Jump to content

KPT-904 ... amp recommendations?


Emile

Recommended Posts

Hi All,

 

Was hoping to get some advise :D on amps for my KPT-904's.

 

Listening room is about 15x25 ft ( about 10 ft high) with half of it open to a 30x40 ft space. Currently run my speakers from line-out AVR (Onkyo RZ-810) to a Marantz 2252B ( 52W/ch).  Sounds AWESOME, but seemed I ran out of power during our last party :( ... plus maybe clipping them with insufficient power. Almost got a Sansui AU-G99X (160W/ch) but the deal fell through.

 

So; started looking at class D pro-amps like the Crown series.  Read reviews here and "most" people seemed pleased with them.  Clueless as to what power I need ... Klipsch recommends 800W minimum, but think that is overkill due to my "home use." (904 specs at https://f072605def1c9a5ef179-a0bc3fbf1884fc0965506ae2b946e1cd.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/product-specsheets/KPT-904-Data-Sheet-v04.pdf )  The Crown XLS 1002 puts out 215W/ch at 8 Ohms; the XLS 1502 yields 300W and the XLS 2002 gives 375W.  OK; there are bigger ones :D  They also have an XTi series but they are about double the cost and I have no clue why :D 

 

Many thanks for your inputs!

 

Cheers, Emile

 

Add-on ... believe the XTi series is an AB amp?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Emile I have tried a couple different amps. I currently have my 904's being pushed by a Crown K2, more than enough gooooooooooooooo for them. I have also used a QSC PLX1804 and my old trusty MC2105. I would say anything around 100 watts of clean juice should surfice, don't want to blow the diaphragms in the HF.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, rockhound said:

I would say anything around 100 watts of clean juice should surfice, don't want to blow the diaphragms in the HF.

Rockhound; thanks!  Hope you can give me some more input :D  Checked the QSC you mentioned and it was 550W/ch ... is that a problem for the HF 501's or does the crossover "protect" them ... meaning I should stick to only 100W for the horns if I bi-amp them?  

Just talked to Crutchfield ... advisor insisted on close to 800W (2 small Crown XLS's in bridged mode) and warned me I was "melting" my drivers with insufficient power (Marantz 2252B I was using).  Any truth to this???

Many, many thanks!

Emile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, rockhound said:

I currently have my 904's being pushed by a Crown K2

Haha ... @Westcoastdrums suggested the K2 (especially since he has a spare :) ) But the K2's are "older" (???) technology and I think this stuff might have gotten better ... plus the Crown XLS series have some additional bells and whistles :D 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Emile said:

meaning I should stick to only 100W for the horns if I bi-amp them?  

What CD are you using? My 1132's are rated at 65 watts I believe. I rarely crank mine past 105db and with that they are not seeing but maybe what...20 watts. Nevertheless if you do bi-amp I would try to stay around whatever the driver rating is.

 

That's a good question about the passive network I know on some other Klipsch products they have the KLIP network which protects the HF, not sure about our 904's, would like to know this as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, rockhound said:

What CD are you using? ....

That's a good question about the passive network

Sony X1000 Blu-Ray, Oppo DVD-980H. Yes; was ready to buy a Crown amp (haha, or "two") but now I'm concerned about over-powering those since the recommendation is 100W at 8 Ohms :(  Hope someone can shed some light on this :D 

Many thanks, Emile

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Emile, I too am using some K2's.  Could have easily used K1's but found the 2's bought one...then two....and the third to just keep them the same.

 

Have one dedicated to each Juiblee and the third is manning duty on the Danley.

 

Prior to buying them, they came highly recommended to me as being very good sounding, not "PA" amps though I guess that's what they are...

 

What I really (and I mean really) liked about them is there's no fan.  Convection cooled so no additional fan noise at all.  Zero, zippo, nada, none.

 

My opinion, their fine for my ears...so I'd infer they're fine for others ears...but...  I realize some might argue that.  

 

They are fairly cost effective too....  I have my gain knobs (another reason why I REALLY liked them, I once had an amp that was fixed gain and had noise out the wazoo because I couldn't adjust anything)  None the less, my gains are around 20/25% up from zero.  I put my volume knob (with NOTHING playing) to full blast....  took the gains and started rotating them up from zero position and once I started to discern noise, backed them off.  Result is very dead silent....still has a lot of punch.  If I want to get "stupid punch" (exceedingly loud) all I need to do is bump the gains up and I have more available to me.

 

Guess you can see where my vote is.

 

Oh, and I ALSO have a dbx BX-3 that I use on my rear LaScalas.  Another nice "audiophile" amp.  They have the (monster) BX-1, glitzy BX-2 and the more traditional BX-3.  

 

Prior to the Crown's, I used the single BX-1 to power both Jubilee's (it can be used as 2,3 or 4 channel).  Understanding how scarce some of its innards are, I sold it and bought for lessor dollars the BX-3 so now if it blows up and becomes a boat anchor, I don't have as much in it.

 

Later, I started accumulating the Crowns and they're my primary amps now.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just ordered my second Crown xli800. Honest clean 200 watts per 8 ohm channel and if you turn them all the way up on those you better have ear protection. I find for my tastes I hardly ever even crowd 150 watts and these things just loaf along. Like your Pro speakers Pro amps are to me the better buy. $225 delivered too. Even though I am getting a Xilica setup for my SMWM + 402 the amps I will be using are two of those xli800's.

 

  You remember Bonehead talking about headroom in pro speakers over the Heritage line? Same thing for amps too though anything with bells and whistles can climb in price pretty fast and you won't get things like Audyssey to play with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, Dave A said:

I just ordered my second Crown xli800. Honest clean 200 watts per 8 ohm channel and if you turn them all the way up on those you better have ear protection. I find for my tastes I hardly ever even crowd 150 watts and these things just loaf along. Like your Pro speakers Pro amps are to me the better buy. $225 delivered too. Even though I am getting a Xilica setup for my WMWM + 402 the amps I will be using are two of those xli800's.

 

  You remember Bonehead talking about headroom in pro speakers over the Heritage line? Same thing for amps too though anything with bells and whistles can climb in price pretty fast and you won't get things like Audyssey to play with.

I use a Crown xli1500 to power my LS industrials. Reach ridiculous levels without breaking a sweat. And the price is very reasonable.

I have heard a few negative reports on Crown but am very please with mine.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Emile said:

Coytee ... thanks! Think I'm picking up a K1 tomorrow :D 

 

Congrats.  And you can always pick up a second K1 at a later date, so that you can have a dedicated bridged amp for each speaker if you find that you need more power!

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK K1 and 2 owners tell me why you prefer an older amp to current offerings? When I was looking I wanted one I could hook up directly to my PC with RCA inputs on the amp. What sound levels do you play at that you need that kind of power? What are you saying the old ones do the new ones don't do? The Crown xil1500 with 350 watts 8 ohm is new for $300 at Sweetwater and the used  K ones are $300 plus on EBay.

 

  Personally I have only turned up my single xli800 all the way with any of my speakers one time. I put on my shooting  hearing protectors before I did so for my friend who just wanted to hear the MCM's as loud as I could get them. It was ridiculous and I turned them back down after a couple of minutes because he had no idea what he was doing to his ears.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...