On Board Amp

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Bill Fitzmaurice
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On Board Amp

#1 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

This on board amp from Parts Express looks good, at a price that makes sense.

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-au ... h--300-798

It could be mounted on just about any of our full range cabs with minor modifications. It has enough power to drive a pair of 8 ohm cabs, so it would be easy enough to install a 4 pole Speakon on the cab containing the amp and one on the extension speaker. Full DSP that includes crossover, EQ and limiting plus Bluetooth makes this a very attractive rig.

tvent
Posts: 85
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 4:29 pm
Location: Helena, AR

Re: On Board Amp

#2 Post by tvent »

I actually put this in a Simplex TiltBack to use as a 2-input keyboard amp just a couple of weeks ago.
I took a chance on it and ordered it as soon as I saw it on the Parts-Express site.
The DSP is straightforward to use. It seems to be a good match, power wise (The advertised 800 Watt rating is at a 4 Ohm load, but as you pointed out you could hang a Speakon off of it and cascade a 2nd 8 Ohm cab.)
I do wish they had a Mac version of the app, but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do. Also, the inputs and the output are flexible. I like that you can store 5 EQ curves that can be selected with a button on the back - without the need to hook up a computer to it at the gig.

I was going to build it as an airhead and leave the cavity to mount the amp to, but it fit on the back of the regular Tiltback just fine. I just lined it with speaker gasket tape.
It was just a tad bit too long to fit on the top of the Simplex TiltBack - it would have run into the ports.

Oh, and as you mentioned - it has Bluetooth! I actually use this thing all the time now just to listen to music as I work around the house.
The whole thing is under 35 pounds.
So much easier to move around than the Roland KC!

The caveats:
The limiters sounded bad to me when they got hit. I just opted not to use them.
The gain on the Bluetooth seems really hot, so when you turn the volume down on your device, you get a pretty good amount of hiss at low volume. Not an issue once you get it turned up more than a couple of clicks.

I think I will build a 2nd one just like it - that way I can use it as a stereo set or accommodate 2 different keyboard players with up to 2 keyboards each.
So far, everyone that has used it, seen it, and/or heard it has been impressed.

Here are a few photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/36GJf9g2932YZVGfA
Built:
4 x WH10 melded
4 x WH8 melded
2 x Jack15 melded
2 x Simplex 12 w/BGH-25 for Bass
1 x Simplex Tiltback (powered PPA800DSP) for Keys
2 x SLA Pro
Bought:
6 x T39 20" 3012LF loaded

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Tom Smit
Posts: 7457
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:24 pm
Location: Sarnia, Ont. Canada

Re: On Board Amp

#3 Post by Tom Smit »

Thanks for sharing.
TomS

Askia
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 12:48 am
Location: Hungary (Central-Europe)

Re: On Board Amp

#4 Post by Askia »

Great!

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Radian
Posts: 2028
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:56 pm
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: On Board Amp

#5 Post by Radian »

Bill recommending an onboard amp...

Hell hath frozen over.

Image
Good food, good people, good times.

4 - AT
1 - TT
1 - THT Slim
2 - SLA Pro 4x6 Alphalite

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Bill Fitzmaurice
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Posts: 28619
Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 5:59 pm

Re: On Board Amp

#6 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

I didn't say I'd use one, just putting this out there for those who want to, now that there's one at a reasonable price.

CoronaOperator
Posts: 1648
Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:07 pm
Location: Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Re: On Board Amp

#7 Post by CoronaOperator »

Radian wrote: Mon Nov 05, 2018 6:01 pm Bill recommending an onboard amp...

Hell hath frozen over.
I said that when the Simplex line came out. :lol:

Powered speakers make a lot of sense for when you just need to throw up a couple speakers on sticks for announcements or background music/impromptu party, etc. When the full setup isn't necessary or time/packspace/clients budget is scarce.

For the big performance however, an amp rack is better as a control center than running around like a chicken making adjustments on all the speakers ... or correcting the changes all the patrons have made on your speakers. In the rack you can re-patch amps as well and with something like a venue360 you can have wifi remote control of every detail of the system.

Different tools for different scopes of work.
Built:
17" width 10" driver Autotuba
2 x 29" width dual Lab12 Tuba60
6 x DR250 2510/asd1001
In progress:
2 x DR250 2510/asd1001
For best results, point the loud end of the array towards the audience

Dagwin
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 6:50 am

Re: On Board Amp

#8 Post by Dagwin »

I had a Dayton Audio PPA800DSP briefly and returned it.
The amount of "base" hiss makes it totally unusable in any situation where you cannot turn the volume up (like at home).
It gets very quickly very annoying if you are not playing at reasonably loud volume.

I replaced it with a MiniDSP PWR-ICE125, which does not have this problem, I'm using it in bridged mode.
There is also a 250W version.

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