[Tomy2Tone]

Tom,
Didn't you have the Aluminati X2 amps in your system and how do they compare to the Crowns?

Yes I still have the X2 and think it's a really good amp as well. I haven't had it in my system for a little while since I've been playing with the crowns so I'll do my best to compare by memory.

Forgive me if I don't make any sense in trying to describe the differences but the X2 amp replaced a pair of W4S sx500 monoblocks and immediately I remembered the X2 being a much more precise and clear sounding amp. It had a little less weight to the sound than the sx500's but I liked that vocals were much more easy to hear and background detail was really good.

The crown seems to be just as detailed but voices are now more forward. It's almost like the front man is literally in front singing. While the X2 has a lower noise floor than the crown to my ears the crown is a little smoother sounding, which DaveC113 said could be a result of intentional distortion to sound more tube like. The crown also seems to be a little more 3d like in its soundstage.

I think if you had copper cables with the X2 and silver cables with the crown you could have a similar sounding amp but I have not done any experiments of sort. Physically the X2 is a much better looking amp for obvious reasons and runs very cool.

Hopefully that explains a little.

[cab]

Is this the Aluminati with the Pascal modules?

[Tomy2Tone]

Is this the Aluminati with the Pascal modules?

Yes, it uses the S-PRO2 module. It seemed to have gotten better remarks than the M-PRO module when I read a 6 moons review on the Gato Dia 400 and 250.

[cab]

Be interesting to compare the new Anaview with the ncore and Pascal....

[OzarkTom]

Is there any general consensus that ASIDE from power output the Crown XLS 1500, XLS 2000 and XLS 2500 are all the same in terms of SOUND QUALITY?
Looking at purchasing one, so I'd like to be sure. Thank you.

I think someone liked the ifi gear. I'm hesitant because the tube is soldered to the board.

Sound quality on all three are the same, and I am also running the Itube. This combo is definately a big bang for the bucks. Tube life on the Ifi Itube is a very long time, you might have to do a search on that. And once you get hooked on the 3D circuit, it will be very hard to give that up even if you buy another pre-amp. Frankly, I wish every amp on the market have this 3D circuit and have a remote to be able to engage or disengage it.

At these prices the Crowns are, I don't know why they could not have afford to give us a remote volume control.

[Tomy2Tone]

Be interesting to compare the new Anaview with the ncore and Pascal....

I believe the D-sonic amps are supposed to have the latest Anaview modules but I have not heard or read any impressions.

[Russell Dawkins]

Is there any general consensus that ASIDE from power output the Crown XLS 1500, XLS 2000 and XLS 2500 are all the same in terms of SOUND QUALITY?
Looking at purchasing one, so I'd like to be sure. Thank you.

Seems to me I read that Crown employees were buying the 2000s and 2500s for their own use. Don't know why, though. They do weigh about 2 lb more than the 1000 and 1500 and are  2-odd inches deeper.

[OzarkTom]

The crown seems to be just as detailed but voices are now more forward. It's almost like the front man is literally in front singing.

It makes sense that Crown would voice their amps more upfront since they are used as pro amps for PA and concerts.

As soon as I get the amp back from the cryo man next week and see how it sounds, I will probably send my other 1500 in and get it cryo'd. If I don't send it in you know what that means. That is when I will hook these up as monos and I will give you the results.

Gee, I have never had 1550 WPC into a 4 ohm load.

[WireNut]

I just don't understand dropping ANY component in 300 below temperatures.
That's for another thread tho.

[OzarkTom]

Seems to me I read that Crown employees were buying the 2000s and 2500s for their own use. Don't know why, though. They do weigh about 2 lb more than the 1000 and 1500 and are  2-odd inches deeper.

I kept going back and forth between the 1500 and 2000. Just when I thought I heard something different, I would switch but back and found the same. Both amps has the same vocals, soundstage, depth, and detail. The 2500's usually go for $400 used, you can buy 2-1500's for $400 and have dual monos. I saw quite a few 1000's on Craiglist for $150, I am tempted to see how that one sounds.

If I was a Crown employee and got their discount, I would probably buy a 2500. It has more weight, more power, and some here might like the extra two inches in depth.

[sonicxtc]

Seems to me I read that Crown employees were buying the 2000s and 2500s for their own use. Don't know why, though. They do weigh about 2 lb more than the 1000 and 1500 and are  2-odd inches deeper.

Yes, I'd read that too--but only from ONE source-- and posted it in the other Crown thread. I simply don't know WHAT the differences are between the models.

[Folsom]

See the quad cap bank in the back? 1500 only has two in the PFC reservoir. Unfortunately they didn't arrange them for cancellation on the 2500, and no cancellation on the 1500. They both lack it on the output to the amplification section. The heatsinks help some as shields, but not as much for what the caps are putting out.

That being said, look directly in front of the close heatsinks in picture. On the PCB board there is the drive section. Under the clips, the SS steel looking things is the actual amplification switching devices. The 1500 only has one clip on each heatsink, so just 4x total devices. Given that they parallel them in the 1500, I don't think more or less would affect sound.

[OzarkTom]

Some topology info from the development team.  Not sure if it will be of any assistance.   Reads a bit like a brochure.
http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/designer_notebook_inside_new_crown_xls_series_power_amplifiers/

According to this excellent article that noway posted, the designer team did everything they could to get the same performance out of the whole series.

[lowtech]

See the quad cap bank in the back? 1500 only has two in the PFC reservoir. Unfortunately they didn't arrange them correctly on any of the amps so their fields don't cancel. If they did, the 2500 would most likely be better, if detectable.

Since when are capacitors sensitive to "fields"?  Additionally, they are power supply caps, so once they're charged they're subject to DC... so there are no fields... created... or to be sensitive to. 

[Folsom]

I'm sorry but that's a discussion that will hijack the thread. If what you believed were true then Bybee music rails wouldn't exist, power conditioners would be useless, and there wouldn't be an input filter to this amp.

All capacitors have their own field btw. Having them arranged properly reduces resonation.

[*Scotty*]

I am not understanding this either, maybe you could start a thread in the Lab Circle and explain this. The external aluminum case of the cap has the full rail voltage on it with a corresponding field around it, but how on earth can you orient the caps cancel the field out, it is shaped like the can and is symmetrical. There will be distortion of the field if two caps are placed within a certain proximity to one another regardless.
Scotty

[Tomy2Tone]

It makes sense that Crown would voice their amps more upfront since they are used as pro amps for PA and concerts.

As soon as I get the amp back from the cryo man next week and see how it sounds, I will probably send my other 1500 in and get it cryo'd. If I don't send it in you know what that means. That is when I will hook these up as monos and I will give you the results.

Gee, I have never had 1550 WPC into a 4 ohm load.

Would you mind giving a brief overview of the cryo process in regards to something like a piece of audio equipment. How long does the process take and in what type of medium is it performed?

Once you get the 1500 back will it take another 100-200hrs to break in again? Just curious how this is all done.

[Folsom]

I am not understanding this either, maybe you could start a thread in the Lab Circle and explain this. The external aluminum case of the cap has the full rail voltage on it with a corresponding field around it, but how on earth can you orient the caps cancel the field out, it is shaped like the can and is symmetrical. There will be distortion of the field if two caps are placed within a certain proximity to one another regardless.
Scotty

Most people don't care, but it has an affect. Here's a thread.

[Occam]

Most people don't care, but it has an affect. Here's a thread.

before you start that thread, you might want to investigate the difference between electrostatic coupling (capacitive) and electromagnetic coupling (inductive). And as Scotty (that rapscallion) said, the cylindrical surface of a can capacitor is sitting at the positive voltage....

EDIT: or frigg'n actually read your reference -

Interference: Inductors may affect nearby components on a circuit board with their magnetic fields, which can extend significant distances beyond the inductor. This is especially true if there are other inductors nearby on the circuit board. If the magnetic fields of two or more inductors are able to "link" with each others' turns of wire, there will be mutual inductance present in the circuit as well as self-inductance, which could very well cause unwanted effects. This is another reason why circuit designers tend to choose capacitors over inductors to perform similar tasks: capacitors inherently contain their respective electric fields neatly within the component package and therefore do not typically generate any "mutual" effects with other components.

[Folsom]

It only has the purpose to reduce magnetic. (That can get exaggerated from inertia)