Alright guys, need some help with choosing amps.
So I came into possession of some gear for a very inexpensive price and couldn’t pass it up. That being said, I’m inexperienced when it comes to how to power it all and for wiring it up.
I’m trying to wrap my head around the power requirements and using bridge mode for subs and two channel stuff for the tops.
Can someone help me out? I’m in over my head.
Gear list:
I’ve also listed the continuous power rating/ohms. As far as I know, the drivers are all original.
1. Carvin LS1801 x2 800w 8 ohms
2. Peavey 118 x 2 400w 8 ohms
3. Peavey PV215 x2 800w 4 ohms
4. Carvin 993 x2 800w 4 ohms
Much appreciated for any help.
So I came into possession of some gear for a very inexpensive price and couldn’t pass it up. That being said, I’m inexperienced when it comes to how to power it all and for wiring it up.
I’m trying to wrap my head around the power requirements and using bridge mode for subs and two channel stuff for the tops.
Can someone help me out? I’m in over my head.
Gear list:
I’ve also listed the continuous power rating/ohms. As far as I know, the drivers are all original.
1. Carvin LS1801 x2 800w 8 ohms
2. Peavey 118 x 2 400w 8 ohms
3. Peavey PV215 x2 800w 4 ohms
4. Carvin 993 x2 800w 4 ohms
Much appreciated for any help.
Attachments
If these are continuous RMS ratings, and you are going to use the boxes near the max volume, you want amplifiers with a little more power than the rating. This is because amps that clip, produce square top waves, tear up drivers and overheat the coils too. If running near the max powers, you need to install a limiter after the mixer and ahead of the amps to prevent exceeding xmax and tearing up the suspensions. Never exceed power ratings, hard on voice coils.
I suspect that is the continuous RMS rating you are quoting because I looked up a Peavey SP118 datasheet and it showed 500 w continuous 1000 w music power rating. IMHO never use music power rating in a Public Address setting.
these speakers are old enough to perhaps have dried up electrolytic caps in the crossover. With these price components an ESR meter like the Peak is your friend. Polyprophylene and mylar caps, no pinched end, never get old.
This thread has a list of amplifiers of various power rating that people respect: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/quiet-pa-amps.339848/latest
groupdiy is a forum that has a lot of pro studio owners on it, and this was their list of reliable amps for PA or monitor use: https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=72881.0
I have a QSC cx300 which is perfectly reliable, came working after a 25 year life, but the fan is dreadfully noisy. For installation in an equipment room separate from the room the audience is listening in.
Most pro amps over 20 years old with high usage (hours used) will start having problems with the electrolytic capacitors, fans, and dirt on the heatsinks. Unless disassembled,e-caps replaced, and heatsinks cleaned. Road warriors can have control and connector problems. I perform these services on units for my fleet and ones I donate to various churches. Once serviced, 60 years old equipment can be quite reliable.
The class AB workhorses of the 80-90's have been rejected by touring bands because of the weight of the transformer. Later switcher supply amps, some are reliable, some blow up in a few years. The field is now full of class D, which is entirely digital and popular in the bar band market. Note power ratings in the product name went from 24/7 ratings in the 90's to some sort of peak rating in the 2000's . Many amps post 2000 have a rating bigger than the wall plug and fuse will supply, which strikes me as hoakum. Ebay/amazon/alibaba is drenched in amps with listed power ratings that might be true for about 10 seconds.
My Peavey amps have instructions painted on the top for how to use bridge mode. Others you may have to download the operator manual from the internet. 12 ga wire (2 mm) is usual in these power classes for runs <50'. 1/4 phone plugs are an invitation to burn up your amp if a roadie or MC trips over your cables on stage. A 1/4 phone plug pulled part way out is a short to the amplifier. Use the banana jack inputs if available, or Speakons if the speakers were sold after those came on the market.
I suspect that is the continuous RMS rating you are quoting because I looked up a Peavey SP118 datasheet and it showed 500 w continuous 1000 w music power rating. IMHO never use music power rating in a Public Address setting.
these speakers are old enough to perhaps have dried up electrolytic caps in the crossover. With these price components an ESR meter like the Peak is your friend. Polyprophylene and mylar caps, no pinched end, never get old.
This thread has a list of amplifiers of various power rating that people respect: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/quiet-pa-amps.339848/latest
groupdiy is a forum that has a lot of pro studio owners on it, and this was their list of reliable amps for PA or monitor use: https://groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=72881.0
I have a QSC cx300 which is perfectly reliable, came working after a 25 year life, but the fan is dreadfully noisy. For installation in an equipment room separate from the room the audience is listening in.
Most pro amps over 20 years old with high usage (hours used) will start having problems with the electrolytic capacitors, fans, and dirt on the heatsinks. Unless disassembled,e-caps replaced, and heatsinks cleaned. Road warriors can have control and connector problems. I perform these services on units for my fleet and ones I donate to various churches. Once serviced, 60 years old equipment can be quite reliable.
The class AB workhorses of the 80-90's have been rejected by touring bands because of the weight of the transformer. Later switcher supply amps, some are reliable, some blow up in a few years. The field is now full of class D, which is entirely digital and popular in the bar band market. Note power ratings in the product name went from 24/7 ratings in the 90's to some sort of peak rating in the 2000's . Many amps post 2000 have a rating bigger than the wall plug and fuse will supply, which strikes me as hoakum. Ebay/amazon/alibaba is drenched in amps with listed power ratings that might be true for about 10 seconds.
My Peavey amps have instructions painted on the top for how to use bridge mode. Others you may have to download the operator manual from the internet. 12 ga wire (2 mm) is usual in these power classes for runs <50'. 1/4 phone plugs are an invitation to burn up your amp if a roadie or MC trips over your cables on stage. A 1/4 phone plug pulled part way out is a short to the amplifier. Use the banana jack inputs if available, or Speakons if the speakers were sold after those came on the market.
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For a low frequency 500W commodity PA crossover? What alternative do you propose? Besides these use compression horns which are more distorting than any capacitor at typical PA volumes!