Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr250

Is this amp OK?
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5meohd
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Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr250

#1 Post by 5meohd »

I'm thinking that 1 QSC PLX3602 should power two Tuba60's with eminence LAB 15" drivers. Right?


That calculation was just based on Parts Express spec on the eminence.

For the dr250's there are several mid driver options and tweeter arrays to choose from. From reading through through the plans and wanting to build the best possible I am thinking I'll build them with the Eminence Kappalite 3010MB and use the melded array with 20 Goldwood GT1016's.

I just can't figure out what power rating I need for each dr250?

would the PLX-2502 be the lowest I can go in that QSC series? or can the PLX-1802 work? ..for a pair of dr250's..

thank you very very much.

benjamen
4 T60's
2 Danley Sound Labs SH69

Ashley Protea
QSC PLX2
Crown CDi

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Zack Brock
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#2 Post by Zack Brock »

5meohd wrote: From reading through through the plans and wanting to build the best possible I am thinking I'll build them with the Eminence Kappalite 3010MB and use the melded array with 20 Goldwood GT1016's.

I just can't figure out what power rating I need for each dr250?
Simple, just go with what the wattage rating is for the woofer - Kappalite 3010MB.

Any particular reason you've selected this driver?

The plan suggested drivers for the DR250 are the Beta 10, Basslite 2010 and the Deltalite II 2510. You will get similar performance out of all of them, with the neo's offering weight savings over the Beta 10.

Since you plan to use the Goldwood 1016's, their power requirements are almost negligible. If I recall correctly, a stack of 8 DR250 tweeter arrays would work with as little as 50-100W if you were to use an active external crossover and bi-amp them.

If you were going to use the compression horn HF array, then you would factor in the wattage of those drivers as well, but since you aren't, I wouldn't worry about it for just a pair of DR250's.
would the PLX-2502 be the lowest I can go in that QSC series? or can the PLX-1802 work? ..for a pair of dr250's..
Either of those amps would be plenty. If you went with a Beta 10 rated 250W @ 8 ohms, the PLX-1802 would be perfect since is rated at 330W @ 8 ohms. Same rating for the DL II 2510.

Personally I find the QSC PLX series to be way too expensive.

I like the Crown XLS Drivecore models - You get crossovers and limiters too, all for less than half the price of a comparable PLX model.

The Drivecore 1000 would work (215W @ 8 ohms) for your pair of DR250's
http://www.speakerhardware.com/xls-1000 ... lifier.php

Or if you wanted a little more headroom the XLS 1500 would be perfect, 300W @ 8 ohms stereo: http://www.speakerhardware.com/xls-1500 ... lifier.php
Zack Brock
Authorized Builder, Northeast Florida (Greater Jacksonville Area)
WavePulse Acoustics | zackbrock@macpulse.com | http://www.bestbasscabs.com/

Grant Bunter
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#3 Post by Grant Bunter »

I run my Beta 10 loaded DR 250's on an Crown XLS 1000 and still haven't got to run them at max.
That's with 6dB of limiting to balance them to my T39's.

It's said by many the voltage limit for the DR250's is 40V, so that's 200W @ 8 ohms or 400W @ 4 ohms.

Ballpark, you could buy 4 Beta10's for the price of the 3010mb...
Built:
DR 250: x 2 melded array, 2x CD horn, March 2012 plans.
T39's: 4 x 20" KL3010LF , 2 x 28" 3012LF.
WH8: x 6 with melded array wired series/parallel.
Bunter's Audio and Lighting "like"s would be most appreciated...

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Jon Barnhardt
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#4 Post by Jon Barnhardt »

The 3602's will prolly power 2 T60's per channel. One for sure with no problem.

The DR's will run on any of the plx models 1802 and up.

Don't let these guys scare you away from the plx models.

Rock solid amps with years and years of reliable service.

I should know, I own 11 of them.

Bruce Weldy
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#5 Post by Bruce Weldy »

Jon Barnhardt wrote: The DR's will run on any of the plx models 1802 and up.

Don't let these guys scare you away from the plx models.
I agree that the QSC amps are great - but an 1802 is really expensive to run a couple of DR250s.

You could buy 3 Crown XLS 1000s for that price.

6 - T39 3012LF
4 - OT12 2512
1 - T24
1 - SLA Pro
2 - XF210


"A system with a few knobs set up by someone who knows what they are doing is always better than one with a lot of knobs set up by someone who doesn't."

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Jon Barnhardt
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#6 Post by Jon Barnhardt »

I just had an option on a pair of used 1802's for 350 each in mint condition.

Or you could run the gx models for about the same price as the crown xls's.

All I know is there isn't any room in my rack for crown after watching the local bands try out the xls stuff.

It's like a Ford vs Chevy battle. I've had extremely good luck with my plx's and won't run anything but these days.

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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#7 Post by Jon Barnhardt »

Could also be a ventilation issue. Maybe the OP has a QSC rack started (QSC vent back to front) and can't mix crown (front to back ventilation) in the same rack...

5meohd
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#8 Post by 5meohd »

I've simply had bad luck with an older crown. Like you said Ford vs. Chevy. I'm stoked for the response but I'm past the financial discussion. I'm just wanting plenty headroom for long hours with few to zero breaks.

real techno.


so the 3602 is good on the subs then?

thanks

benjamen
4 T60's
2 Danley Sound Labs SH69

Ashley Protea
QSC PLX2
Crown CDi

Bruce Weldy
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#9 Post by Bruce Weldy »

Jon Barnhardt wrote:Could also be a ventilation issue. Maybe the OP has a QSC rack started (QSC vent back to front) and can't mix crown (front to back ventilation) in the same rack...

This is absolutely true....you can mix QSC and Behringer, but not Crown.

Love QSC and love Crown. Just pick what fits your needs.

6 - T39 3012LF
4 - OT12 2512
1 - T24
1 - SLA Pro
2 - XF210


"A system with a few knobs set up by someone who knows what they are doing is always better than one with a lot of knobs set up by someone who doesn't."

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Jon Barnhardt
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#10 Post by Jon Barnhardt »

5meohd wrote:

so the 3602 is good on the subs then?

thanks

benjamen
The 3602 is all I run on sub duty. Have 5 of them. Used to use the 3402's, even they were enough.

5meohd
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#11 Post by 5meohd »

Jon - Do you run two tubas on a single 3602?
4 T60's
2 Danley Sound Labs SH69

Ashley Protea
QSC PLX2
Crown CDi

gzc_stageTech
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#12 Post by gzc_stageTech »

5meohd wrote:I've simply had bad luck with an older crown....
hmmmm. . . sorry to hear that.

I run a posse of CE's (1000's, 2000's, 4000's). Always manage to get back into the saddle even if someone hooks things up wrong. The input board has a lot of failsafe features to keep the amp alive even if you overload the output.

I run two T48's per side on the CE2000, a DR250 per side or doubled per side on a CE1000. And the 4000's power a pair EAW LA325 for tops and a quad of EAW LA400s for sub duty (church install). The Crowns have always held up even when pushed hard. My only complaint is that they're all 3U amps, so they fill a big rack. Weight wise, they're lighter than the old iron (Peavey CS800's) and comperable to the QSC PLX series.

Chris

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Jon Barnhardt
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#13 Post by Jon Barnhardt »

5meohd wrote:Jon - Do you run two tubas on a single 3602?
2 Titans , yes. I would think I could even run 2 per side without problem.

5meohd
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#14 Post by 5meohd »

Any particular reason you've selected this driver?

The plan suggested drivers for the DR250 are the Beta 10, Basslite 2010 and the Deltalite II 2510. You will get similar performance out of all of them, with the neo's offering weight savings over the Beta 10.

maybe the plans have been updated?

"A super premium driver is the Eminence Kappalite 3010MB, which has about 2dB higher sensitivity in the midrange than the 2510"

"The 3010MB xmax is 5mm, so it will not have higher output in the lows than the 2510, but its higher sensitivity gives more output in the mids, while its 450w thermal rating will withstand a high level of abuse."


and the QSC PLX series has a 6 year warranty... I'm looking to abuse the fu*& out of this system and I need it to last.
4 T60's
2 Danley Sound Labs SH69

Ashley Protea
QSC PLX2
Crown CDi

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Zack Brock
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Re: Having trouble calculating what amps are needed for dr25

#15 Post by Zack Brock »

5meohd wrote:
Any particular reason you've selected this driver?

The plan suggested drivers for the DR250 are the Beta 10, Basslite 2010 and the Deltalite II 2510. You will get similar performance out of all of them, with the neo's offering weight savings over the Beta 10.

maybe the plans have been updated?

"A super premium driver is the Eminence Kappalite 3010MB, which has about 2dB higher sensitivity in the midrange than the 2510"

"The 3010MB xmax is 5mm, so it will not have higher output in the lows than the 2510, but its higher sensitivity gives more output in the mids, while its 450w thermal rating will withstand a high level of abuse."
That is entirely possible and if so, I stand corrected. I have the update from March 10, 2012 per http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewt ... =2&t=17423 and it doesn't show the 3010MB. But that description of the 3010MB's specs and performance are correct.

That being said, IMHO, it is better to build a greater number of cabinets if you intend to push your setup hard than alternately load them with higher-wattage drivers and fewer cabinets. In other words, a quad setup of DR250's with any of the recommended drivers, even the Beta 10, would likely outperform a single pair of DR250's with the 3010MB's. And that quad stack would do it with less work from the amp and stress on the woofers and have overall smoother output versus the single higher-wattage pair.

The same concept applies to horn loaded subs... they all work better in herds.

Your mileage may vary of course.

And I do realize there are other considerations such as overall budget, pack space and build time.
Zack Brock
Authorized Builder, Northeast Florida (Greater Jacksonville Area)
WavePulse Acoustics | zackbrock@macpulse.com | http://www.bestbasscabs.com/

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