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Your Thoughts On Pro Audio Amps

Scott W

Scott W

Audio/Music Enthusiast
I'd like to get some feedback/opinions on using pro audio amps vs regular stereo power amps? I am considering buying a couple to use bridged as mono amps for both music and home theater.I already have an older Yamaha pro amp(250wpc @ 8 ohms, 360 @ 4) for driving a pair of Maggies and it seems to sound close to using an older Hafler(145 @ 8, 200+ @ 4).So far the only brands I have found available (near me) are Crown,Behringer and QSC.Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated:thumbsdn::thmbsp::yes::no:.Thanks
 
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Some love em, some hate em, some say so-so.

There are a number of threads about pro amps to search for about use for stereo and HT.
 
Crown is best out of those three you listed......followed by QSC........Behringer is crappy in my experience.
 
My Hafler Pro1200 has been on 24/7 for almost 20 years. Never a pop, hum or hiss. Sound is real clean.
For musical relaxation, I prefer toobz.
 
Thanks for the input,hope I'll get more

Cadillac Kid said:
My Hafler Pro1200 has been on 24/7 for almost 20 years. Never a pop, hum or hiss. Sound is real clean.
For musical relaxation, I prefer toobz.
Click to expand...

I actually have 2 Haflers (9290 & 9270) that I am using bridged to drive some Klipsch RF82s but the 1 instuction book I have says they don't recomend using the unit at 4 ohms bridged.The Haflers are identical except one is rated 400wpc@ 8ohm bridged and the other something slightly more (I don't have the manual)so I assume everything else would be the same.So I'm looking for new amps that would affordable,powerful and drive 4 ohms bridged,but with quality sound.So the more opinions I get the better,Thanks Again
 
Yamaha made some killer old pro amps that can be had for pretty cheap, and sound really nice. Don't think you could kill them, 240WPC stereo, 700WPC (or some sick number like that) bridged. :)
 
I loved my old Audio Centron. . . I think 1,000,000 watts in 2 Ohms, 200 watts at 8 Ohms homes. . .

Kidding. . . about the million, but I did love that monster. Tough as nails and great sound. . . I think it was something like 200/400/800 and stable at 2 Ohms and below. . .
 
Other than my tube amps, I use nothing but pa amps..

Depending on the amp, you may get no fan noise, a little, or a lot...

Right now, I'm using a Tapco J1400 on my subs. A very nice sounding amp, and also a very quiet fan. I was using it on my mains, and it sounded fantastic. New, the 1400 can be had for around $300... cheap for 1400 bridged watts... but a very fine built amp!

I've also got an EV AP2600, which is a rebranded Altec 9444A. These can be had for very decent prices on ebay. The fans on them can be a little noisy, but when you have sound flowing, you would never know there is a fan in the room. Even a little sound covers the noise. With the names EV and Altec on it, yep, you can imagine the quality of the sound.

I've also got a Crown D150 that has no fan. A VERY nice sounding amp...

Only thing is, many people don't agree with running pro amps in bridged mode and getting acceptable sound. I say it depends on the amp, the source, and what you have plugged into it for speakers. Would I run my A7s on them as monos? NO, unless it was four some kind of sound re-enforcement deal, just not at home. Would I run my Peavy subs on them bridged.. you bet... lots of overhead..
 
I've got some of the older Haflers - DH-200/220s - plus a P500 'pro' model. Its interesting to note that they contain the same output devices and driver boards. The power supplies, of course, are different and the P500 has a Balanced-to-unbalanced converter board that drives the little LEDs on the front panel as well. That's about the only differences between the 2, really, outside of the WPC output specs.

I also use old studio monitors and theater speakers to go with them on occasion. BTW, I do like the old tube amps mostly with these speakers in a home setting.

As you can see, I don't make a distinction between 'pro', 'pro-sumer' and consumer designations. Its all good stuff.

Cheers,

David
 
I'm very partial to my carver zr1600 class t pro power amp. 350 watts in 8 ohms and it drives my polk sda's very nicely. A pro unit won't win any beauty contests but they're built to last. Another nice feature is you can stack other units on top of them and not worry about cooling issues because of the built in fans that blow out the front of the unit.
 
I did pro sound in the early 80's and my perspective is from doing bench work. Pro amps are rugged and reliable. I liked the Yamaha line that included the P2200 mentioned above. Loved everything about the UREIs. Liked the BGW's. The Peavey CS400/800 seemed pretty reliable. All of the rock and roll bands had racks of Phase Linears modified for road use.
 
I always liked Crown amps. I've used them at work, but never owned one. Soundcraftsman makes some great sounding amps too. I think the biggest difference is a high damping factor in most "pro" amps. It's a sound I really, really like. Some don't. It gives them that tight sound.
 
Thanks Everyone

:yes:Great feedback,I did some more searching online and think I found a store that sells the newer model Yamaha's,I have a PD2500 already that drives my Maggies nicely,but I'm looking at buying a new pair of MMGs that are basicly a newer model of my 15 year old SMGa's and would like to have matching amps to drive them.I'm looking at the Yamaha P3500S amps,anyone here familiar with this model?.I gave up on the idea of running bridged amps,this model would be more than enough at 450wpc into 4 ohms. Thanks Again for all the great feedback:thmbsp:
 
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By far the best amps I have owned are Crown pro amps. I have a Ce-2000 and a Com Tech 800. Both sound better to my ears than any of my former amps including Marantz 8B, Marantz 2, Mcintosh MC2105, Aragon 4004, Dyna st 400, MK2, ST70, Adcom 555, Hafler 500 etc. I have seen the light.
 
I am not be afraid to recomend integrating good pro components into a home system, I have, and I would not go back. Quite simply, they play clean, are built like a tank, and are dollar for dollar a better buy than midfi home equipment. The beat comprably priced home equipjment in both specs and sound. If you can find a newer fan-less Crown, I would give it a listen and let your ears be the judge, the D-75, D-150II D-300II, Powerline, and PS series are the way to go IMO. No fan noise, and relativly inexpensive if you shop around. I LOVE my Crown gear.

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I have to go with the Crown recommendation. Been in the Video Production and Post Production business for 28 years and the worse thing that I've seen happen to a Crown was Hum from dried out Pwr. supply caps. They are tanks and well respected in the industry. The "Timex" of Amps.
 
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