Powering with non-HT amps..like Pro PA/DJ Amps?

Having played around with a few pro amps, many do have fan noise that is louder than preferred in your living room. My current Crown XLS1500 has not turned the fans on since I've owned it, and a few years ago I modded a Carver PM1201 with thermal switches to the fans, so it only kicked on under heavy loads. I wouldn't recommend that for the average user as you could easily burn-up your amp, and it's worked great for various duty ever since. I may actually try it for subwoofer duty in a closed cabinet and see how the fans react.

djwest78 wrote: »

Also, many "hifi" products (preamps, receivers, disc players, processors) have fans in them as well.

In the end, I believe that your question had more to do with how each would perform compared to one another in terms of SQ. Considering that many people hide their components in a closet or other room, further makes the potential fan noise a small factor when considering the hundreds of $ potentially saved ($/watt).

Your idea of what a HI-FI product is and mine are 2 different worlds apart. Not aware of any good gear today with fans in them, if so, I'd question the design. Also many do not hide away their gear in a closet or other room, maybe some with high end dedicated HT rooms do, but then if you could afford that your not looking to save a few bucks on power amps.

Speaking of saving a few bucks, your assertion is in line with my thoughts on this. People equate mega watts to sound quality, cheap watts is as good as more expensive watts...because you know, all watts are created equal and amps don't have different sound signatures. Yeah....that's sarcasm. Simply is not the case and soo much more goes into an amp than simply output power in watts.

It's not about who's advice is better, it's about experiences...who has it and who doesn't. A lot of us came up through the ranks of pro amps and cheap speakers and have moved on. So some can speak from both sides of the fence. I've yet to hear your experiences from the other side of higher-fi audio to make such claims as you do.

I know no one...in all my travels...in decades of being in this hobby, who have higher end amps and simply wish to return to pro amps for in home musical pleasure. Not a single solitary soul. Maybe you do, I dunno....but no owner of a Bat amp trades it in for a Crown. No owner that still has hearing left anyway.

If cheap power is more important than SQ to you...then a pro amp is up your alley. If your more concerned with mega watts than SQ, get you a pro amp. If your wallet won't allow 3-4 hundred bucks for a used Parasound or B&K amp, then a beat up pro amp is for you. However, if the 3-4 bones for a decent quality used amp is too steep for your wallet, you should rethink your investment into better audio in the first place.

Dennis Gardner wrote: »

I promise that I will get with the program and use pro amps in my HT as soon as I can find the perfect pro speakers to go with them.......just sayin'.

ROTFLMAO !!

You go Dennis...go getcha some !!

Dennis Gardner wrote: »

If you only knew.....I have been known to use 8-10 18 inch bass bins with 6-8 15 inch mains for some outdoor shows, but it never crossed my mind to build my HT with any of the stuff.

Those drivers generally have too high of an FS for HT...besides the fact that they usually require ginormous enclosures.

Home subs have a more suitable FS, require a smaller enclosure, and pay the price of being less efficient.

Face wrote: »

Those drivers generally have too high of an FS for HT...besides the fact that they usually require ginormous enclosures.

Home subs have a more suitable FS, require a smaller enclosure, and pay the price of being less efficient.

Yeah, I jest about the big pro mains in an HT enviro, but I am the guy with a 10 cubic foot subwoofer sittin' under my couch.

tonyb wrote: »

Your idea of what a HI-FI product is and mine are 2 different worlds apart. Not aware of any good gear today with fans in them, if so, I'd question the design. Also many do not hide away their gear in a closet or other room, maybe some with high end dedicated HT rooms do, but then if you could afford that your not looking to save a few bucks on power amps.

Speaking of saving a few bucks, your assertion is in line with my thoughts on this. People equate mega watts to sound quality, cheap watts is as good as more expensive watts...because you know, all watts are created equal and amps don't have different sound signatures. Yeah....that's sarcasm. Simply is not the case and soo much more goes into an amp than simply output power in watts.

It's not about who's advice is better, it's about experiences...who has it and who doesn't. A lot of us came up through the ranks of pro amps and cheap speakers and have moved on. So some can speak from both sides of the fence. I've yet to hear your experiences from the other side of higher-fi audio to make such claims as you do.

I know no one...in all my travels...in decades of being in this hobby, who have higher end amps and simply wish to return to pro amps for in home musical pleasure. Not a single solitary soul. Maybe you do, I dunno....but no owner of a Bat amp trades it in for a Crown. No owner that still has hearing left anyway.

If cheap power is more important than SQ to you...then a pro amp is up your alley. If your more concerned with mega watts than SQ, get you a pro amp. If your wallet won't allow 3-4 hundred bucks for a used Parasound or B&K amp, then a beat up pro amp is for you. However, if the 3-4 bones for a decent quality used amp is too steep for your wallet, you should rethink your investment into better audio in the first place.

/end thread

Sums up everything rather nicely I think!

Maybe it simply comes down to how much volume the o.p. wants in his listening room. I don't necessarily agree with folks who wish to intrude upon my space with their 140db car stereo system's, but hey, it's THEIR ears. Not mine. I think that pro audio, (and I do mean PRO audio, {professional concert quality amps}) have a place in at least home theater. Perhaps not in a discriminating 2 channel system, but in 5.1 or 7.1, do not see why it couldn't work fine. I'm starting to believe that their are folks on this forum that believe they possess superhuman hearing... that perhaps, they could audibly differentiate between a mouse passing gas, and bat ****, and argue what types of interconnects, and speaker lines were used in the recording, as well as playback of forementioned sounds. Sorry but, I personally don't buy it. Unless you have Asthma, perhaps. And especially from anyone over the age of 30. If you are that old, and can actually hear above 15khz, consider yourself blessed. I've met few individuals that can perceive that high of frequency. O.P., use the highest quality that you can afford, which gives you the greatest return.

djwest78 wrote: »

. Owning gear means you have $. Does not mean that you have a brain. .

No...it means you have some experience of which to base your opinions on. Secondly....you don't need to have money or own every single piece of gear to form opinions. You only need to visit some hi-fi shops, have friends with better gear to listen to, and form some thoughts of your own.

Comes down to forming an opinion, even if others don't agree, based on actual experiences rather than conjecture. Carries soo much more weight in audio forums.

Opinions, which is all this is, is like a$$holes, everyone has one. Doesn't necessarily make one more valid than another especially on subjective matters such as audio. However, opinions based on some form of experience carry some weight verse the ones with nothing behind them. Kinda like taking advice on how to build your house from a carpenter who's never built one before, rather than one who has built 100 houses. Which opinion would you give more weight to ? Yeah....I know, the one who never built a house before because he's cheaper....right ?

zingo wrote: »

I decided to put my money where my mouth is (has been), and picked up a Crown XLS1500.

Well I tried to add my actual experience with a "pro" amp to this discussion, but this is going no where, so I'm out.

djwest78 wrote: »

My musical background goes so far and beyond anything you could ever hope to grasp that I'll not waste my time creating a resume for you to browse. Owning gear means you have $. Does not mean that you have a brain. By the time you leave this Earth...if you are lucky, you will have an ounce of my musical know how and awareness.

That is almost quotable material there! lmao! Soooo.....being a DJ makes one an expert in all things audio ehh?? I have learned something tonight. Thanks troll!

Let's all learn and keep testing out theories like this to avoid wasting money on products we should have never bought in the first place!

So, what other HT dedicated amps costing hundreds or thousands more do you have experience with and feel you wasted your money on? I mean, you've taken it upon yourself to speak for everyone, so I want to know if you're qualified to do so.