more power efficient than the PL340 at the same levels. The 380 just has the ability to go further. The idle current is higher, but that doesn't matter at all to you.

If you keep the amps out of clipping, you could probably get by on a single 20 amp circuit. One thing to remember is that a 20 amp circuit can deliver 2400 watts. If you had 2 amps at 1500wpc, that is 6,000 watts. While you can possibly get that sort of output for peak moments without tripping the breakers, you're setting youself up for trouble with more amps.
 
bjojade said:
The PL380 is actually more power efficient than the PL340 at the same levels. The 380 just has the ability to go further. The idle current is higher, but that doesn't matter at all to you.



If you keep the amps out of clipping, you could probably get by on a single 20 amp circuit. One thing to remember is that a 20 amp circuit can deliver 2400 watts. If you had 2 amps at 1500wpc, that is 6,000 watts. While you can possibly get that sort of output for peak moments without tripping the breakers, you're setting youself up for trouble with more amps.
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AC watts != Audio watts

We've run a pair of QSC PL380's at 2-3 Ohms/channel along with everything else before off of one 20A circuit. Would I recommend this all the time? No, but it can work and work well in a combat audio situation.

Jeff
 
Silas Pradetto said:
Depending on your usual load impedance, a Macrotech i series amp could be better suited to your use. They're just as light, and in some cases, cheaper. And they sound good and don't randomly explode, like some other Crown products used to.
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If I could find an IT4000 I would go that way, I just prefer the ease of use of the QSC amplifiers.......I don't really understand all of the DSP that is on the I-tech.
I know it's a lame excuse, but I just don't get how to set everything on the DSP.......probably because all I have done is try to read the manual, maybe if I had one in hand it would make it easier.
After all, I am just a bass player!!!
 
Vinny D'Agostino said:
If I could find an IT4000 I would go that way, I just prefer the ease of use of the QSC amplifiers.......I don't really understand all of the DSP that is on the I-tech.
I know it's a lame excuse, but I just don't get how to set everything on the DSP.......probably because all I have done is try to read the manual, maybe if I had one in hand it would make it easier.
After all, I am just a bass player!!!
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Vinny, you don't have to set and use *every* processing parameter, just the ones you need. That's true of every amp with onboard DSP. If you just want power, load up an empty preset and away you go. There's no mystery to these things.

"There was something fishy about the bass player, probably a Pisces, playing for scale." (Four or Five Crazy Guys, aka Firesign Theatre)

Tim Mc
 
Vinny D'Agostino said:
If I could find an IT4000 I would go that way, I just prefer the ease of use of the QSC amplifiers.......I don't really understand all of the DSP that is on the I-tech.
I know it's a lame excuse, but I just don't get how to set everything on the DSP.......probably because all I have done is try to read the manual, maybe if I had one in hand it would make it easier.
After all, I am just a bass player!!!
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As Tim said, they aren't as scientific as you think. Load an empty preset and you're good to go, except for a millisecond of added latency and the additional AD/DA conversion.

This is why I recommended Macrotech i series, since they are the same amplifier without the DSP. Unfortunately, due to demand, they are a bit more money.
 
Re: New Power Amplifiers??

Okay, so looking at the pink noise spec. on the MA5k it seems like (2) of those would draw considerably less AC power then my current amplifiers.
The MA5k is 7.8a @ 4ohm
My current RMX4050hd is 10a @ 4ohm
That would replace my current sub amp.

A second MA5k would be operating at 8ohms, that specs. out at 5.3a
I don't have a spec. for my current PLX3402 it would replace, put at 4ohms it specs. at 12a (i would guess at 8ohms it would be about 8-9a?)

If all that is correct I should have no problem operating my system off of (1) circuit, because what I have currently has done it without issues for the past 3-years.
 
Re: New Power Amplifiers??

Mike Pyle said:
Vinny,

How much power are you actually looking for, ideally? (wpc@ohms, # of channels)
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I am looking for (2) amplifiers.
The subs are the EV QRX218s, so I would like the amp to have 1500-2000w @4ohms per.
The Tops are Peavey QW3f, they are 8ohm cabs so an equal amp as for the subs will work.

Currently there is a RMX4050 on the subs and a PLX3402 on the tops.
It gets the job done, I would like a little more power then what I have now on the tops (725w @ 8ohms) but the biggest issue is the weight of the 4050.
 
Re: New Power Amplifiers??

Vinny D'Agostino said:
I run everything mono (not bridged, dual mono)
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Then one larger amp is the way to go. The PL380 reportedly likes 2 ohms, but there is no 'real' power spec for it at that load, and while the Crown offerings have lower long-term power due to current limiting at 2 ohms, the short term power still goes up further. And just because the amp is more current limited at 2 ohms than usual, it doesn't mean the amp is not comfortable driving 2 ohms nor does it sound bad in the process.

Personally, for $1k, I'd buy the PL380 if I had an external DSP that I liked using, and if I didn't, I'd buy an I-tech and save that much more rackspace.
 
Re: New Power Amplifiers??

Silas Pradetto said:
Then one larger amp is the way to go. The PL380 reportedly likes 2 ohms, but there is no 'real' power spec for it at that load, and while the Crown offerings have lower long-term power due to current limiting at 2 ohms, the short term power still goes up further. And just because the amp is more current limited at 2 ohms than usual, it doesn't mean the amp is not comfortable driving 2 ohms nor does it sound bad in the process.

Personally, for $1k, I'd buy the PL380 if I had an external DSP that I liked using, and if I didn't, I'd buy an I-tech and save that much more rackspace.
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I don't like the idea of one amplifier, if it goes down at a show I have no options. Using two amps at least gives me a chance to limp thru the night should one go down.
 
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