What amplifier for power hungry subs?

[tf1216]

Summary: Two 12" subwoofers that can handle 1000 watts a piece for a high-end SQ system. Looking for 500 watts rms of power. The subwoofers will mainly be used below 60 Hz.

What would people suggest for an amplifier(s) in the below $400 price range and above $400 price range to power the subs.

The subs can either be powered by a single channel a piece or paralleled for a 4 ohm load.

I was thinking of building a UCD700 but not sure if the power supply is bulky enough.

Anyone have suggestions?

[dyazdani]

How about a Behringer EP2500 in the Sub $400 class and a Crown K series in the above $400 class?

I have a EP2500 and it works quite well, fan is a little noisy but that can be fixed. The Crown is a fanless model IIRC.

[tf1216]

Thank you for the suggestion. I have thought a great deal about that Behringer and some QSC products but I am not sure if they are what I am looking for.

I have been reading a lot about how pro audio amplifiers are under-rated for SQ purposes but what about the quality of their components. I know they are supposed to be built to be pushed hard for long periods of time but that does not mean their power supplies have been over-engineered which I feel is critical.

[---k---]

We can find you just as many threads where people have purchased pro-amps and are using them for their main speakers and can't tell a differance.

There are a lot of opinions out there on the internet. You have to take them all with a grain of salt.

The two most common amps, used in like 99.99% of all projects are either pro amps or plate amps. And almost all commercial subs use plate amps. I'm not sure you'll find many people who consider plate amps audiophile quality - pretty far from it. Pro amps are better than plate amps.

Buy more amp than you need and you're set. The EP2500 is rated at 750w/ch. So, this will already give you more power than you are looking for. Or if you want, buy 2 and bridge them for around 1000w/ch and have twice as much rated power as you are looking for. I know that KGVet runs 4 QSC amps, each bridged to give him like 1400W into each of his 4 Tumlet drivers.

[dyazdani]

We can find you just as many threads where people have purchased pro-amps and are using them for their main speakers and can't tell a differance.

I've thought about trying to run the woofers on my Martin Logans with the behringer, just never got around to it.

I don't feel that you will be able to find a sub $400 amp in the output power range you are looking for that has a "beefed up" PS. Even in the above $400 range, I think you'll have to spend quite a lot for an amp outside of the "pro amp" category.

FWIW: I've never really heard the term "SQ" being used in reference to a home HT or 2-ch audio system. I've always assumed it was implied. I am completely happy with my Behringer in it's application.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, I've just always assumed sound quality to be a top priority when adding to my system.

[tf1216]

dyazdani, sorry about the SQ term. You are right, I have never seen it used myself for HT or 2-channel talk myself. I was trying to convey the fact that I was looking for an amplifer better than a cheap plate amplifier, an amplifier with real output and better than average specs.

Thanks for all of the comments guys! I may just find myself a pro audio amp after all and see how it performs

[dyazdani]

That's cool, I knew what you meant

For the sub application, I'm not sure how much difference you'd see in that limited frequency range as long as you got enough power. In my limited experience, I feel like room placement is a bigger variable than amp quality.

[oxcartdriver]

I have a crown K2 for my sub which is still under construction, tgt mid August.

Using the crown to power the WWMT towers sounds good. I've got to match the gain on the crown to my tube amp and do some critical comparisons. But in the present configuration crown powering the L/R WWMT, and the tube amp bi-amping the WTMW center channel things sound good.

I've just got to sit down and find the time to do some critical listening.

[---k---]

I was using the term SQ to define Sound Quality. Did I get one the many acyronims wrong?

Also, just a bit off topic, but Steve Callas uses a Carver amp for his Boston Acoustics VR3, and has done a test against a PS Audio amp and not reported hearing any differance.

ChasW uses a Behringer EP with his Ascend Acoustic 340 mains also, and likes them very much.

[dyazdani]

I was using the term SQ to define Sound Quality. Did I get one the many acyronims wrong?

No, but now you've gone and spelled "acronym" wrong :rofl:

I may have to unhook my EP one day and move it to the mains. I'm just SO lazy about it... :Z

[tf1216]

Thanks guys! I guess I will keep doing my research and find the best pro audio amplifier for me.

[kgveteran]

Four Bridged QSC 1450's

I use four QSC 1450's . They power four Adire Tumults.The Tumults are sealed and I run a Marchand BASSIS also.This combination puts quite a bit of stress on any amp.The QSC's are all bridged and perform quite well.I did have to do a fan mod on all four.

My usual listening is between 85-90db.Only when I show off do they get warm.

[tf1216]

I am leaning towards purchasing a QSC RMX-2450 to drive my (2) 12" subwoofers. I am thinking of paralleling the drivers together for a 4 ohm load. Should be fun!

[Brian Walter]

I was thinking of building a UCD700 but not sure if the power supply is bulky enough.

If you build a UCD700 amp, you can pretty much put whatever size power supply you want on it. You just have to be sure to use the correct voltage.

Brian Walter

[Mark Seaton]

I am leaning towards purchasing a QSC RMX-2450 to drive my (2) 12" subwoofers. I am thinking of paralleling the drivers together for a 4 ohm load. Should be fun!

If it were me I would hunt down an 1850HD instead for this use. A bridged 4 Ohm load really taxes the standard RMX amps and they will clip quite a bit sooner than similarly rated amplifiers that are better suited to drive 2 Ohms per channel.

Of course that's just my oppinion. The RMX-2450 works just fine as an amp, but I prefer it on a higher impedance load. If you are actually after that much power, maybe two of the Behringer EP1500 or EP2500 units would be better.

[chasw98]

I was using the term SQ to define Sound Quality. Did I get one the many acyronims wrong?

Also, just a bit off topic, but Steve Callas uses a Carver amp for his Boston Acoustics VR3, and has done a test against a PS Audio amp and not reported hearing any differance.

ChasW uses a Behringer EP with his Ascend Acoustic 340 mains also, and likes them very much.

Correction, since building my WWMT's, I have purchased an Earthquake Cinenova X 3 for L/C/R and I can hear a difference in SQ from using the EP2500 previously to the Earthquake now. I am still using an Ep2500 for sub and 2 EP1500's for surround duty.

Chuck

[tf1216]

Thanks Mark,

I did some reading and on the QSC's website they mention that the 1850HD is well-suited for my application.

Do you have any experience with pro audio amplifiers?

[---k---]

Mark floats in and out of here a lot and may miss this, so I'll answer for him. Mark has well above casual experance.

Mark previously worked for Servodrive, the manufacuturer of the famed Contra bass and other pro-geared speakers. Mark currently does professional installs, and is working on his two of his own Subwoofers for retail - one which he'll market and one which AV123.com will market.