QSC GX5

[DJMB]

Anyone have any comments good or bad about this amp ? I bought a used amp from Guitar Center and returned it because it didn't work, so they gave me a GX5 at cost to make up for it. I'm debating whether I want to keep it or not because I wanted something that I could run bridged if I needed to or at least at 2 ohms which this amp does neither. I would be using it on 4 T-30s 24" w/4012s. I plan on having 2 more T-30s built which is why I was concerned about the 2 ohm operation. I haven't even opened the box yet.

[MissileCrisis]

I have a gx3 and my friend has a gx5. I've run the gx3 at close to clipping at 8 ohms and no issues. I highly recommend the amp but not if you want 2 ohm capabilities. Honestly though. For the price I'd say run 4 t30 per sub. Two per channel. And buy another amp for the next 4 t30s. You know you'll want that eventually. Haha. However. I will say that the gx3 is good for what it's rated to do. If you run it bridged you'll get less power (60 percent of 8 ohms rated) and thus less output than 2 per side at 4 ohms.

[DJMB]

Yeah I was thinking about just getting 4 more T-30s and another amp being that I got this one so cheap. I have no experience with QSC and being that this is their "budget" line I was wondering if it was worth keeping.

[Bas Gooiker]

Yeah I was thinking about just getting 4 more T-30s and another amp being that I got this one so cheap. I have no experience with QSC and being that this is their "budget" line I was wondering if it was worth keeping.

They are not bad amps... But it is the budget range and therefore limited. You see that you get 500w at 8 ohms and only 700 at 4... this means that the power supply is a little light for the task.

As long as you don't intend to bridge or otherwise run them to the bleeding edge they should be pretty reliable. I dont remember the voltage limit for the 4012's but this amp should be ok i guess.

[Bruce Weldy]

The GX series are nice amps....but I think the 5 is a little lacking in power for your subs. I'd see if they'd give you a deal on a 7 - not only more power, but only 12 pounds or so. The 3 and 5 are around 35 pounds.

[DJMB]

Was a lot more for the GX7 but they agreed to a Crown XLS2500 for about $60 more. They're about the same power but the Crown can do 2 ohms and can be bridged. So which one would be the better choice ?

[BrentEvans]

If you're getting the Crown at a decent discount, go for it!

[Bruce Weldy]

Was a lot more for the GX7 but they agreed to a Crown XLS2500 for about $60 more. They're about the same power but the Crown can do 2 ohms and can be bridged. So which one would be the better choice ?

Ok, a few facts and figures....

- the Crown 2500 and QSC GX7 both are MAP priced at $599 - no difference
- the Crown can do 2 ohms, BUT it's only 775 watts at 4 ohms
- the QSC GX7 is 1000 watts at 4 ohms
- the Crown has a little DSP (crossover, bridging)
- the QSC ....nada - fixed crossover only

So, the QSC is more powerful at 4 ohms. I use one on subs and one on mains for a loud rock band on a very regular basis. No problems and they run much cooler than the Behringer we have on monitors.

I run the Crown 2500 for my tops on my system - I didn't feel it had enough juice for the T39s with 3012LFs. Still a good amp, if under-powered for 4 subs. BTW....I love the Drivecore amps....I have 3 of 'em.

Now....with all that out of the way, there is one more issue to consider. The Crown and QSC cooling fans run opposite of each other. You need to buy an amp that pushes air the same direction as your other amps if they are to be racked together.

So, what are your other amps and are they going to be in the same rack?

[DJMB]

I have a Crown XLS602 and XLS402. I have a Driverack PA so the xover and limiters aren't a factor. The choice would be between the XLS2500 and the GX5. The GX7 is out of the equation pricewise right now. I can get the XLS for $325 but they will charge me $500 for the GX7

[Bruce Weldy]

I have a Crown XLS602 and XLS402. I have a Driverack PA so the xover and limiters aren't a factor. The choice would be between the XLS2500 and the GX5. The GX7 is out of the equation pricewise right now. I can get the XLS for $325 but they will charge me $500 for the GX7

Then go with the Crown over the GX5. More power and it will play nicely with the other Crowns on air flow.

I like all my crowns, but I wish they made one more in the XLS Drivecore line that was 1000 watts/channel at 4 ohms.

[Tom Smit]

An added note (from other posts): don't run bridged, or don't run down to 2 ohm. There's a whole lot of comfort in running an amp a little lighter, rather than to the bleeding edge.

[Michael Murphy]

Agreed on Toms point. I will question a lot of other topics but when it comes to bridging and running down to 2ohm load, I will definitely side with the guys who don't recommend it. A quick lil point, the amp may reliably do 2ohms but it will seriously decrease the expected life of the driver vs a 4 or 8ohm load. Not that the amp cant do it but the trade off is driver life.

[DJMB]

I don't plan on running anything 2 ohms but I was told that the only reason an amp couldn't run 2 ohm or bridged was because of an inferior power transformer.

[kekani]

I have the GX5, had two of them actually. They're not that heavy at 26#, but the GX7 would be nicer. Nicer still are the XLS's, I have the 1500 and 2000 (not the 2500 though).

The GX Series was designed as a cheaper alternative to their other lines, for guys like us that just need power down to 4 because we are bands and "simple" setups. Power it has, certainly more than my XLS2000.

Prior to the Crowns, the GX5 never, ever broke a sweat on our small gigs. The 1500 works more than the 2000, depends on what I have in the rack at the time.

That said, for the same power (xls2500) and $60 more, the weight alone makes it worth it to go with the Crown. Think about it, you could add in another Crown, and still weigh less than a GX5.

Now, I don't know how accurate this is, but unloaded, I cranked the GX5 to well over 60v with a meter attached. IIRC, a lot of the voltage limits around here are in that area for subs? Again, not sure, and probably less accurate, but it seems like the GX5 puts out a whole lot more than my XLS2000. Because of this, I keep the GX5 around, just in case. Just saying.

[sine143]

I dont think I could ever run 4 t48s per side on my xti 4000 unless I was pushing like... half the voltage limit. It gets hot and complains with 3 subs per side, and the t48 is a 10 ohm box, where the t30 is a 8 ohm box.

325 is a good price on the xls2500, is it a used amp?