New QSC amp ????
- Thread starter Mike Caldwell
- Start date
Re: New QSC amp ????
Looks like QSC is releasing a line of power amps with built in DSPs
It'll be interesting to see where they fit into their lineup.
Looks like QSC is releasing a line of power amps with built in DSPs
It'll be interesting to see where they fit into their lineup.
Re: New QSC amp ????
Um... Its a "game changer"
Sounds like one of the major IC companies finally reduced a power amp that doesn't suck down to an inexpensive chip set and the sundry old school amp companies need to make their version appear different.
Caveat this is just a wild assed guess based on what I would do....
JR
Um... Its a "game changer"
Sounds like one of the major IC companies finally reduced a power amp that doesn't suck down to an inexpensive chip set and the sundry old school amp companies need to make their version appear different.
Caveat this is just a wild assed guess based on what I would do....
JR
RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS
Sophomore
Re: New QSC amp ????
High output. 4 channels. Really cool feature set. Install versions available. Can't say anything else. Probably coming to a rack near me.
High output. 4 channels. Really cool feature set. Install versions available. Can't say anything else. Probably coming to a rack near me.
Re: New QSC amp ????
Even if I am correct and these new amps are based on some third party technology, the execution by an established amp company has value. I recall a couple decades ago when one startup amplifier chip set company came to sell us on their solution. While they were sure they had the "answer" for what the amp market wanted, it quickly became apparent that they didn't fully understand the "question". About half of my questions were answered with the tilted head puppy dog look, as in they didn't even understand my questions let alone have the answers. For the record that promising company is no longer with us along with several other early attempts.
I get the sense that now, decades later, one or more major IC companies has finally figured it out and these new amps can deliver more than empty promises. For a company like QSC or LG to put their brand on it suggests to me that A) they probably don't suck, and B) LG and QSC feel that they can't afford to not offer a competitive model in that space, as amplifiers travel further down the commodity road.
JR
PS: I expect a power amp chipset with basic DSP would make a kick ass powered speaker engine. The only extra feature I asked for in a 20 year old project definition was an universal power supply with PFC so one power module could be used in so many products.
Even if I am correct and these new amps are based on some third party technology, the execution by an established amp company has value. I recall a couple decades ago when one startup amplifier chip set company came to sell us on their solution. While they were sure they had the "answer" for what the amp market wanted, it quickly became apparent that they didn't fully understand the "question". About half of my questions were answered with the tilted head puppy dog look, as in they didn't even understand my questions let alone have the answers. For the record that promising company is no longer with us along with several other early attempts.
I get the sense that now, decades later, one or more major IC companies has finally figured it out and these new amps can deliver more than empty promises. For a company like QSC or LG to put their brand on it suggests to me that A) they probably don't suck, and B) LG and QSC feel that they can't afford to not offer a competitive model in that space, as amplifiers travel further down the commodity road.
JR
PS: I expect a power amp chipset with basic DSP would make a kick ass powered speaker engine. The only extra feature I asked for in a 20 year old project definition was an universal power supply with PFC so one power module could be used in so many products.
RYAN LOUDMUSIC JENKINS
Sophomore
Re: New QSC amp ????
I think it would be really cool if an amplifier had for example a total of 10,000 watts available that could be allocated to the different channels of the amplifier. That way I could have a couple 4000 watt channels and a couple 1000 watt channels in one configuration but then have four 2500 watt channels in another configuration. Some sort of matrix of output devices.
I think it would be really cool if an amplifier had for example a total of 10,000 watts available that could be allocated to the different channels of the amplifier. That way I could have a couple 4000 watt channels and a couple 1000 watt channels in one configuration but then have four 2500 watt channels in another configuration. Some sort of matrix of output devices.
Re: New QSC amp ????
In fact class D amps are friendly to that kind of power parsing. While each output channel must be sized for max current, the common power supply is sized for total current.
I actually wrote up a product definition for a 4 channel class D power amp in one (2U) chassis co-locatred with a 2 in 4 out digital crossover. At the time I had a total of 1kW of available power, and the digital crossover was still a new concept for the market. So even though I had the in-house technology and working pieces to combine to make one, even I knew better than trying to sell such an expensive high-end product through a low expectation brand and distribution.
Today (decades later) amps are bigger, and DSP cheaper so this is an obvious direction IMO.
On the downside, as any amp product manager will tell you, any time you deviate from the common 2 channel per chassis power amp configuration, sales volume falls off dramatically, so manufacturing efficiency suffers and costs rise. As nice as it is to buy a 4 channel whatever, people will gladly rack up 2x 2 channel units for a fraction of the cost.
At some point in the future we may see the switching power supplies drop in size and cost (due to switching at higher frequency) where the cost savings of one shared power supply offsets the cost increase due to lower sales volume. There are other savings available from combining amps into one package, but always a trade off versus lower manufacturing volume.
At the end of the day the market for 4 channel power amps will always be much smaller than 2 channel. In the install industry the highest volume is still mostly 1 channel power amps (built into mixer-amps). I still expect powered cabinets to ultimately make stand alone power amps for sound reinforcement obsolete.
JR
In fact class D amps are friendly to that kind of power parsing. While each output channel must be sized for max current, the common power supply is sized for total current.
I actually wrote up a product definition for a 4 channel class D power amp in one (2U) chassis co-locatred with a 2 in 4 out digital crossover. At the time I had a total of 1kW of available power, and the digital crossover was still a new concept for the market. So even though I had the in-house technology and working pieces to combine to make one, even I knew better than trying to sell such an expensive high-end product through a low expectation brand and distribution.
Today (decades later) amps are bigger, and DSP cheaper so this is an obvious direction IMO.
On the downside, as any amp product manager will tell you, any time you deviate from the common 2 channel per chassis power amp configuration, sales volume falls off dramatically, so manufacturing efficiency suffers and costs rise. As nice as it is to buy a 4 channel whatever, people will gladly rack up 2x 2 channel units for a fraction of the cost.
At some point in the future we may see the switching power supplies drop in size and cost (due to switching at higher frequency) where the cost savings of one shared power supply offsets the cost increase due to lower sales volume. There are other savings available from combining amps into one package, but always a trade off versus lower manufacturing volume.
At the end of the day the market for 4 channel power amps will always be much smaller than 2 channel. In the install industry the highest volume is still mostly 1 channel power amps (built into mixer-amps). I still expect powered cabinets to ultimately make stand alone power amps for sound reinforcement obsolete.
JR
Re: New QSC amp ????
I would bet money on that. How long do you think it will take?
I would bet money on that. How long do you think it will take?
Re: New QSC amp ????
I think "Game Changer" is officially the marketing buzz phrase of the year!
I think "Game Changer" is officially the marketing buzz phrase of the year!
Re: New QSC amp ????
FWIW, they never actually said "game changer"...thankfully. I heard "It does things no other amplifier does", whatever that could mean. Maybe automatic pitch correction or proprietary talent booster technology. I'm waiting anxiously...:roll:
FWIW, they never actually said "game changer"...thankfully. I heard "It does things no other amplifier does", whatever that could mean. Maybe automatic pitch correction or proprietary talent booster technology. I'm waiting anxiously...:roll:
Re: New QSC amp ????
My crystal ball does not provide dates.
FWIW back when I was young we would buy a separate FM tuner and then a preamp for the record player, then an amp and speakers.
Just like all the electronics migrated into the modern one piece "hifi receiver", in the future of SR electronics will migrate to products with line cords. We are already seeing stage one where the DSP migrates into the power amps. IMO just a matter of time for stage two when the DSP+amps migrate inside the speaker boxes.
One dynamic that could change this is perfecting Tesla's wireless transmission of power, but we've been waiting for that so long I stopped waiting.
So,, powered speaker with a line cord talking to some wired or wireless network. Battery/rechargeable mic that talks to the cloud all networked together.
Consoles...wires... forgetaboutit....
JR
My crystal ball does not provide dates.
FWIW back when I was young we would buy a separate FM tuner and then a preamp for the record player, then an amp and speakers.
Just like all the electronics migrated into the modern one piece "hifi receiver", in the future of SR electronics will migrate to products with line cords. We are already seeing stage one where the DSP migrates into the power amps. IMO just a matter of time for stage two when the DSP+amps migrate inside the speaker boxes.
One dynamic that could change this is perfecting Tesla's wireless transmission of power, but we've been waiting for that so long I stopped waiting.
So,, powered speaker with a line cord talking to some wired or wireless network. Battery/rechargeable mic that talks to the cloud all networked together.
Consoles...wires... forgetaboutit....
JR
Re: New QSC amp ????
I am not an order off the menu kind of guy. And it is getting harder and harder to find shoes that fit me. Instead of having more options available, the market is more and more driven by what is average, and will give the most ROI, not the most service, or address what technology can bring us.
And it is the same in audio. I understand what you are saying, and am appreciative that there are more and more options for 4 channel amps. I would be so odd as to go for a five channel amp. But again, its me, not the mainstream market. And I would buy like, two?
I am not an order off the menu kind of guy. And it is getting harder and harder to find shoes that fit me. Instead of having more options available, the market is more and more driven by what is average, and will give the most ROI, not the most service, or address what technology can bring us.
And it is the same in audio. I understand what you are saying, and am appreciative that there are more and more options for 4 channel amps. I would be so odd as to go for a five channel amp. But again, its me, not the mainstream market. And I would buy like, two?
Re: New QSC amp ????
We love our cheap commodity amps. I remember when $1 a watt was cheap, not these days, and they keep getting cheaper. Something must give.
Back in the day I made a 5 channel noise gate to compete against other 4 channel noise gates at the same price. Those where the good old days when Peavey was still a low cost manufacturer, and we weren't competing against offshore product.
I still blame the consumer for feeding this evolution. While personally I don't mind cheap stuff as long as it doesn't suck.
JR
This is the unintended consequence of squeezing every last drop of fat out of the supply chain, that has grown to be thousands of miles long. It's easier to support more low volume models when the factory is 25 miles up the road.
We love our cheap commodity amps. I remember when $1 a watt was cheap, not these days, and they keep getting cheaper. Something must give.
Back in the day I made a 5 channel noise gate to compete against other 4 channel noise gates at the same price. Those where the good old days when Peavey was still a low cost manufacturer, and we weren't competing against offshore product.
I still blame the consumer for feeding this evolution. While personally I don't mind cheap stuff as long as it doesn't suck.
JR
Re: New QSC amp ????
When you've got monitor world full of 4-channel amps with built-in processing, finding that one spare channel for the drum sub would be a shoe-in for your 5-channel amp.
When you've got monitor world full of 4-channel amps with built-in processing, finding that one spare channel for the drum sub would be a shoe-in for your 5-channel amp.
Re: New QSC amp ????
Back when I was a yout, I had a mono Pilot FM tuner ( vacuum tube). I still have a decent quality AR stereo FM tuner in my rig, that I haven't turned on for 15 years or more. The local radio is not worth the effort.
I care but don't listen to music much these days.
JR
PS: I am a little jaded about listening to my stereo after having live bands in my house for parties over the years... not quite the same.
Back when I was a yout, I had a mono Pilot FM tuner ( vacuum tube). I still have a decent quality AR stereo FM tuner in my rig, that I haven't turned on for 15 years or more. The local radio is not worth the effort.
I care but don't listen to music much these days.
JR
PS: I am a little jaded about listening to my stereo after having live bands in my house for parties over the years... not quite the same.
Re: New QSC amp ????
I tried to google that and mainly get hits from SOS magazine and one Peavey ribbon mic review.
What product are you referring to? While anything recent is after my time.
JR
I tried to google that and mainly get hits from SOS magazine and one Peavey ribbon mic review.
What product are you referring to? While anything recent is after my time.
JR