Pro audio vs. Audiophile amps

62sunbeam

62sunbeam

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I was wondering what the concensus was on pro amplifiers as compaired to consumer intended hardware.

As an example my hafler transnova versus a gas ampzilla.

I know the pro stuff is intended to be accurate etc. But isn't accurate, true, clean and efficient the same for both. Is the attraction of consumer/audiophile stuff the sound is more appealing?

Thanks

Eric
 
Do a search on this. This has been covered many times. I even think a couple of the threads got closed.
 
As far as I know, pro-amps are tough against over load, in fact many of them are desingned to be able to drive 2Ω　load.
 
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62sunbeam said:
Is the attraction of consumer/audiophile stuff the sound is more appealing?
Click to expand...

I presume you will get some answers stating that consumer stuff is more refined than pro...or something to that effect.

I'm currently using two Crown K2's in my biamped system, on horns no less.

I have had:

McIntosh MC-2102 (tubed 2 x 100)
McIntosh MC-30's (tubed monoblocks at 30w each)
Viva 300B (tubed 2x8)
Quad II's (tubed 2x15 ??)
Transcendent SE-OTL (tubed, bridged monoblocks at 4 watts each)
Jolida 502B (tubed 2x60?)

I've then had on the solid state side:

dbx BX1 (configurable 2,3,4 channels monster brute amp)
dbx BX3 (similar to above, less brutish)
Crown K2's

I've sold virtually ALL of my tube amps as well as the dbx BX1. Of all the tube amps, the only ones that I would have pointed out as sounding noticably different (as in better) would be the Viva 300B SET and the Transcendent SE-OTL amps.

Aside from those two, I would say that for my ears, the Crown's do a fantastic job.

I would rather have my two $700 K2's than a $15,000 "audiophile" amp that doesn't sound $14,000 better!

:D

Those are my thoughts, I'll probably be accused of having tin ears. Tis ok, I'll take tin ears and cash savings in my pocket and still have a killer system. :thmbsp:
 
62sunbeam said:
I was wondering what the concensus was on pro amplifiers as compaired to consumer intended hardware.

As an example my hafler transnova versus a gas ampzilla.

I know the pro stuff is intended to be accurate etc. But isn't accurate, true, clean and efficient the same for both. Is the attraction of consumer/audiophile stuff the sound is more appealing?

Thanks

Eric
Click to expand...

I've been thinking about this myself. Compared to home audio and watt for watt, pro audio has over-sized power supplies and additional output transistors in order to reduce heat and to lengthen lifespan. These attributes work in favor of sound quality because compression from power sag is not really an issue with pro. Also, SQ degradation caused by heat is not an issue. The thought that amps are designed to run hot is pure non-sense. Heat reduces electrical conductivity.

I own a Crown XLS-202 and a QSC USA1310 and both are stuffed with metal die T-03's. They are winners on my NS-1000M's. I've compared them against far more valuable amps and they come out on top. You are thinking, can a "P.A." amp really be this good? You have to hear to believe.
 
Coytee said:
I presume you will get some answers stating that consumer stuff is more refined than pro...or something to that effect.

I'm currently using two Crown K2's in my biamped system, on horns no less.

I have had:

McIntosh MC-2102 (tubed 2 x 100)
McIntosh MC-30's (tubed monoblocks at 30w each)
Viva 300B (tubed 2x8)
Quad II's (tubed 2x15 ??)
Transcendent SE-OTL (tubed, bridged monoblocks at 4 watts each)
Jolida 502B (tubed 2x60?)

I've then had on the solid state side:

dbx BX1 (configurable 2,3,4 channels monster brute amp)
dbx BX3 (similar to above, less brutish)
Crown K2's

I've sold virtually ALL of my tube amps as well as the dbx BX1. Of all the tube amps, the only ones that I would have pointed out as sounding noticably different (as in better) would be the Viva 300B SET and the Transcendent SE-OTL amps.

Aside from those two, I would say that for my ears, the Crown's do a fantastic job.

I would rather have my two $700 K2's than a $15,000 "audiophile" amp that doesn't sound $14,000 better!

:D

Those are my thoughts, I'll probably be accused of having tin ears. Tis ok, I'll take tin ears and cash savings in my pocket and still have a killer system. :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

Actually, I've been there and concluded the same thing about pro amps.:yes:
 
I hear FETs have very low internal resistance (impedance), therefore they emit less heat than NPN/PNP transistors to produce the same power (electric current). Is that true?
 
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Suzuki said:
I hear FETs have very low internal resistance (impedance), therefore they emit less heat than NPN/PNP transistors to produce the same power (electric current). Is that true?
Click to expand...

True in switch-mode amp designs only. In linear amps, the waste heat is equal regardless of device technology, except that tubes waste additional heat due to filament heating requirements.
 
I have run many pro amps in my sound rooms (there generally more affordable) and have kept my two fav's being yamaha's pc2002 & p2200. In my prefference, my consumer amps (mx-1000u's , m80, hitachi HMA 8300 and occasionaly my mx-1)seem to perfom better for me. I like percusion sounds and my mx-1000u's deliver that need far better than any of my pro amps
 
Kind of sweeping generalizations. It's as easy to find a crap "pro" amp as it is a crap home audio amp. Even the "pro" part is a marketing tool. One might as well say PA amp, but that doesn't sound as "professional".

There's good gear and there's bad gear.
 
I used to run sound for a living and have experience with many pro amplifiers. Most of them sound pretty good. More than anything, most have fans, and most are built to handle being transported in a truck and survive higher humidity, smoke, and water and dust exposure (festivals). A lot of them have limiters for speaker protection.

I would not do that with any of my home amps. That said. If you want 200 watts or more, you are going to spend a lot more in a home amp. Crown amps tend to be great high current amplifiers. I don't see why they wouldn't perform very well in a home setting. The K2 is particularly attractive because it doesn't use a fan.

None of them are as visually attractive as a Mark Levinson or Bryston amp though.
 
I've owned a Hafler Pro amp, and thought it performed OK. The sound was on a par with, say an ADCOM. However, some audiophile amps, such as a Nakamichi, PASS Labs, or Threshold, achieve sound reproduction that the pro amps (and most audiophile amps) simply do not.
 
Freo-1 said:
I've owned a Hafler Pro amp, and thought it performed OK. The sound was on a par with, say an ADCOM. However, some audiophile amps, such as a Nakamichi, PASS Labs, or Threshold, achieve sound reproduction that the pro amps (and most audiophile amps) simply do not.
Click to expand...

Interesting opinion....facts and objective testing would prove otherwise. Despite what some would think, Hafler is not the standard to judge pro amps. IMHO they are barely passable and failure prone. I speak from experience. Many AK members have made similar findings regarding Pro amps vs consumer or boutique amps. And Hafler amps, well most of mine were sold off broken.... :yes:
 
Interesting, Bryston amps are pro amps and consumer audiophile amps. Only difference is rack handles.
 
I love Crowns, our sound company has 72 Macrotech 5002VZ amplifiers, I love the sound of them, in the right enviroment.
I have hooked one up to my JBL 4412 out of curiosity and it sounded fantastic BUT
How on earth would I use 1300watts @ 8ohms per channel let alone 2500 @ 2ohms per channel.
They are engineered to be driven within an inch of their lives and in a home situation it wouldnt be and therefore a complete waste of the technology.
I do however have a QSC Powerlite 1.8 driving my studio monitors which I also use to listen to general music on as well, its a very nice sounding amp, not as good as the Crown mind you.
 
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