Crown XLS- for the rest of us!

OzarkTom · « **Reply #1040 on:** 15 Jan 2015, 11:20 am »

Quote from: steve f on 15 Jan 2015, 04:44 am

Lead shot is not all that safe. Steel BBs are supposed to have the same properties without being hazardous. This is anecdotal reporting. I've never tried either.

Anybody remember magic bricks?

Steve

Steve is right, lead is not safe to have lying around. Metal Detector hunters around here have found a lot of lead civil war mini balls and we suspect some of those people has died of lead poisoning. But they also had a ton of those mini balls lying aroung exposed in coffee cans.

And yeah, the VPI Magic bricks. I sold them back then but I never heard any difference.

Here is 6moons review.

http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/edge1/edge1.html

jk@home · « **Reply #1041 on:** 15 Jan 2015, 11:48 am »

Quote from: Occam on 15 Jan 2015, 03:57 am

Two 14 gauge wires combine to 11 gauge.The newer SPX cable connectors, NL4FX & NL4FRX will accept up to 12 gauge, but if you remove the grub screw(s), you can get a 10 gauge in and solder (per Neutrik). The new metal bodied, solder only, STX connector, NT4FX-BAG will also accommodate 10 gauge.
http://www.neutrik.com/en/speakon/speakon-loudspeaker-connectors/speakon-cable-connectors/

Subjectively, IMO, there is NO good way to use Crown's provided binding posts.
At best, they can described as craptastic.

Regards,
Paul

LOL, thanks for the info.

Ordered a couple of NLT4FX-BAGs from PE, to give it another go.

eventhorizon · « **Reply #1042 on:** 15 Jan 2015, 11:41 pm »

Does it matter which XLS amp to get, there's also a XLS 1000 and 2500.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #1043 on:** 15 Jan 2015, 11:53 pm »

Quote from: eventhorizon on 15 Jan 2015, 11:41 pm

Does it matter which XLS amp to get, there's also a XLS 1000 and 2500.

Not all of them have the same specs. IIRC the (THD?) numbers are a good bit better from the 1500 on up. But don't have time to look it up right now.

dlaloum · « **Reply #1044 on:** 16 Jan 2015, 12:02 am »

Specs other than power are identical from the 1500 on upwards...

Perhaps a more economical DSP is used in the 1000, and as all signals go through the DSP (even on bypass) it might account for the slightly worse signal/noise ratio...

a.wayne · « **Reply #1045 on:** 16 Jan 2015, 04:15 pm »

Quote from: mjosef on 13 Jan 2015, 06:28 am

Day Three...XLS does not like Stillpoints, at least not in my system. Sound was on the hard side, detailed but hard. Finally settled on a combination of two unhappy ballz and one LAT Sorbothane feet. Three LAT feet was delicious, makes you want to dance but was a bit too 'dark'. Plus about 10lbs of weight on top to keep it grounded.
Now strings has good texture, voices sound more 'human'.
The fan is very quiet, I had to peek through the front grill to know it was running...I was wondering whether it ever came on since I never heard it. That is one over the XTi, its fan lets you know when its running, you can hear it 8feet away.

Now that I have optimized the XLS in my system, tomorrow I will compare it to the Xti.
The XLS DSP is very rudimentary, almost primitive vs the Xti DSP , but I can also compare the two amps as a sub or bass amp...easy enough to match the 24dB crossover slope and freq. of the XLS with the Xti.

Any word on the comparisions ...... ?

mjosef · « **Reply #1046 on:** 17 Jan 2015, 06:15 am »

I was away the last two days, but did do a quick comparison before I left...initial impression was that the XLS has a 'puffier' bass vs the Xti which was more 'solid', but I felt the XLS had better micro-detail retrieval on the upper end vs the Xti...over the weekend I will explore them more thoroughly.

Tomy2Tone · « **Reply #1047 on:** 18 Jan 2015, 12:02 am »

Just an update on where the tour is...and is going.

mjosef- Brooklyn

SteveFord- PA

jtsnead- MD

Freo-1- MA

Peter J- ID

S Clark- TX

gregfisk- WA

Bill of NY

mjosef · « **Reply #1048 on:** 18 Jan 2015, 09:14 pm »

Hola...I need the address of the next victim

Not a 'Giant killa", but a lotta' bang for the buck.

I'll warp up later.

Bill of NY · « **Reply #1049 on:** 18 Jan 2015, 09:29 pm »

I have a 2500 that I use for sub duty (SVS) and never thought of trying it on my ML Vistas
what do you guys think?

jk@home · « **Reply #1050 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 12:16 am »

Go for it and report back

maplegrovemusic · « **Reply #1051 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 12:47 am »

The Crown works really well with electrostats . You will probably notice a more significant change than comparing to dynamic type speakers.

dlaloum · « **Reply #1052 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 01:13 am »

Hmm ESL's with XLS.... I'm just worried about arcing.... max V is definitely in the danger zone... (and I have replaced more than one Quad panel...)

maplegrovemusic · « **Reply #1053 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 01:45 am »

I dunno know . The distributor for my speaker King Sound King Used a Crown for a time with his stats . I Think your Quads are problematic in the arcing department compared to most stats ?

dlaloum · « **Reply #1054 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 01:55 am »

Maybe... the 63's are a 40 year old model - I believe the current ones have better protection circuits, but in the 70's Quad had voltage limiters built into their 405 series amps....

I am basing my concern on experiences with vintage stats... it really may not be an issue with current ones

maplegrovemusic · « **Reply #1055 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 02:12 am »

In my case i was on a budget amp wise for years . A couple handful of amps came into my listening room and all were not liking the severe load stats draw in the upper frequencies . The Crowns were the first amplifiers to make the speakers show their true capabilities . Now ,the crowns on a pair of box speakers i owned were not so remarkable . I attribute that to the previous amps not having a problem driving them .

roscoeiii · « **Reply #1056 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 02:24 am »

Just got a deal on an iFi iTube which I will put in as a buffer with +6dB gain (based on my impression that the XLS like a hotter signal (true to its pro audio roots). Also interested to see how the 3D circuit in the iTube affects the imaging of the XLS. Stay tuned!!!

rodge827 · « **Reply #1057 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 03:00 am »

Roscoe,

The 3D circuit is system based, it didn't work well on my speakers since they are designed to throw a large sound stage h,d, and w,. Hope it improves your sound stage issue and as a buffer your preamp will mate better with the XLS. There is a very noticeable difference in SQ with the iTube in place in my system. YMMV

Also try and obtain a 9vdc linear power supply, it seriously improves the iTube performance.

Chris

OzarkTom · « **Reply #1058 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 03:06 am »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 19 Jan 2015, 02:24 am

Just got a deal on an iFi iTube which I will put in as a buffer with +6dB gain (based on my impression that the XLS like a hotter signal (true to its pro audio roots). Also interested to see how the 3D circuit in the iTube affects the imaging of the XLS. Stay tuned!!!

ITube cryo'd makes a huge improvement, at least 50-70% better.

rodge827 · « **Reply #1059 on:** 19 Jan 2015, 03:09 am »

Tom, I haven't done mine yet, but plan to when I send the XLS to get cryo'ed and get the better power cable.

Chris