I was given three of the Crown CDi-1000 amps. They sound pretty damn good and are so much easier to lug around. These are 275w into 8 ohms, 500w into 4 ohms and can be bridged. I can grab one with one hand. On the other end, I have a couple 125w tube mono blocks that weigh in at around 38lbs each! The Crown CDi specs are pretty good also.
I have a Crown CDi-4000 and I tried it in my 2 amp system that uses an active crossover, it was taking the spot of 1 of my old 1985 QSC 3500 amps for the low end. The QSC is AB rated at 450w x2 @ 4 ohms and 900w x2 @ 2 ohms (1800w x2 @1 ohm if you can supply a 40A 120VAC circuit), I'm pretty sure I'm running a 3 ohm load so that's about 600w x2 and my gain is set less than half way. The crown is rated for 1200w x2 at 4 ohms, it also has a 2 ohm rating (I think it's 1800w x2) so 3 ohms should generate 1500w x2. I listen at realistic sound levels, meaning if the recording has people talking, it's at talking level, so I'm not really stressing either amp.
I couldn't get the crown to even sound correct, the gain was nearly maxed and I wasn't even close to the output of the QSC. I had to add on some XTR adaptors that changed it to bare wire ends to connect, I rechecked all wiring, saw no problems.
The p does it's self test upon start up and it's all good, then there's that damn DSP built in and it's the stupidest configuration to adjust or try to turn off completely.
After 20 seconds I disconnected it and posted it for sale for about what I paid for it. I think they have joined the max output club for their power ratings, 1200 is actually 300? Even so 1800w max should still be about the same as the QSC's real output.
But that's not the only class D or similar (H or some other letter down the alphabet) I have on hand right now, I also have 2 peaveys and both are the same way. Claiming 450W x2 @ 4 ohms but maxed can't come close the the QSC at ⅓rd input (that's with just the 1st light flickering) the Ds have all lights lighted and the sound is distorted and bass output is rolled off on the deepest tones.
Both of those amps are still being made and sold new, they're not some of the 1st attempts or anything like that and they still fail miserably in a high quality system. No noise from the QSC but once you kick gains up maxed on the Ds you can hear some faint humming.
I tried the other Peavey which is an older H I think, IPR 1600, to run my high end and the same thing happened, couldn't even get the level matched with my low end and it sounded awful. All of the amps work perfectly so I can only base my judgement on what I have tested.
The 1600 has 3 LED segments and it was flickering the last one and still wasn't even close to the QSC at just under half gain with 1 led flickering. My old Peavey 400s (tanks weighing over 40lbs) will do better with only 200w x2 than those digital lightweights can.
Plus my QSCs use no fans, all digitals have 2 fans and they let you know it, the crown did not run it's fans after start up test so that's at least 1 good thing. The digital peaveys are loud.
I also have a cheap Chinese class D that claims 2000w but it's probably closer to 100w x2 it's about the same as the old Peavey 400s but bass is rolled off at the low end. But it sounds ok when used as a tweeter amp just not enough power to keep us with the bass. All LED s are lit steady but it doesn't get hot or distort, it's on par with an old Samson servo 120a (AB) that I sold, it was only 60w x2 @ 4 ohms but it was air cooled, that's why i kept it around.
Now I have 5 BGW A150s made in late 70s way 80s with 75w x2 at 8 ohms and 125wx2@4, I can max them out and get no distortion and they're on par with the digital amps. They are also air cooled and run both high and low very well, just don't have the power needed to reach realistic levels. They can be bridged but I haven't tested them bridged yet. They're very nice sounding, so I think they'll do just fine. They are better than any digital amps I've tried so far, plus they play 5-20kHz without roll off.
So I have to agree with OP based on my own real world testing without looking at specs, I would never have guessed the digital amps put out more than 250w no matter who made it. Disappointed is the best way to describe my experience.
