Crown XLS- for the rest of us!

Tomy2Tone · « **Reply #60 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 08:13 pm »

Quote from: Russell Dawkins on 14 Nov 2014, 08:03 pm

I'm surprised to read this, having read earlier that a user never had the fan come on at all, even under hard use.

My only guess is that the fans are that quiet you don't think they're on.

During the day I have to get on the floor and put my ear right up to the crown to hear that the fan is indeed on. So to me it's a non issue.

This is the first class d amp I've used that has a fan so I wanted to see if disconnecting it had any effect. Both amps I have now have the fan connected.

The link Salis Audio provided shows some reasonably priced fans but not sure if it's needed, for me at least.

jackman · « **Reply #61 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 08:14 pm »

I think it depends on the efficiency and load of your speakers. If the amp is not working hard, it might stay cool enough to not require the fan. My speakers are relatively efficient and a 4ohm load. Hopefully they will play nice with the Crown. It should be here today, when I get home from work. I leave the nCOre on all the time and it stays very cool, even when pushed hard. Same with the K1, that thing never gets warmer than "barely" warm.

werd · « **Reply #62 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 08:16 pm »

Unless there are output transistors under the heat sinks like on the Yorkville. Then you might be stuck using the fans for forced air direction

Tomy2Tone · « **Reply #63 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 08:16 pm »

Quote from: jackman on 14 Nov 2014, 08:14 pm

I think it depends on the efficiency and load of your speakers. If the amp is not working hard, it might stay cool enough to not require the fan. My speakers are relatively efficient and a 4ohm load. Hopefully they will play nice with the Crown. It should be here today, when I get home from work. I leave the nCOre on all the time and it stays very cool, even when pushed hard. Same with the K1, that thing never gets warmer than "barely" warm.

I just checked fedex tracking and it said it was left at your door, your neighbors don't follow AC do they?

jackman · « **Reply #64 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 08:25 pm »

Nope, but I'm at the office getting ready to fight Chicago traffic and pick up the amp. It's probably in a stack of boxes my wife orders from Amazon on a daily basis...don't tell her I said that.

ZAKski288 · « **Reply #65 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 08:29 pm »

Come on Guys. Who cares about the fan. If you can hear the fan, then you are not using the amp properly. Turn up the volume and enjoy

I really never even notice it. ZAK

Tomy2Tone · « **Reply #66 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 08:30 pm »

Quote from: ZAKski288 on 14 Nov 2014, 08:29 pm

Come on Guys. Who cares about the fan. If you can hear the fan, then you are not using the amp properly. Turn up the volume and enjoy
I really never even notice it. ZAK

That's the spirit!

a.wayne · « **Reply #67 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 08:56 pm »

Crown is in the house, Predictions ........

ZAKski288 · « **Reply #68 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 09:08 pm »

I just measured the dB's of the fan with an app on my Ipod . Fan noise 60 dB's max. I had to check with a flashlight to see if was running, it really is pretty quite. ZAK

dlaloum · « **Reply #69 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 09:09 pm »

I have never had the fans turn on, even when driving it hard - but I am using a more powerful XLS2500 - so even driven hard it should be idling...

steve f · « **Reply #70 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 09:45 pm »

Jackman, It's nice to know I'm not the Lone Ranger when it comes to wives and Amazon. I have a tough time trying to get the excess cardboard in my recycling bin.

Guys, I did break down and order a xls 1500 today. I figure if I don't like it, I know it will make a great sub amp.

Tomy2Tone · « **Reply #71 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 09:58 pm »

Quote from: steve f on 14 Nov 2014, 09:45 pm

Jackman, It's nice to know I'm not the Lone Ranger when it comes to wives and Amazon. I have a tough time trying to get the excess cardboard in my recycling bin.

Guys, I did break down and order a xls 1500 today. I figure if I don't like it, I know it will make a great sub amp.

Nice steve f!

Please let us know what you think when you get the chance to fiddle around with it.

Brad · « **Reply #72 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 11:07 pm »

Quote from: steve f on 14 Nov 2014, 09:45 pm

Jackman, It's nice to know I'm not the Lone Ranger when it comes to wives and Amazon. I have a tough time trying to get the excess cardboard in my recycling bin.

Guys, I did break down and order a xls 1500 today. I figure if I don't like it, I know it will make a great sub amp.

Steve F - it IS a terrific sub amp.

zapper7 · « **Reply #73 on:** 14 Nov 2014, 11:37 pm »

Topless....

I have 2 Class D amps that were shutting down for short periods of time when pushed hard due to overheating. I cut holes in the bottom and went topless with great success. I know it's not meant to have a fan but every little bit seems to count when cooling it appears.

Funny thing is I have 2 Mackie amps running my subs and the fans are on all the time, from start up to shut down. Watching movies and music at volumes eliminates the fan noise anyway.

Looking forward to being the caboose (so Far) on the tour. I plan on running it with the top sections of my towers against the DAC Cherry and Class D amps, on the bottom sections of the towers against the Class D amps, and my subs against the Mackies.

Fun fun....

Tomy2Tone · « **Reply #74 on:** 15 Nov 2014, 12:47 am »

Quote from: zapper7 on 14 Nov 2014, 11:37 pm

Looking forward to being the caboose (so Far) on the tour. I plan on running it with the top sections of my towers against the DAC Cherry and Class D amps, on the bottom sections of the towers against the Class D amps, and my subs against the Mackies.

Fun fun....

Wow zapper7, you're going to need a journal with all that switching around.

Look forward to how the crown stacks up to the Cherry.

Here's an update on the tour list for everybody...

Jackman/Roscoeiii- Chicago

rodge827- Jersey

mjosef- Brooklyn

SteveFord- PA

jtsnead- MD

Freo-1- MA

zapper7- NV

Peter J- ID

S Clark- TX

Pm me if you want to be added.

Carry on chaps!

jk@home · « **Reply #75 on:** 15 Nov 2014, 01:26 am »

For the folks here who haven't had the chance to check out this amp yet and are worried about fan noise...don't. It is a non-issue. You literally have to put your ear up to the rear fan chassis opening to hear and feel it.

Tomy2Tone · « **Reply #76 on:** 15 Nov 2014, 02:51 pm »

Quote from: a.wayne on 14 Nov 2014, 08:56 pm

Crown is in the house, Predictions ........

My only prediction for Jackman is the obvious higher noise floor the crown will have over the ncores. Whether that's a big deal to him I don't know.

But I do fully expect Jackman to pull no punches, if it sucks say it sucks, if it compares then how? I'm looking forward to his honesty.

Everybody's system is different so the fact that you can adjust the gain on the fly is nice. It's already in stereo bypass mode so there's no messing with the menu for running it with full range speakers. I put the manual in with it as well so if you do plan on using the high pass or low pass and crossover modes it's there for reference.

Been noticing the weather back there ( I'm in AZ ) so I hope there's no problems with shipping from one participant to another.

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #77 on:** 15 Nov 2014, 03:24 pm »

I would like to know what speakers are members planning to use or are running with this Crown? I own a XTi 2002 which I bought for bi-triamping. I wanted to play with the DSP and other onboard menus but that for the domain of people with Windows PCs....a no no for a Mac person.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #78 on:** 15 Nov 2014, 03:33 pm »

Quote from: Tomy2Tone on 14 Nov 2014, 05:26 pm

Hey DaveC113, can you describe you're setup again and what SET you were comparing the crown to?

Sure, Source is a Sony HAP-Z1ES, Pre is an Aikido 6SN7 preamp, Omega Super 3 XRS, 10" Adire Audio Sub, SurgeX power, ZenWave Cables throughout.

I have two amps now, I got a Odyssey Stratos (thanks ZLS!)... it sounds great but the gain is way too high, I will see if I can call Klaus and get some direction for lowering it, but it might need a zero gain pre. My SET is an EL34 running in triode mode and with no driver section, the Aikido provides all the gain needed and has no problem driving the EL34s directly. It uses fairly high end parts, it has no coupling caps, Clarity TC PS caps (no electrolytics), 5AR4 Rectifier, Mills + Riken resistors, James OPTs, gold plated pure copper RCA jacks and binding posts, Furutech IEC w/circuit breaker... no fuse.

The Crown is not better than either the SET or the Odyssey, but it is very close... vs the SET the Crown is better on some kinds of music and also at higher volumes, the SET's midrange is better for vocals and acoustic music. Both the Stratos and Crown have plenty of power for my speakers, which are an easy load so they are both the same there, the presentation is different in subtle ways and I could see someone preferring one or the other just due to personal preference. I need to get the gain structure sorted with the Odyssey, right now it's too noisy with a 20 dB gain preamp driving it, the volume with my stepped attenuators is low to moderate at it's lowest setting, which is around -60 dB so the adjustment range I have has been exceeded. All three are very good amps but the Crown stands out for being so much less expensive than the other two... the SET amp would take over $1k just in parts to assemble, probably closer to $1.5k including chassis, and the Odyssey is close to $2k with it's upgrades. Both can also be seen as especially good values as well, the SET sounds amazing and the Odyssey is a huge over-achiever at it's price as well.

OzarkTom · « **Reply #79 on:** 15 Nov 2014, 03:45 pm »

Quote from: a.wayne on 14 Nov 2014, 08:56 pm

Crown is in the house, Predictions ........

My prediction is a very close race. No matter which amp wins, it will be less than 10%, probably closer to 5% difference. I am no DIY'er, so new, the Ncores would cost me $1900 vs. $325 for the Crown. I have seen several used Ncores go for $1200 here on AC and Audiogon the past few months, the last 2 1500's I bought were for $135 each.