| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 2184.1 | Analog | WEFXEM::COTE | There, but for the fins, go I... | Tue Nov 28 1989 14:37 | 14 |
| The Peavy CS series is a real workhorse. Built like tanks and pretty
easy to service. Of that 54 lbs., what ain't transformer is heat sink.
Carver gear kinda scares me, especially for commercial applications.
He comes up with some real innovative products at decent prices, but
so does Alesis...
Given these 2 choices, *I* would go with the CS.
For a rock band PA system, I'd stick with the meat and potatoes amp and
leave the Carver caviar to the audiophiles. (No wait, I think they'd
throw it back...)
Edd
|
| 2184.2 | other topics of interest - FYI | DYO780::SCHAFER | Brad - boycott hell. | Tue Nov 28 1989 14:55 | 20 |
| Keyword: AMPLIFIER
Number Repl Title
------ ---- -----------------------------------------------------
251 22 Recommendation: Amplifier for Synth Gear
275 4 Amp suggestions?
356 11 Looking for SMALL Amp/Speakers for Home Studio
828 27 Connecting Pro Synth Equipment to Home Stereo
875 15 Roland Juno Sounds Thin w/ Gorilla Amp
1120 13 Recommendation - Powered Keyboard Monitor for Gigs
1676 6 TOA Keyboard Amps
1684 6 AB Power Amps?
1797 1 Peavey DECA 528 Power Amp?
1872 6 Power Amp: "Pro" vs. "Home"
1922 5 Rackmount (1 Space) Power Amplifiers
2039 8 Peavey KB300 Amp - Compression Light?
2092 6 RAMSA Sound Equipment?
2093 4 Help - Music Man Guitar Amp Buzzing
2096 17 Micro PA Systems?
|
| 2184.3 | got any 100W nand gates???? | HPSTEK::RENE | LIFE -- It's a juggle out there | Tue Nov 28 1989 16:03 | 26 |
| I'm not sure what is meant by a DIGITAL or ANALOG power amp, but dam it
all power amps are really Analog no????? I haven't seen too many
digital logic devices that will drive hundreds of watts. The reason
Carver amps are much lighter than say the Peavey CS (and a lot of other
power amps) is the power supply. Most power amps (and I'll go as far to
say most consumer electronics [except maybe some computers]) have
LINEAR power supplies. They are relativesly simple to design/require few
parts and have been around lots longer than other types of power supplies
(switchers). Linears have two disadvantages where switchers have the
advantage...1) they weigh a lot (large 60hz xfmr) and 2) have low
efficiencies (usually less than 50% of the power taken from the wall
socket ever makes it to the load). Therefore they get HOT, needing
large (heavy) heat sinks as Edd pointed out. Carver uses a rather
unique switcher in thier power supply designs. They dynamicly change
taps on a multi-tap transformer depending on what the amp is doing
at that moment. I imagine the control circuitry for this arrangement is
rather complex, as it can be in most switching power supplies. This
multi-tap transformer arrangement can process MUCH more power per unit
volume than a simple 60hz transformer used in linears. As far as
reliability (as Edd was gracefully hinting towards), a switcher can be
designed to be very reliable. I've known at least one band that swears
by (not at) them and have used them for years.
to each his/her/its own....
Frank
|
| 2184.4 | Carver PM-100 | FGVAXX::LAING | Soft-Core Cuddler*Jim Laing*282-1476 | Wed Nov 29 1989 00:26 | 6 |
| Though I'm not using it in heavy-duty "rock" applications, I have
had no problems with a Carver PM-100 ... it may be smaller than
you need (.0) - it's 12 lbs., 1 rack space, I think it's 150 w/ch
into 4 ohms ...
-Jim
|
| 2184.5 | | STROKR::DEHAHN | | Wed Nov 29 1989 08:52 | 21 |
|
No such monster as a digital power amp...yet. Switching supply amps,
yes. Peavey DECA, Carver are two.
Carvers are in wide use and have gotten mature enough in their design
to hold up fairly well. For GB work I think they would be ok. But for
hard driving rock or especially dance music I don't like them at all,
they're too harsh and don't have enough punch in the bottom end. Your
ears may differ.
The Peavey isn't the greatest sounding Class AB amp either but you're
on a budget so it's probably the most powerful reliable amp you'll get
*new* for that kind of money. Remember the 400W/ch is at 4 ohms. Make
sure you're comparing apples to apples.
If used is a consideration then you have a lot more choices.
CdH
|
| 2184.6 | | HAMER::COCCOLI | monitoring reality......... | Thu Nov 30 1989 08:51 | 10 |
|
Go with the Peavey. You(or a roadie) can drop it off the roof
and it'll still work. *^]
Also, a friend of mine mentioned that there is some kind of plug
in tube or module that will turn the CS series into 2 mono amps
w/built in crossover for Bi-amping?. Can anyone confirm?.
Rich
|
| 2184.7 | MOSFET amps | TALLIS::PALMER | Colonel Mode | Mon Dec 04 1989 11:01 | 8 |
| I suggest you stay with a MOSFET amp like those offered by Hafler. They
provide excellent dynamic headroom, frequency response and most
importantly, they sound better than the other amps. I would stay away
from Peavey, I think their amps are about the worst in the business.
They may be roadworthy but they have all the sonic subtlety of a
bulldozer with a failing transmission.
Chris
|
| 2184.8 | Add It Up | OTOO01::ELLACOTT | Freddie's Revenge | Wed Dec 06 1989 10:17 | 19 |
| 1. Check your watts/dollar (my highest priority)
2. Check your watts/lb (in my case its watts/Kg...Canada you know)
3. Is it a good brand (ie Peavy,Bryston,BGW,Roland,Your_own_fav_brand_here)
4. Add up your points and you got your answer.
Re -.1
I agree about Peavey, they also over rate their power output
specs, most of their amps will not deliver stated power o/p at the
stated THD or IMD.
I owned a Roland for 8+ years 120w/ch never had problem with
it. It was clean up to 150 watts (I checked it). Also check the
new line from Yorkville Sound (traynor), Beta series I think good
bang/buck
FJE
|
| 2184.9 | combo amps, maybe, but power amps? | NRPUR::DEATON | | Wed Dec 06 1989 10:25 | 11 |
| RE < Note 2184.8 by OTOO01::ELLACOTT "Freddie's Revenge" >
> 3. Is it a good brand (ie Peavy,Bryston,BGW,Roland,Your_own_fav_brand_here)
> I owned a Roland for 8+ years 120w/ch never had problem with
> it. It was clean up to 150 watts (I checked it).
Roland makes/made a power amp?
Dan
|
| 2184.10 | All Heat Sink | OTOA01::ELLACOTT | Freddie's Revenge | Wed Dec 06 1989 14:12 | 5 |
| Yeap... They sure do SPA120 and SPA240 are some of the model numbers..
I think... They're bridgable and take two rack spaces. Mine put
out better than 400 watts mono..
FJE
|
| 2184.11 | Have you checked out the Ashley amps? | TALLIS::PALMER | Colonel Mode | Thu Dec 14 1989 10:21 | 4 |
| How about the Ashley FET-2000M? It's 500W into 4 Ohms, 300W into 8 Ohms
and is a solid, sweet MOSFET amp. Its slew rate is > 50 Volts/uSec, the
damping factor is > 100 and the bandwidth is 100 kHz.
|
| 2184.12 | Another Carvorite. | GUESS::YERAZUNIS | There's no force like brute force! | Fri Dec 22 1989 09:32 | 18 |
| I've had the little Carver (M-200t) as my home amplifier for about
seven years now. Except for an out-of-the-box fault that the
dealer wouldn't/couldn't service (going-out-of-business sale), the
Carver has performed faultlessly for seven years.
I don't find them harsh at all; having all of that headroom really
does help.
I once bench-tested the Carver into a dummy load. The Carver barely
got above "stone-cold" while the dummy load was smoking hot. We
were monitoring the output on an HP distortion analyzer and the
Carver kept everything nice and clean...
-----
Some prosound outfits prefer Macintosh; who am I to judge ?
-Bill
|