Pro audio vs consumer audio

RodN · 07-18-2004, 07:21 PM

Hi,

I was wondering what peoples thoughts were on the difference in quality between professional audio gear (like Crown amps, Alesis etc vs 'regular' consumer audio stuff (like Marantz, Rotel etc).

There seems to be a lot of high wattage amps on Ebay and elsewhere from the Pro Audio side that are quite cheap and I was wondering if they were worth it. I was considering buying an Alesis Matica 900 amp to power my speakers, but just don't know if these sorts of amps are appropriate for use in the home.

Cheers
Rod

Wayne A. Pflughaupt · 07-18-2004, 09:08 PM

While it’s probably safe to say that with consumer amps more expensive ones sound better than cheaper ones, you nevertheless get remarkably high fidelity with even budget home gear (that being flat response, extremely low distortion ratings, and high S/N ratios).

With professional amps it’s not so cut and dried, as that market has other priorities that take precedence to high fidelity. The pro market runs the gamut from cheap stuff for budget-conscious bar bands to rugged, cost-no-object equipment for professional contractors who provide sound for huge concert venues and national acts.

You have the same demographics for another segment, the recording market: Everything from weekend musicians with making home demos high-end recording studios, and everything in between.

With that as a background, cheap pro gear is pretty much crap from a high fidelity standpoint.

Two cases in point, the Samson amplifiers and Behringer Feedback Destroyer digital parametric equalizer, both of which are popular with HT users for their subwoofers. While they work just fine for subs (where pristine sonics are not an issue), most people who try to use them for their main channels complain that they sound “gritty.”

Likewise, I briefly used a mid-line professional electronic crossover in my system several year ago, and it noticeably colored the sound: The highs had a “raspy” quality and it added some prominence to the upper bass.

However, lots of HT folks using better-quality pro amps for their mains give good reports for the sonics of some QSC, Crown, Ashly and Carver models.

My advice for anyone contemplating using profession gear for their home theater: Give it a careful and thorough in-home evaluation, and make sure you have a liberal return policyin case you aren’t happy with it.

By the way, Alesis is a low-end brand and as such I’d avoid it for the mains.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

RodN · 07-18-2004, 10:53 PM

Wayne,

This makes a lot of sense. You've answered questions I didn't even know I had, thank you very much for the detailed response.

As I was considering Kit amplification which produces oustanding results I don't think I'll pursue the pro-amp route, thanks again!

Rod

Eric D Wong · 07-19-2004, 12:09 AM

Do also have to say this too- sometimes the pro audio gear doesnt like the unbalanced RCA's converted to 1/4", I had trouble with ground loops.

Also, the amp itself may make a consierable amount of noise too. In a pro audio setting this may be fine. My crown macro-tech 5000vz amp (5000 watts cont, bridge mono 4 ohms), it can produce enough power to probably blow the house down, but the amp itself is noisy with its large transformers and fan. The fan is off usually when the amp is idle or low signal but once the music starts going, it'll turn on and it is loud.

chris_everett · 07-19-2004, 01:17 PM

It's a totally different world. First, the pro market consists of 4 main segments:

The "M.I." market. This is stuff sold in Musical instrument stores (Guitar Center, Musicland). Common brands are Peavey, Berhenger, Samson. This stuff is considered crap in the pro world. All about low prices.

The studio market. This is the most similar to the HT market, in terms of product requirements. Emphasis on super-accurate sound reproduction, lots of accoustic treatment products. Powered monitors are a big trend here. Amps for studios are big bucks, though very nice (Crown Studio-reference) Manley labs is a company that makes both hi-fi and studio gear. Of course, most recording tools will never be used in an HT.

The concert sound market. Big stuff, absurd power. Crown macro-tech, I-tech. QSC powerlight, Big huge line arrays (not the suff over in the DIY forum) A typical speaker stack may have two dozen 15" drivers, and twice that for mids and highs, plus a separate stack of 18" subs. Everything has active crossovers, 3 or 4 way. Maybe 50,000 watts a side going into $100,000 worth of speakers. Emphasis on extreme reliability and power output. Also things like "fly time" (how long it takes to hang the speakers in a venue) and "truck pack" (how many speakers you can fit into a semi) Most amps at this level are fan-cooled and way too noisy for HT. No "peak" output ratings in this game, everything is in RMS. Most concert stuff won't _fit_ in an HT.

The install market. This is a "cheaper concert sound" as far as amps go. Speakers for this market are all about directivity (getting sound to the audience, and not on other places, walls, ceilings, etc....) and amps are spec'ed after speakers are chosen. reliability is a big one here as well. The Crown K series is mostly aimed at this market, and is a great HT amp, especially for subs (no fan).

**HTF Ads**

Kevin Alexander · 07-19-2004, 02:03 PM

I am using 2 Crown XLS-402 amps in my HT and I am really surprised at how good it sounds. I did a short review of it at the AVS Forum - my username there is spacecowboy. I also have an Adcom 5-channel amp and have had other amps too from Parasound, HK, Acurus, and Carver. Like it was said earlier, not just any pro amp will give you great results, but stick w/ the likes of Crown, QSC, and Crest.

The only downsides to using a good pro amp is fan noise (although, the fans can be disconnected) and possible issues fitting it into your rack. For my room setup, the Crown produces a slightly "forward" sound that I, myself prefer. My Adcom has been described as sounding the same, but when comparing the 2, the Adcom, to me, is smoother w/ the Crown not far behind at all. You would think that a pro amp would be terrible for music in a home setting, but the Crown has a grace all its own that really shines w/ classical, jazz, and vocals. Anyone who is skeptical about pro amps like I was really needs to give 'em a try - you'll be surprised big time.

alan halvorson · 07-19-2004, 07:35 PM

For what it's worth, my 10 year old Crown Macro Reference 760/watt channel amp has fans but they rarely turn on unless I drive my speakers very hard (which I rarely do anymore), and can't be heard over the sound from my seating position about four feet away.

Kevin Alexander · 07-19-2004, 07:40 PM

The fans in the Crown 402 run constantly, warm or cool. They never cutoff and are fairly loud, but they can be disabled w/ minimal effort.

Chu Gai · 07-19-2004, 11:02 PM

Nice folks over at Crown too.

Kevin C Brown · 07-20-2004, 01:37 AM

Cool.