SWL Posted January 14, 2008 Share Posted January 14, 2008 Recently purchased a couple of XTI-2000's to run the HF on my RF-7's. I'm very happy with the sound so far, a significant improvement over the XLS-series. My question is about the signal lights. The lights on the left side light up before the right side. The right side doesn't light up untilI I turn the volume up over 3/4 of the way. After that, or any louder than that, they pulsate almost the same. Both sides sound the same, can't tell any difference. Is this normal for these amps? Thanks, Scott. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Recently purchased a couple of XTI-2000's to run the HF on my RF-7's. I'm very happy with the sound so far, a significant improvement over the XLS-series. My question is about the signal lights. The lights on the left side light up before the right side. The right side doesn't light up untilI I turn the volume up over 3/4 of the way. After that, or any louder than that, they pulsate almost the same. Both sides sound the same, can't tell any difference. Is this normal for these amps? Thanks, Scott. Scott, Are you operating these in a mode other than "Stereo", e.g., are you operating in crossover mode ("XOVER")? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 They are operating in "DSP OFF". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Call Crown at (800) 342-6939. They can answer your question...unless you simply enjoy listening to a bunch of goof balls speculating endlessly... [][] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 My brother owns the XTi-1000, and it too has the same affliction as your 2000. His Crown is powering a DIY subwoofer with dual 15s (I believe in mono mode, but I'm not sure) and DSP off. The LCD display is now also beginning to flicker bright to dim intermittingly, so it seems this XTi series has quality control issues. Soundwise it performs flawlessly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 (edited) They are operating in "DSP OFF". Interesting. My units (two XTi-1000s in bi-amp mode each driving one Jubilee two-way speaker) only indicate left channel LEDs. However, initially I had them in "DSP-off" mode when I set things up. In that mode, I recall seeing both channel LEDs indicating as you would expect them to. I would agree that a quick call to Crown support may be the best solution, even if you risk being told to "read the manual". I don't see anything in my manual that would explain your XTi behavior. The only other source to try before calling them is to load Harman Kardon's "System Architect" software (a free 100 MByte download) and look at their help files. Their application seems to have a bit more information encoded into their online help. Regards, Chris Edited October 26, 2015 by Chris A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 In the meantime.............nothing sounds out of whack. Very easy on the ears compared to the XLS's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 In the meantime.............nothing sounds out of whack. Very easy on the ears compared to the XLS's. Good to know that the LED indicators are not "mission critical" accessories on these amps.I remember that when I programmed each XTi, the first thing I had to do was to update the firmware operating system using the USB and the application I mentioned above. It only took a few seconds once everything was hooked up with the application installed and running on a laptop/desktop PC. Note that I just bought my XTis less than a month ago and they already had OS updates from Crown available. Not that I'm saying that the LED problem is software- or firmware-related but it doesn't cost anything but a little time to hook them up to your computer to update, assuming you have USB and a high-speed connection to download the application. Heck, there are neat things that you can program on the XTis even if you are using them in stereo mode. If you find the core issue on the LED thing, I'd like to know. Regards and good vibs, Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 Yes I will. I'll try calling them again tomorrow if I have time. I didn't have much luck with the tech I talked to today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 In the meantime you might try swapping inputs to verify that the difference is independent of the input signals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 In the meantime you might try swapping inputs to verify that the difference is independent of the input signals. Worth a try...........here's the story......... Bought the first XTI a few days ago. Used it briefly to run a pair of RB-75's. The lights functioned the same on both the right and left sides, seemed normal. A few days later decided to pick up another XTI 2000 since I was impressed with the sound quality. This time, I'm using both XTI-2000's to power the HF's on my RF-7's that I'm bi-amping using an active crossover. Bi-amping four RF-7's by the way. Both XTI's are behaving the same way with the lights. Keep in mind the first XTI did not behave this way when it was running the RB-75's (not bi-amped) All the while, the audio on the left and right side sound exactly the same and very good I might add. DSP OFF and both channels are on in stereo.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I an not clear as to exactly how you are biamping these speakers.... ( and in an aside not aimed at you! In the last year I could not have anticipated seeing so many screwy ideas regarding bi-tri-amping as I have seen...so I no longer make any assumptions regarding "bi-amping"... []) A diagram indicating the exact signal flow including how each amp is configured (specifically!) might help. But if the lights functioned 'properly' before biamping, and BOTH are now behaving exactly the same after your change, I would say you have a difference in signals/loads and the issue is topology related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I think when he is biamping and he said it is with the active crossover he is doing the fool's bi amping. careful with the horn is something I must suggest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mas Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I think when he is biamping ...he is doing the fool's bi amping.... Oh oh. Without knowing any of the details: If you call up Crown and mention "bi-amping", they are going to assume a PROPER bi-amping topology - not some innovative creative goofiness utilized in the faraway land of 'audiophilia'.[] IF a variant of this is being used, you are on your own...and if this is indeed the case, let the lights tell you something! My suggestion: Bi or Tri-amp properly or don't do it at all. Without doing it fully and properly you are simply wasting a perfectly good amp(s) without realizing the benefits of proper bi/tri-amping -> HF-> amp -> Tweeter source -> pre -> active xovr with signal alignment -> MF-> amp -> Mid -> LF-> amp -> Woofer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 remember that since the active crossover is still in play, basically you are sending the same amount of power to the horn and the woofers which is a no no since the horns do not need nearly as much juice as the woofers. To do true bi amping you must remove the active crossover and put in you own crossover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 To do true bi amping you must remove the active crossover and put in you own crossover huh? You still yawning at 7:25 and get it backwards or did I miss something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay481985 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 yeah im still up.... no sleep for me..... eh let me rephrase. You must remove the passover in the rf-7 already and then have a passover for each individual amp you are trying to bi amp for. the two binding posts on the rf-7 are meant to enable you to bi wire but not truely biamp the speaker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 "...and then have a passover for each individual amp..." One covers it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 Didn't have time to contact Crown today but now this is turning into a "bi-amping" thread. O.K. by me because now I'm a bit confused. I thought "Fools bi-amping" was when you bi-amp without an active crossover. Just running an external amp to the highs and another external amp to the lows on the speaker without doing anything with the passive crossover that is in the speaker. To try and explain what I have configured, (mas you'll love this), since I can't post a drawing............. I'm running the left and right out of the pre-amp into an active crossover. Going out of the crossover to the amps, since I'm running four speakers (RF-7's), I split off two ways for the highs and also split off two ways for the lows on each side. Four speakers bi-amped = (4) two-channel amps. The same as if you were gonna do two speakers only difference is that it's split off after the crossover before the amps. I have done nothing with the internal crossover in the 7's. I was under the impression that was how you bi-amped with an active crossover? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 I think when he is biamping and he said it is with the active crossover he is doing the fool's bi amping. careful with the horn is something I must suggest. Thanks Jay. Specifically what should I be aware of with the horns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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