Has anyone heard of this amp?

Is this amp OK?
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KJ4BXT
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 8:37 am
Location: Northern Virginia (Fairfax) USA

Has anyone heard of this amp?

#1 Post by KJ4BXT »

I've been looking around for an amp + processing system that would fully drive 2 T48's and 2 DR250's in stereo (O.K., maybe mono subs), that will also fit in a 4RU case. :shock:

I came across this, and I think it looks pretty attractive: Carvin DCM2004LX
4CH DSP amp, 300w/ch @ 8 Ohms, 500w/ch @ 4 Ohms.
Imagine an entire 4ch amp + DSP setup in 2RU! :hyper: :clap:

I haven't really heard this amp mentioned much anywhere, so I thought I'd throw this out there for people to take a look at.
I did do some searching and ran across this breakdown of the non-DSP version on a different forum.

For the time being I'm going to go with a DSP and separate amps for cost savings, but I was thinking this could be a nice upgrade at some point in the future.

Thoughts anyone?
---------------------------
meyers at my job, BFM for my system
2x 24" T48 with 3015lf
2x DR250 with 2510 and melded array

Other hardware comes and goes, but these speakers stay.

sine143
Posts: 3066
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:27 pm
Location: Raleigh NC

Re: Has anyone heard of this amp?

#2 Post by sine143 »

Theres a 4 ch inuke 6k as well . 2x xti/ipr etc would do the trick as well in 4u. Powersoft ha 1u!! 4ch amps
Built:
2x Tuba 30s delta12lf loaded (gone)
4x Otop12 d2512 loaded
8x t48s (18, 18, 24, 24, 30, 30) 3015lf loaded
2x AT (1 mcm, 1 gto 804)
2x SLA Pro (dayton pa6, 6 goldwood piezo loaded)
1x bastard XF208

2x OT212 (delta pro 450a loaded, eminence psd)

Bruce Weldy
Posts: 8301
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:37 am
Location: New Braunfels, TX

Re: Has anyone heard of this amp?

#3 Post by Bruce Weldy »

KJ4BXT wrote:that would fully drive 2 T48's and 2 DR250's in stereo

4CH DSP amp, 300w/ch @ 8 Ohms,
If you have the premium speakers in the T48s, that's not enough power.

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."

Grant Bunter
Posts: 6915
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:12 am
Location: Ilfracombe Queensland Australia
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Re: Has anyone heard of this amp?

#4 Post by Grant Bunter »

Bruce Weldy wrote:
KJ4BXT wrote:that would fully drive 2 T48's and 2 DR250's in stereo

4CH DSP amp, 300w/ch @ 8 Ohms,
If you have the premium speakers in the T48s, that's not enough power.
+1

As per your other thread
http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21250

It's already been discussed that the maximum voltage for the 3015lf is 60V.
The carvin amp you mentioned only does 49V max/channel, and if you use the limiter and set the amount on that by say 1dB, then the max voltage will be reduced accordingly.

Having said that, honestly, it depends how hard you plan to run your system.
If you don't plan to run (in particular the subs) your system to max, then the carvin amp may do the trick for you, as there is ample voltage for the DR's. Your sub output would be down say 3-5dB at max voltage, compared to an amp with enough juice to limit to 60V.

If you're planning to add a DSP processor and use your current QSC RMX1450 (again at reduced power) I guess that's an ok interim plan (meaning mono subs and mono tops/mains), however, it looks like the PA+ goes for around $300-350US and if you plan to run your tops/mains in stereo, you will have to add another amp anyway, so another few hundred dollars there and you're already up to the price of the 4 channel carvin with DSP.

While the sub output would be down, you can run the DR's in stereo and (even though it's not required at all and has no benenfit if sub outputs are summed) the subs in stereo as well...
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...

KJ4BXT
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 8:37 am
Location: Northern Virginia (Fairfax) USA

Re: Has anyone heard of this amp?

#5 Post by KJ4BXT »

I've heard you add 2 ohms to the nominal impedance for horn loading, so 10 Ohms, 300 watts = about 55 Volts with this handy calculator: http://www.crownaudio.com/ohms-law.htm
I've also heard some people saying they limit to 50V to be safe, and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to notice a difference between 55 and 60V.
If I needed more power for the subs I could bridge two of the channels and run mono subs. (Changing the limiter accordingly of course) Yes, I should probably run mono subs anyway.

I hadn't seen the 4ch iNuke. It looks like all that has is the HP / LP though.
The Xti looks nice. I'll keep that in mind.
Powersoft is totally out of my budget! :fruit:

Of course, this is all speculative for the time being.
Like I said, short term plan is to get a DSP and eventually another amp.

Thanks for all the input everyone :)
---------------------------
meyers at my job, BFM for my system
2x 24" T48 with 3015lf
2x DR250 with 2510 and melded array

Other hardware comes and goes, but these speakers stay.

Bruce Weldy
Posts: 8301
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:37 am
Location: New Braunfels, TX

Re: Has anyone heard of this amp?

#6 Post by Bruce Weldy »

KJ4BXT wrote:I've heard you add 2 ohms to the nominal impedance for horn loading, so 10 Ohms, 300 watts = about 55 Volts

But, at 10 ohms it would no longer put out 300 watts. So, you can't use a power rating at 8 ohms to determine voltage at 10 ohms.

If those amps are bridgeable, then you should have enough power - BUT it has to be bridgeable to 4 ohms.

I'd prefer two amps. If you ever lost one, you could at least re-route the wiring and limp along to finish a show.

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."

Bruce Weldy
Posts: 8301
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:37 am
Location: New Braunfels, TX

Re: Has anyone heard of this amp?

#7 Post by Bruce Weldy »

Just went and looked.....as I thought - it's not bridgeable to 4 ohms, only 8.

Not the right amp.

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."

KJ4BXT
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 8:37 am
Location: Northern Virginia (Fairfax) USA

Re: Has anyone heard of this amp?

#8 Post by KJ4BXT »

O.K. good point, thanks.
---------------------------
meyers at my job, BFM for my system
2x 24" T48 with 3015lf
2x DR250 with 2510 and melded array

Other hardware comes and goes, but these speakers stay.

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