PA+ and Bridged High Amps?

vacosound

I'm putting together a system for a club install. I already purchased a PA+ and I'm wondering what advantages there are to selecting amps using the setup wizard? I haven't actually ordered the amps yet, but planned on ordering QSC rmx stuff because of the rebate and 6yr warranty. Ok so my plan was rmx4050HD in stereo for subs and a bridged rmx850 for each of the top boxes. Is there an option in the wizard to select bridged high amps? What am I not taking advantage of by not selecting the correct amps I'm using in the setup wizard?

Dra

You can't select bridged for anything but \"Low amp\". I selected a PLX3102 which has just a hair more power than a RMX850 bridged and the wizard placed the x-over gain gain of the lows at -13db.

However, we strongly recommend doing a manual gain structure and manual balancing by turn down the loud amp (as detailed in the READ ME FIRST section). So, the bottom line is... it doesn't matter what you \"tell\" the wizard. The wizard will give adequate results for the truly lazy, but you can do better.

DRA

Gadget

Your not missing out on anything by not buying an amp that is in the menu...BTW that amp... the 4050hd, I have it, and it really is pedestrian when run in 8 or even 4 ohm mode... where it REALLY comes alive is in 2 ohm stereo mode... I used it running 8 proprietary EV s181 turbo manifold 18's and it rocked like crazy, but running 4, 15\" woofers in m Yorkville Elite series tops it is pretty gutless... :? go figure...

Don't those go for about $1400? You could get 2 Crown XTI 4000's for that money...and have WAY more features...and better power...just a thought, look @ Northern sound and light for your amps though... you'll get the best price..

G

Dra

Gadget, are you saying that if he has an 8 ohm pair of subs, that the 1850HD bridged to 4 ohms would be better than the 4050HD in stereo at 8 ohms (same wattage almost)?

Vaco, what speakers and how many?

DRA

Dennis

What speakers are you planning for the install?

Dennis

Gadget

Yes the 1850HD would probably be better...my Mac 3600 will SMOKE that thing in EVERY way...

Gadget

For instance.. I just did setups on all my speakers with the labsubs...and even with the xover set @ 118hz BW24 , the 4050 was clipping on a single 12 \" neo speaker while the labs were set @ -0- db same as the tops and the labs are hipassed @ 35hz bw18 and the RTA cut the labsubs 12db @ 100 hz! guttless @ 8 ohms I tell you... even @ 4 Ohms...
:roll:

Dra

Odd. :? Amps are supposed to be most stable @8 and least @2 (higher damping, etc). The 4059HD is praised as \"the best sub amp ever\" on PSW.

DRA

vacosound

The plan is use the 4050hd to power 2 single 18\" boxes with Eminence Omega Pros. This really isn't a huge room, I just want to make sure everything is powered correctly.
What I'm going back and forth over is the high amp. I'm using two boxes with a JBL 2226H and 1\" in each. JBLs are rated at 600 watts. An Rmx 2450 is 500 watts a side at 8 ohms. and a 850 bridged at 8 ohms is 600 watts.
I'm getting these amps at exact cost which is my reason for using the QSCs. Plus being in a club, the 6 year warranty is a huge plus and the current rebate will make my wallet happy.
So what do you think for the tops one 2450 or two 850s?

Dennis

Are your mid/hi boxes passive, 8 Ohm? If so, is the entire box rated at 600W? If all answers are yes, then even a 4050HD is border line and a RMX5050 would be more suitable. A JBL 2226 is rated 600 watts continuous pink noise with a RMS or Program rating of 1200W. It's hard to tell from the specs online but I think you have the same issue with the subs. The Omega Pros are rated at 800W and 1600W Program.

Dennis

Dra

A pickle, I tell you. A pickle.

There are a couple of schools of thought and they are both right.
1) Too much power is never enough (2-4 times RMS, which means program to peak rating of speaker). Amps run cooler and cleaner. BUT, you have to know the limits of the speakers. Guest DJ's or engineers that don't know or care can drive everything into ...well you get the point. Even un-clipped, there is too much heat potential.
2) Exact match to RMS of speaker. Safest way to protect speakers IF clipping NEVER happen. Maximum output of speaker can be achieved, but headroom (impact) is lost as the amp reaches full potential. There are those that actually run their sub amp at clipping to \"dirty up\" the low end. Clipping an amp actually double the output voltage (watts). So, if you clip your 600 watt amp you actually get 1200w. The main problem is (as I see it) you can't get 700 or 900w it jumps from 600w straight to 1200w, and if sustained...bad. For a kick drum hit... useful (perhaps). For rap or electronic music with sustained content in the 30-50hz range...smoke gets in your eyes.

You are kind of in the #2 category at the moment. You speakers are safest...IF, IF, IF.

Thought...
One 5050. Run system mono. Tops on one side, subs on the other. That's 900w per cab. Kind of in the middle of both worlds. Just dial the top's side back to balance. Added headroom on the tops (clean for the horns) and if you tickle the clip lights on the sub side (though not recommended by some)... Could work.

DRA

Gadget

YA... but the 5050 is 230 volts only.. and sounds like he wants to run stereo on the tops...

Dennis

According to the specs online, while you can get them factory configured for 240VAC, they are also available in 120VAC models requiring a full 20A circuit.

Dennis

Dennis

And so we are clear, I was calculating my amplifier power from continuous ratings, not RMS. The 2226 is 600 continuous/1200 Program/2400 Peak. 1000 Watts is not really overkill and an 8 Ohm load is so stable...but Dra still makes a good point.

Dennis

Dra

Not the same, I know, but it is easier to spell RMS than cuntenius.

DRA

Dennis

Yeah, I know...I had to look it up.

Dennis