Crown vs. Crest Audio vs. QSC Amps?

Serendipity
Serendipity Posts: 6,975
edited May 2011 in Electronics
Hi,

Can anyone recommend a good reliable amp from the following: Crest Audio CA series, QSC RMX series, and Crown XS/XTi amplifiers? Will be powering 15" Ramsa PA cabinets or passive JBL's for PA use.

This will be a custom install for videos / PowerPoint / multimedia presentations, with 3500 lumen digital projector and seating for approximately 50 people.

Thanks!
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Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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  • curved
    curved Posts: 664
    edited February 2010
    I don't have much experience with the others, but I did just intall a Crown XLS 802. Very nice amp for the $$
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  • jinjuku
    jinjuku Posts: 1,523
    edited February 2010
    I am partial to Crown but have installed Crest and QSC. None of them are slouch but the XTi has one really nice feature: An integrated DSP.

    The DSP alleviates the need for external EQ, Limiters, Cross Overs. It's a very intelligent Amp
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited February 2010
    I do DJ on the side. For what you are trying to do, why don't you just go with Powered speakers. JBL QSC, EV, and RCF all make some fantastic light weight PA speakers that are powered.

    I have a few rigs. My fave 2 right now ( without subs) are the RCF 322A. Sweet sounding w a 12 " woofer that sounds much bigger then it is. Highs are not harsh when pushed... 128 db out long term at 48 lbs each cab. that is POWERED!!!

    The EV ZX5a The bass out of the Zx5A on a 50 lb speaker that is powered is just amazing! 132 DB out but $$$$..

    JBL has some now Eon's out that are decent for 1/2 the $ I mentioned out of the other 2 here.


    For 50 - 100people, the JBL eon would be a solid choice, less setup time and stuff to carry around. Besides if one speaker goes, you still can run it on the other one. If your amp goes,,, you are out of luck unless you have a back up amp.

    If i was going to keep passive like you are showing here, QSC would be my choice right now.
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited February 2010
    If you have a rental shop near by, you might be able to pick up some used powered Yorkville's for a good price also.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • esowden
    esowden Posts: 55
    edited February 2010
    Serendipity wrote: »
    Hi,

    Can anyone recommend a good reliable amp from the following: Crest Audio CA series, QSC RMX series, and Crown XS/XTi amplifiers? Will be powering 15" Ramsa PA cabinets or passive JBL's for PA use.

    This will be a custom install for videos / PowerPoint / multimedia presentations, with 3500 lumen digital projector and seating for approximately 50 people.

    Thanks!

    Either would be a fine amp for your purpose. I've used Crown more than any other brand but that was merely because a good friend carries them at his shop. Crest and QSC build an excellent product as well.
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  • jinjuku
    jinjuku Posts: 1,523
    edited February 2010
    erniejade wrote: »

    For 50 - 100people, the JBL eon would be a solid choice, less setup time and stuff to carry around. Besides if one speaker goes, you still can run it on the other one. If your amp goes,,, you are out of luck unless you have a back up amp.

    If i was going to keep passive like you are showing here, QSC would be my choice right now.

    From how I read it the OP may have a permanent space in mind. It sounds like a permanent installation like a corporate campus.
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited February 2010
    Even for a perm. install, unless you have a back up amp if the amp goes down, you are kind of out of luck. When you have powered speakers, if one goes down, the other still can provide sound. It would be rare that both go down.
    When i think of an install, perm or temp, I always try to think what if or redundancy if something were to go wrong.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • jinjuku
    jinjuku Posts: 1,523
    edited February 2010
    erniejade wrote: »
    Even for a perm. install, unless you have a back up amp if the amp goes down, you are kind of out of luck. When you have powered speakers, if one goes down, the other still can provide sound. It would be rare that both go down.
    When i think of an install, perm or temp, I always try to think what if or redundancy if something were to go wrong.

    While I understand your considerations, we normally put in passive's and separate amplification. It just depends on the priorities of the OP. The reason for passive with a separate equipment stack is you can do most of your field service at the rack. You also have more reconfiguration options. I have been in venues where one of two monitors working is NOT an option.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited February 2010
    This is a custom install so I want to use passive cabinets and a power amp. It's not a DJ rig where two JBL EON's or Mackie SRM450's will suffice.
    polkaudio RT35 Bookshelves
    polkaudio 255c-RT Inwalls
    polkaudio DSWPro550WI
    polkaudio XRT12 XM Tuner
    polkaudio RM6750 5.1

    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited February 2010
    The Crown XTI had issues early on in production but supposedly they have them fixed. Some of my friends who did run them ran into distortion, left or right side woudl just cut out for no reason then come back on. It was enough for them to change over to QSC or Yorkville amps.

    For Crown I still LOVE the Macro Tech's. Great solid amp.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,959
    edited February 2010
    PM Trey [Sid the kid], he sells this stuff and probably knows more than most on the board.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    edited February 2010
    BTW the Mackie 450 After then got bought out by Loud Tech.. Terrible stuff. Even for portable use.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • jinjuku
    jinjuku Posts: 1,523
    edited February 2010
    erniejade wrote: »
    The Crown XTI had issues early on in production but supposedly they have them fixed. Some of my friends who did run them ran into distortion, left or right side woudl just cut out for no reason then come back on. It was enough for them to change over to QSC or Yorkville amps.

    For Crown I still LOVE the Macro Tech's. Great solid amp.

    Those were the first run models. Been a while since the XTi exhibited that problem. Knock on wood we never experienced that.

    Crown as a company while still making a lot of killer products doesn't have the same spirit of yesteryear. But that can be said of a lot of companies now a days.

    When they where taken over by the Harman Group there were considerations to be made because of the higher end Lexicon/Mark Levinson brands under the same umbrella were going to compete with some of the product Crown had geared for the home.
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited May 2011
    It looks like the Crest Audio CA series will be my best bet.
    polkaudio RT35 Bookshelves
    polkaudio 255c-RT Inwalls
    polkaudio DSWPro550WI
    polkaudio XRT12 XM Tuner
    polkaudio RM6750 5.1

    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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  • jinjuku
    jinjuku Posts: 1,523
    edited May 2011
    Still say you should use the XTi...
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  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited May 2011
    I will second the XTi series as well. I have used Crown and QSC and have found QSC to be more reliable in the long run. Plus the added DSP opens up space in the rack for other items.
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