Amp for 2 DR250 and 2 T39 :: inuke vs. XLS vs vs Crest ProLite vs. IPR

[Grant Bunter]

BTW, if you're interested in stereo tops it ain't happening w/ the driverack px.
I put one in a church install. Then they decided they insisted in running in stereo w/ aux fed subs...arrghhh.

Bruce,

ripNdeb was saying it won't work with Aux fed subs, because you tie up inputs A + B with your left and right feeds. So where can you send your Aux feed to? No available inputs left.

[Curtybob]

The amp... otherwise, it's just a regular sub feed. Right? I gotta be missing something there. I don't do aux feeds.... I'd much rather put a HPF on channels that don't need subs. Helps kill mic handling noise, too.

[billkatz]

It sounds like there is universal praise for the IPRs, with also some love for the QSC and Crown. I will probably get the Crest amps.

From my reading of the Driverack manual, I can feed L&R from my mixer, have the Driverack separate that into highpassed mains and bandpassed subs, and feed that off to 2 or 3 amp channels. I should also be able to take the mono sub feed and send it to two amp channels if I choose to drive the subs separately, correct?

My initial thought was to get the Crest 3.0 (IPR3000 clone). I can run mono mains on one side and mono subs on the other. I could also spplurge and get a 2.0 in addition so that I'll have 4 amp channels (at twice the cost of the NU4-6000). The 2.0 puts out 48V at 8 Ohms, which should be more than enough for DRs, and the 3.0 puts out 60V which has just a little headroom for the T39s.

It's a shame no one makes a 3-channel amp

[ripNdeb]

Stereo with aux fed subs and only two inputs?

As far as I can tell, nowhere in the thread has the OP said he wanted aux-fed subs.

There was another thread where we discussing that with someone else....maybe that's what you are thinking of.

Hey, I'm old AND from CA. what do you expect

[Curtybob]

More praise for the Crests. I have two PL2.0's and 2 PL3.0's. I have only used one of each so far. Sound great and hum alng without a whimper regardless of what load they run at.

[billkatz]

With the good reviews here, I pulled the trigger and ordered a Crest 2.0 and a Crest 3.0. Then came the bad news. Both are backordered until at least the end of May, with no promised delivery date. I guess they are good and popular Now I realize this has been a long term project, but I was really hoping to have this system up on June 5th for my son's graduation party.

I will likely leave the 3.0 on order and do something else for the short run. I can run mono in the short term.

Some alternatives (in stock at NSL):

1) Crest CPX2600 - 40lbs, 63V, old iron
2) Crown XLS1500 - $50 more than the Crest 2.0, about the same output voltage
3) Nu3000 or Nu4-6000 - It'll give me a few years until the warrantee is up?

[Ryan A]

Why wait till the end of May? Where did you order them? There are several brand new prolites in stock now on Ebay. Might wanna just send them a message before you buy confirming immediate availability just to be sure.

[billkatz]

Why wait till the end of May? Where did you order them? There are several brand new prolites in stock now on Ebay. Might wanna just send them a message before you buy confirming immediate availability just to be sure.

All are DSP models, and at MUCH higher prices than Northern Sound and Light.

[guitarkeys.com]

Brent, you got my interest up with your answer to the 60v question concerning the IPR3000.

But now are you telling me you have run them at 2ohm for hours without issue. That's interesting from a emergency point of view. Are we talking max output at 2 ohms or just medium duty?

[BrentEvans]

I can't say I've pushed them into limit for hours on end at 2 ohms, but there is very little difference in performance between a 2 ohm load and an 8 ohm load. If you're into limit all the time, it would probably be safer to get the 5000s.

I just got 4 7500s. heh. Heh.

Um... They work pretty well too.

[billkatz]

I can't say I've pushed them into limit for hours on end at 2 ohms, but there is very little difference in performance between a 2 ohm load and an 8 ohm load. If you're into limit all the time, it would probably be safer to get the 5000s.

I just got 4 7500s. heh. Heh.

Um... They work pretty well too.

They did have the Crest 5.0 in stock, but sadly that's out of my price range. I decided to get and XLS1500 and leave my Crest 3.0 on backorder. Now to figure out how to get the system to run mono.

[Curtybob]

I can't say I've pushed them into limit for hours on end at 2 ohms, but there is very little difference in performance between a 2 ohm load and an 8 ohm load. If you're into limit all the time, it would probably be safer to get the 5000s.

I disagree with this in general. If you mean specifically with this model... ok. But in my experience, cheap amps can run flat out into 8 ohms, but will thermal fairly regularly (even at lower voltages) at 2 ohms. My Crest ProLite 3.0 that I use for subs has run 6 T-39's (3/side) and never once went into protect mode. Just a guess, but I would say we were hitting no more than 45 volts (LAF... you can guess what that means). However, same setup with a Behringer NU3000 I have thermalled every 30 seconds and was only just starting to move a little air (maybe 15-20V ? another guess it was just starting to flicker the first signal light on the front of the amp). But, drop that down to 2 subs per side, and that same Behringer will put out 50V all day long.

[BrentEvans]

I can't say I've pushed them into limit for hours on end at 2 ohms, but there is very little difference in performance between a 2 ohm load and an 8 ohm load. If you're into limit all the time, it would probably be safer to get the 5000s.

I disagree with this in general. If you mean specifically with this model... ok. But in my experience, cheap amps can run flat out into 8 ohms, but will thermal fairly regularly (even at lower voltages) at 2 ohms. My Crest ProLite 3.0 that I use for subs has run 6 T-39's (3/side) and never once went into protect mode. Just a guess, but I would say we were hitting no more than 45 volts (LAF... you can guess what that means). However, same setup with a Behringer NU3000 I have thermalled every 30 seconds and was only just starting to move a little air (maybe 15-20V ? another guess it was just starting to flicker the first signal light on the front of the amp). But, drop that down to 2 subs per side, and that same Behringer will put out 50V all day long.

I was speaking specifically about the iprs, which are nearly identical to the Crest. That said, the price of the amp has very little to do with it. Behringer EP series will push high power to 2 ohms no sweat. Inuke, EPX and EPQ wont... The power supplies arent big enough. the same is true for moSt new qsc (gx, gxd, cxd, pld) and crown xti

[Curtybob]

Understood and agreed.

[commander_dan]

I can't say I've pushed them into limit for hours on end at 2 ohms, but there is very little difference in performance between a 2 ohm load and an 8 ohm load. If you're into limit all the time, it would probably be safer to get the 5000s.

I disagree with this in general. If you mean specifically with this model... ok. But in my experience, cheap amps can run flat out into 8 ohms, but will thermal fairly regularly (even at lower voltages) at 2 ohms. My Crest ProLite 3.0 that I use for subs has run 6 T-39's (3/side) and never once went into protect mode. Just a guess, but I would say we were hitting no more than 45 volts (LAF... you can guess what that means). However, same setup with a Behringer NU3000 I have thermalled every 30 seconds and was only just starting to move a little air (maybe 15-20V ? another guess it was just starting to flicker the first signal light on the front of the amp). But, drop that down to 2 subs per side, and that same Behringer will put out 50V all day long.

I was speaking specifically about the iprs, which are nearly identical to the Crest. That said, the price of the amp has very little to do with it. Behringer EP series will push high power to 2 ohms no sweat. Inuke, EPX and EPQ wont... The power supplies arent big enough. the same is true for moSt new qsc (gx, gxd, cxd, pld) and crown xti

Interesting. This is making me rethink my upgrade plan for my current amp situation.. I had initially chosen to go with crown Xti's, but from all reports I have heard, they don't like 2 ohm loads. From the opinions in this thread, it seems that these Crest Prolites may be a better option. A prolite 5.0 is significantly cheaper than an Xti4002 (which was my next intended amp, currently running a 2002), and puts out way more power and from all reports handles 2 ohms effortlessly.

The question is then, do I sell my 2002 and invest in a PL 2.0 for tops (OT12's) and a PL 5.0 for 6 T30's? I know it's wise to run the same amps due to differing fan designs etc.. Any insights Bruce or Brent?

Apologies to the OP for thread hijack.. it's all relevant