Parrot Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 As a matter of fact . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Have you really owned a Crown before, Paul? Or are you full of s**t today? [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 My eBay D-45 arrived today. It's brand new! Just one small problem... there was some adhesive residue on the back panel - where the serial number used to be. This one must have fallen off the truck. Oh well, guess I can't ***** too much for 180 bucks. Absolutely stunning sound. Smooth, balanced, and plenty of tight, controlled bottom end. If this is any indication, SS has come a long way since my mid 80's gear. I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical after my experience with that dreadful (IMHO) little Teac. I was curious about what it would take to trigger the IOC (clipping) indicators. Those Cornwalls sure put out a whole lot of volume before the red lights start to flicker. Kind of hate to admit this, but the D-45 seems to be a better match with my Corns than my SET amps. With SET, the Cornwall squawkers seem to run a lot hotter. I don't notice this with the Chorus, but I sure do with the Corns. This has been a major source of irritation ever since I got the Cornwalls up and running. Not so much a problem on good recordings, but the hot mids make bass deficient recordings sound really bad. For some reason, these same recordings sound a whole lot better with the D-45. Guess I need to hook up my Dynaco, and see how it sounds on the Corns. Wonder if this is an impedance issue, as the Chorus uses a more modern crossover design? Right now, I'd give the nod to the Chorus as being a better sounding speaker with SET gear. At any rate, I'm very happy with the D-45. It's a fine sounding, well constructed little amp. If any of you have been sitting on the fence, I don't think this is a purchase you would regret. since the mid 80's .. Codpiece ....???? hell, Crown's made the D series ....since the '60's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Duke or others... do you know the approximate model history? I've seen some D60's and D75's about when to date the beginning of and years of production? The D45 is fairly new? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedball Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 I swiped this from another place on the web and it may not be accurate... D-40 1968 30 watts D-45 1995 ? D-60 1973 35w x2 D-75 1977 35w x2 D-150 1970 60w x2 D-150 MKII 1970 60w x2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codhead Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 " since the mid 80's .. Codpiece ....???? hell, Crown's made the D series ....since the '60's" I've got a feeling that the new ones might just sound a bit more... refined. Last SS amps I bought were a pair of '85 vintage Yamaha M-80's from a place called the Far East Trader. That was the electronics store at Subic Bay, Philippines. I was stationed at Clark Air Base, but the squids always had a better audio selection. That little D-45 easily steps on my old Yamahas for sound quality (not quantity). That's okay, as they'll have a new home soon. Bet the guy that's buying them opens the voice coils on his cheap little speakers within a week - maybe less. BTW Duke, thanks for your posts about Crown. This is something I probably never would have considered. That Crown Reference 1 is starting to look pretty nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 " since the mid 80's .. Codpiece ....???? hell, Crown's made the D series ....since the '60's" I've got a feeling that the new ones might just sound a bit more... refined. Last SS amps I bought were a pair of '85 vintage Yamaha M-80's from a place called the Far East Trader. That was the electronics store at Subic Bay, Philippines. I was stationed at Clark Air Base, but the squids always had a better audio selection. That little D-45 easily steps on my old Yamahas for sound quality (not quantity). That's okay, as they'll have a new home soon. Bet the guy that's buying them opens the voice coils on his cheap little speakers within a week - maybe less. BTW Duke, thanks for your posts about Crown. This is something I probably never would have considered. That Crown Reference 1 is starting to look pretty nice. STOP .....! buyin' Crown ......[:@] You guy's are gonna suck up All the good steals...er, Deals on D-45/75 'an now ....You ...... are after Reference Series amp's ........[:@] [6] [:@] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 ya know ..... i took a lotta heat ......when i first mentioned Crown here ......... NOW ...somma you have Seen The Light [:|] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivendell61 Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 I did not see anyone reply to Colterphoto's BGW question. I've posted this before but PWK was running his home gear off what looks like a 1ru, BGW 100, and a Crown--also 1ru--D60 (Does D60 make sense? It also could be 060). DS and Leok--good point re impedance. So many don't even pay attention--and then make critical assessments of gear. Considered a prime suspect in hearing interconnects as well--since poor impedance matching can potentially give what should be transparent wire a voice. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 DJK is the BW guy ......i think they need to be later models to get his approval yes, it's a crown D-60 .....probably a 1968 model..... i had one ..it was awesome at the time, blew my TOTL Kenwood stuff away .... i used it with the JBL L-36's that i still have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 I did not see anyone reply to Colterphoto's BGW question. I've posted this before but PWK was running his home gear off what looks like a 1ru, BGW 100, and a Crown--also 1ru--D60 (Does D60 make sense? It also could be 060). DS and Leok--good point re impedance. So many don't even pay attention--and then make critical assessments of gear. Considered a prime suspect in hearing interconnects as well--since poor impedance matching can potentially give what should be transparent wire a voice. Mark BGW 100 -- Crown D-60 ....... smells like bi-amp to me ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Have you really owned a Crown before, Paul? Or are you full of s**t today? [] I'm not sure what s**t means; is that Australian slang? But I have owned Crown before: A great reel-to-reel and a few microphones. No D amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Have you really owned a Crown before, Paul? Or are you full of s**t today? [] I'm not sure what s**t means; is that Australian slang? Only when you step in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6foot8 Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Hey Duke, I took DJK's advice and had my BGW 210 reworked with better caps and it did make a difference. This amp already sounded very good to me (and to Stereo Review back in 1979). I obtained a copy of the review they did. I hear alot about crossover distortion on this forum from the guys who don't like "pro amps." According to Stereo Review it was essentially zero. Thanks DJK....good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Leo: I read this information with interest! Am I correct in that it seems you have turned both pots on the Crown all the way up? If the output impedance on the Creek is determined in part by the position of the potentiometer, it may be that a sort of upside-down impedance relationship exists between the two components. As good as the combination is, it probably isn't influencing the sound very much, if at all. Just for fun, it might be neat to try the Crown with an active lineamp with an output z in the range of maybe a few hundred ohms -- just to see if there is any difference. As you said, the input sensitivity of the Crown appears to be easily high enough to not need the extra gain, but I was just thinking about the impedance matching aspect. Sounds like fun, Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leok Posted September 30, 2005 Author Share Posted September 30, 2005 Erik, I have the pots set on the Crown so the full range of the Creek passive is used: when I am listening to it as loud as I ever would want, the Creek is at full out. Impedance "matching" is complex. If the ultimate source (for example, the output driver in a ss cd player) has an impedance of a few tens of ohms followed by a protection resistor, and the input stage to the Crown is a summing junction (essentially a resistor to ground sensing current), then the result will be linear regardless of the various settings. If the driving stage is a few KOhms of tube plate impedance, then impedance is more likely to impact linearity. With a cathode follower, line output impedance will be between the two examples. I haven't opened the Crown to check on its input topology so for now I'm just guessing. Leo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSharp Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Erik, I have the pots set on the Crown so the full range of the Creek passive is used: when I am listening to it as loud as I ever would want, the Creek is at full out. Impedance "matching" is complex. If the ultimate source (for example, the output driver in a ss cd player) has an impedance of a few tens of ohms followed by a protection resistor, and the input stage to the Crown is a summing junction (essentially a resistor to ground sensing current), then the result will be linear regardless of the various settings. If the driving stage is a few KOhms of tube plate impedance, then impedance is more likely to impact linearity. With a cathode follower, line output impedance will be between the two examples. I haven't opened the Crown to check on its input topology so for now I'm just guessing. Leo The input level controls on the Crown are after the first gain stage. If you're using the unbalanced input you'll always see a 20K ohm impedance at the input at audio frequencies. If my scanner wasn't broken I'd scan the approriate part of the schematic and post it... -- Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Leo: Thanks, I understand your explanation. What matters is really what you hear, and I was just curious about how things might sound with an active gain stage in front of it -- one of considerably lower impedance than the volume pot of the Creek would provide. An input of 20K with unbalanced inputs isn't bad at all, and you have already indicated you are very happy with the sound. That's what matters! There are a couple of Crowns on ebay right now -- they look like well made amps! Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 Crown makes thier amps ...... ........Customer Proof ...! a famous Demo used to be using a DC300 as .... a Battery Charger........[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted September 30, 2005 Share Posted September 30, 2005 After reading this, I'm thinking I might try one for myself. Cost aside, would there be any advantage to bridging two D-45s over a single D-75? you can get up to 4X the power for transients, by bridging Soooo.. bridge the D-75 ....make yer speakers Smmmmmoke.............[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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