Right now I am looking at Parasound 275 or the Crown D-75a, prices are comparable.  Any thoughts?  Dtel I now you are using these for bi amping, are you happy with them?  Is there anything you don't like?

I am using Emotiva equipment right now, XPA-5, and UPA-1, but the UPA-1 doesn't have gain control so the center speaker which will be bi amped would be using the Parasound or Crown, everthing else will run off the Emotiva equipment.

Ski Bum:

1504-5:

Pros

More bang for your buck

Typically, yes, but when you put the amps on a level playing field then some consumer gear is superior (at least in regards to the dollar/watt measure).  Compare Emo XPA series amps to the Behringer pro-sumer amps, using full bandwidth, all channels driven power within distortion limits, and you'll find that Emotiva actually has more watts/dollar than the Behringers.  That's not to say the Emos are better (lack gain controls, high inherent gain structure), but they do provide more watts per dollar. 

Emotiva is the present value leader in consumer amps while Behringer is kind of a bottom feeder, so perhaps that's an unfair example.  But the point I would like the OP to take to heart is that it is important to make sure you're making an appropriate comparison, as the manufacturer provided specs are often quite misleading.

OK, we get it, you don't like Behringer. How about QSC?

The following are all class AB, specs are 20Hz-20kHz, 8 ohms, 0.1% THD.  Note - QSC lists IM distortion, damping factor, and input sensitivity, Emotiva does not. It's not listed in their manuals, on the website or in their "Audio Precision Spec Test Data" .pdfs! And why does the XPA-2  Audio Precision Spec Test Data.pdf show the 1kHz output as 265 wpc @ 8 ohms (see screen shot below)? Let's talk about misleading.

Emo XPA-2 $1.33 per watt - may be more due to questionable spec data, Emo UPA-1 $1.74, QSC RMX 1450 $.96


Emotiva XPA-2    $799, 300? wpc x2, warranty - 5yr

Emotiva UPA-1    $349, 200 wpc x1, warranty - 5yr
 
QSC RMX 1450  $499, 260 wpc x2, 800 mono, gain controls, 3+3yr warranty

http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/x-series/products/xpa2

http://emotiva.com/resources/media/xpa2/xpa2_8ohm.pdf

http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/ultra-series/products/upa1

http://www.qscaudio.com/products/amps/rmx/rmx.htm

The QSC PLX series would be better than the RMX... I believe they are a little quieter (electrical noise). A lots of guys on here use certain Behringer amps for their subs, and consider them more than capable.

Bruce

WVPaul:

Right now I am looking at Parasound 275 or the Crown D-75a, prices are comparable.  Any thoughts?

Marvel:

The QSC PLX series would be better than the RMX... I believe they are a little quieter (electrical noise). A lots of guys on here use certain Behringer amps for their subs, and consider them more than capable.

Bruce

Indeed. And still $.96 per watt.

QSC PLX 1104  $594, 310 wpc x2,  Free 6 year extended warranty per QSC website

http://www.qscaudio.com/products/amps/plx2/plx1104_specifications.htm 

http://www.djdeals.com/qscPLX1104.htm

I'm 90% sure I'm going for the Crown d-75a.  Thanks.

1504-5:

I'm not sure what all those emoticons mean, I take it you disagree with me?

 I agree, although not the ugliest, there nothing to look at, unless you like blinky lights. If so between the Crowns and the EV there are plenty lights moving when you give it a little volume.

dtel:

1504-5:

I'm not sure what all those emoticons mean, I take it you disagree with me?

 I agree, although not the ugliest, there nothing to look at, unless you like blinky lights. If so between the Crowns and the EV there are plenty lights moving when you give it a little volume.

Your 1U units look OK. It's the newer silver faced crap I don't like. Btw, I cover annoying, bright LED's with Coax Seal. It looks like tar but it's more like thick silly putty - w/o the oily residue. If it's an important indicator light, I leave a pinhole.

WVPaul:

I'm 90% sure I'm going for the Crown d-75a.  Thanks.

Does it put out enough power for the intended purpose? 40 watts rated @ 1kHz may be as low as 32 watts from 20Hz-20kHz. What speakers are you driving?

1504-5:

Your 1U units look OK. It's the newer silver faced crap I don't like. Btw, I cover annoying, bright LED's with Coax Seal. It looks like tar but it's more like thick silly putty - w/o the oily residue. If it's an important indicator light, I leave a pinhole.

They lights don't bother me it's only for 2 Ch and I'm usually not sitting there listing unless a song gets me to come sit down.  It's kind of one main open area and is on many hours, I do sit and listen but not for long periods.

I like the little crown amps but have had a few problems, had to replace one, it would buzz for not apparent reason. Then not buzz for months. It's now in the workshop and is quiet ?

But they really sound good when working right, I would love to have some new ones but for what they cost new I would look at comparing other amps.  

Ski Bum:

Cool mini-rack, dtel!  That's downright SWMBO approvable, nice work.

SWMBO would not complain about looks unless it were really ugly, as long as it sounds good. It was her and my daughters idea to even have these speakers.

I'm not complaining at all, but she loves it and does not even want grills which I had thought about doing, and still may, at least some wood trim around the horn.

1504-5:

 

WVPaul:

I'm 90% sure I'm going for the Crown d-75a.  Thanks.

Does it put out enough power for the intended purpose?  40 watts rated @ 1KHz will be around 32 watts from 20Hz-20Khz. What speakers are you driving?

That's a good question, that is enough power to play mine louder than I listen by far but on a lower efficient speaker it might be a problem ?

Edited my Mon, Apr 2 2012 12:40 AM post to read:

"40 watts rated @ 1kHz may be as low as 32 watts from 20Hz-20kHz."

dtel:

But they really sound good when working right, I would love to have some new ones but for what they cost new I would look at comparing other amps.  

Those little guys are pricey!

The EV 7100 is rated at 75 wpc, 8 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz is in the same price range. I've never used one though, so I can't recommend it.

I would forget about "watts per dollar" and focus on sound quality.  You don't need a lot of watts.  If you are building an active crossed system the fundamentals of "equipment matching" for impedances and sound synergies are far more important and actually critical so you don't wind up sorry you did this.

I built 2-3 active systems that were piss poor because I used Behringer stuff and high powered pro amps.  I ended up selling everything and starting from scratch.  I was so sorry I ever tried.  Yeah, the cheap stuff got me in the game but the sound quality took a dive instead of getting better.

Building an active system is serious business if you are bent on achieving audiophile quility sound.  You don't just slap it together on a budget to get better sound.

I suggest consider spending the most you can afford on the processor as this is the heart of it all.  Cheaping out here will make you sorry you did this in the first place.  I learned this lesson myself twice before I finally spent $1200 on an Ashly processor and then things got really good.

Also, I have found that a GOOD home audio amp will always sound better than  a PRO audio amp.  That being said there are some very good sounding pro amps that a lot of guys use here (myself included QSC for woofers and subs)..............but they are not as resolving and detailed as a GOOD home audio amp.  When I put the QSC (PLX2 1104 and 1804) on the HF horns, they disappointed me.

You just need to decide your goals and move forward accordingly.