Karaoke Forums

Looking for some opionions on which amps to switch to. Im using all peavey speakers. Im looking at Crown XLS1500 DriveCore Series Power Amp or
QSC RMX 1450 Power Amp. Nothing is set in stone, just wanting inputs and suggestion. I am currrently using Peavy 1800, weight and size is becoming a issue.

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Where were you, we were having fun with Lonewolf Karaoke......

Which model Peavey amp? I know they had a CS1800 rated at 350 watts per channel but only weighed 35 lb's. I know some of their older models were pretty heavy, I had a Peavey CS 1200X that weighed 65 lbs
If you are looking for weight reduction, the RMX is still 45 lb's by itself - only pushes 280 watts into 8 ohms, not sure what speakers you are trying to match them up to. For decent weight plus good power (500 watts per channel) seriously look at the QSC GX5. 26 lbs. I bought one to replace/upgrade an older Carvin amp I was running on midrange, much improved sound quality, started hearing instruments I hadn't heard before.
The XLS only weighs 10 lbs but is fairly new, costs the same as the GX5. Haven't seen this one around to be able to work with yet.

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How about the new Carvin line of amp... The biggest one they have is the DCM3800, costs only 700 bucks, and only weighs 15 pounds. Has ALL the connections and options of most good amps. I likeeee. I want to buy 3 of them, hehe.

You can get a brand new Behringer EPX3000 on ebay for $369 shipped which goes down to 2ohms, has a built in crossover a limiter, mono or stereo mode, bridged mode. 900wpc at 4ohms so bout 500wpc@8ohms. Pretty powerful amp IMO. With 900wpc that's plenty of power to run a main and a sub per side or even two mains and a sub per side since my subs have a built in filter and they sip power. 21 pounds and a fraction of the cost of a QSC 3xxx series or a comparable Crown XTI. Don't like Behringer? Well . . .

Peavey was supposed come out with an amp with similar power capability and only 8 pounds but they never came through.

The Behringer is a better deal than the QSC GX5. More features, bridgeable, able to go down to 2ohms, built in crossover and limiter. The GX5 is a decent, basic, entry level amp if you want a QSC and don't want to spend $1,000.

I would post what speakers you have Peavey can be quite the power hungry speaker.

I have the new crown XLS 2500's Can't beat them for $600. I use them as my bar amps that get replaced every 3 years and they are cheaper than PLX.

I find them to be under their true power rating. 2500 watts at 4 ohms is more like 2000 watts.

If money is not an issue I honestly suggest QSC PLX with a 6 Year warrenty they cant be beat.

Some of the Peavey IPR models are shipping now, most are not. The reason stogie mentions "they never came through" is Peavey originally announced that these amps would ship OVER A YEAR AGO. What I've read about them so far is mediocre. Also, the higher power units will definitely not work at 2 ohms per channel (if they ever ship.)

I agree that the EPX3000 is a good amplifier. The built-in crossover is only 12dB/octave and requires that one of the boxes be wired for opposite polarity to work well. An outboard crossover will typically be much better. Behringer included the built-in crossover circuit as marketing fluff, but its practical value is limited.

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Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

Yup...it would help if you would state what speakers you were driving with your Peavey 1800. Looks like that amp puts out 350 watts/ch @ 8 ohms.

If you want something with similar specs, check out the QSC PLX-1104. I have the PLX 1804, and it is the best amp I've ever owned. The 1104 comes in at about 13 lbs, and can be had on Ebay for about $550-600 new, $400-450 used.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

I use the Yamaha 7000S. Pretty lightweight, something in the twenties, lbs-wise, and puts out 700+700 at 8 ohms, or 3200W at 4 ohms bridged-mono.

Bob, out of curiosity, what speakers are you powering with that Yamaha P7000S amp? 700 watts per side are some serious speakers!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Topher, the speakers are Yammie Waveforce WF112 with 8 ohms impedance, 400W program and 800W max, so I turn the amp's gain knobs to about 70% and my mixer output to about 50% and the gain structure's been stable so far.

I've also experimented with running a single output (Left channel/mono) into the amp and running it in parallel mode instead of stereo and it's ok that way as well. Saves me a tiny bit of set up time since I only have to connect one cable from mixer to amp

I like to drive my equipment to less than their design specs for headroom and longevity purposes. And mono makes more sense for karaoke anyway.

Bob, you do realize that turning down the attenuation on your amps does not reduce the amount of WATTAGE that is flowing through your speakers, right? You are still feeding a 400 watt speaker 700 watts of power.

Keeping the gain structure in check just handles the audible distortion, not the actual raw power going to the speakers. You are one screamer or good mic drop away from frying you drivers. Your amp can, and will, produce spikes up to 1400 watts, and anything over 800 is going to fry or blow something in your speakers.

Just a heads up!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Oh really I thought that Power = Volt x Amp and with the gain knob turned down that it's the voltage that is being attenuated so unless the current rises proportionally (why would it do that?) then the Power is also being reduced? What am I missing here?

I even called Yammie tech support when I first got the amp to check, and their tech said to twist the knobs to 65-70%. Maybe they are paid commission on speaker sales!