Crown XLS- for the rest of us!

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Tomy2Tone

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #900 on: 2 Jan 2015, 12:48 am »
You have to call Astron direct and order SL-11 and have them mod it, cost 95 bucks plus shipping. Cryoman sells that power cord for 65 bucks. These mods improves the Itube by at last 200%.

Nice. I'm looking forward to your feedback on the Salis mod vs stock as well as the cryo version. Now a Salis mod plus cryo is still yet to be heard so it'll be interesting who gets it first.


OzarkTom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #901 on: 2 Jan 2015, 12:50 am »
That's a lot of money for an Astron.

For the DIY'ers, just mod a used 12v Astron for 9V.

Folsom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #902 on: 2 Jan 2015, 12:55 am »
I'd just use something else all together at line level. There's lots of things out there.

OzarkTom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #903 on: 2 Jan 2015, 01:07 am »
I'd just use something else all together at line level. There's lots of things out there.

So $95 is too much but $369 is not? :scratch:

Folsom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #904 on: 2 Jan 2015, 01:23 am »
So $95 is too much but $369 is not? :scratch:

I thought it was $95 on top of the original $100~


OzarkTom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #905 on: 2 Jan 2015, 01:39 am »
In Texas, here are two 1500's for $175 each.

http://killeen.craigslist.org/for/4777424086.html

roscoeiii

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #906 on: 2 Jan 2015, 02:03 am »
Cryo'd Itube plus Astron 9v power supply with Reality Cables power cord will set you back about 500 bucks. This is a killer combo with the Crown XLS.

I like that these things can be done incrementally.

Folsom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #907 on: 2 Jan 2015, 02:35 am »

This demonstration was a real "Wow" for the attendees. The Rickie Lee Jones (RLJ) cut was played at realistic, but certainly not unpleasant, levels in the relatively small hotel exhibit room on speakers with an estimated sensitivity of about 89 dB. The average power typically read 1-2 Watts, while the power on peaks often topped 250 Watts (the power display monitored only one channel, so these numbers should be interpreted as Watts per channel). On this cut, most peaks occurred with an aggressive "thwack" to a snare drum positioned dead center. - Bob Cordell
 

I just ordered the CD but... Obviously a lot of that wattage is speaker compression, and this kind of huge disparity tells us that most of us listen to some clipping pretty much all the time. Perceived sense of the music is a bit different than just the SPL/watt reading.

a.wayne

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Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #908 on: 2 Jan 2015, 05:20 am »
Notice the avg din was @ 1-2 watts and yes most are listening to soft compressed dynamics and speed .........

JohanH

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Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #909 on: 2 Jan 2015, 05:41 am »


This demonstration was a real "Wow" for the attendees. The Rickie Lee Jones (RLJ) cut was played at realistic, but certainly not unpleasant, levels in the relatively small hotel exhibit room on speakers with an estimated sensitivity of about 89 dB. The average power typically read 1-2 Watts, while the power on peaks often topped 250 Watts (the power display monitored only one channel, so these numbers should be interpreted as Watts per channel). On this cut, most peaks occurred with an aggressive "thwack" to a snare drum positioned dead center. - Bob Cordell


http://www.cordellaudio.com/he2007/show_report.shtml

 

Wow indeed.
That album (Flying Cowboys) has a max DR value of 24.
Only the original Geffen release is mentioned in the DR Database; I have a 2010 remaster that most likely is compressed so just for fun I'll get the Geffen version and compare.

Edit: the remaster is slightly compressed. Max DR is 22, album is 16
« Last Edit: 2 Jan 2015, 06:44 am by JohanH »

Jazzaudio

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #910 on: 2 Jan 2015, 06:48 am »
I'm happy others hear the baseline sound I hear with the Crowns (or vice versa, since I'm new to this particular circle!)  Especially with so many different speakers, cables, sources, rooms, etc.  I'm using a modified Jolida JD100 CDP, with output "> 2V, 47 Kohms," directly into the XLS1500, with the amp gain levels at 10 o'clock.  With 94.5 db Omega speakers I'm getting deep layered clarity and sometimes shocking dynamics and fullness in my roughly 24x20x10 room.  While I could adjust the gain levels, for some reason I don't.  I haven't heard anything that was so quiet I had to increase the gain , but at the same time I'm amazed at the variance in recording levels on discs.

On a side note, the Lady overheard me discussing the lack of remote volume control and muting in my system, and asked what was the problem.  I explained I had to pause the CDP via remote when the phone rang, doorbell rang, something popped up on TV that interested me, etc.  She said wouldn't it be just as good to pause the CDP and pick-up the music exactly where I left off, instead of muting or turning down the preamp volume and letting the music continue  to play while I was preoccupied with something else?  Initially I thought this was a preemptive strike against me experimenting with a dedicated preamp.   But then I thought about what she said...LOL   :icon_surprised:           

OzarkTom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #911 on: 2 Jan 2015, 04:20 pm »
It looks like Harman will be exhibiting at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas at the CES show next week if anyone here is going. Harman is sponsoring a live concert of KISS at the show.

http://news.harman.com/Press-Releases/HARMAN-to-Crank-Up-the-Volume-at-CES-203.aspx

Tomy2Tone

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #912 on: 2 Jan 2015, 04:47 pm »
I'm happy others hear the baseline sound I hear with the Crowns (or vice versa, since I'm new to this particular circle!)  Especially with so many different speakers, cables, sources, rooms, etc.  I'm using a modified Jolida JD100 CDP, with output "> 2V, 47 Kohms," directly into the XLS1500, with the amp gain levels at 10 o'clock.  With 94.5 db Omega speakers I'm getting deep layered clarity and sometimes shocking dynamics and fullness in my roughly 24x20x10 room.  While I could adjust the gain levels, for some reason I don't.  I haven't heard anything that was so quiet I had to increase the gain , but at the same time I'm amazed at the variance in recording levels on discs.

On a side note, the Lady overheard me discussing the lack of remote volume control and muting in my system, and asked what was the problem.  I explained I had to pause the CDP via remote when the phone rang, doorbell rang, something popped up on TV that interested me, etc.  She said wouldn't it be just as good to pause the CDP and pick-up the music exactly where I left off, instead of muting or turning down the preamp volume and letting the music continue  to play while I was preoccupied with something else?  Initially I thought this was a preemptive strike against me experimenting with a dedicated preamp.   But then I thought about what she said...LOL   :icon_surprised:         

Hey Jazzaudio, thanks for sharing and welcome! If you ever do get a dedicated preamp please let us know how it mates with the rest of your system.

Have you tried different brands of tubes with your Jolida? After I get my Perseus back from being upgraded I'll probably look at doing some tube rolling.

Any other Crown owners out there feel free to come out the closet, it's ok we're all family here!  :D

If we can just find that Revel Salon owner from that Audioholics thread ( or whatever thread ) that would be neat.

jk@home

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Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #913 on: 3 Jan 2015, 09:01 pm »
To the folks out there who have added damping weight to the Crowns, what did you use, bags of sand? looking for something cheap and cheerful.   :)

I'm setting mine up now, used some sorbothane semi-spheres as feet. They are rated at 2-4 # each, and with the Crown weighing in at around 8-1/2 pounds, guess I can add about 6 more pounds to the top of the chassis or where ever.


roscoeiii

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #914 on: 3 Jan 2015, 09:11 pm »
To the folks out there who have added damping weight to the Crowns, what did you use, bags of sand? looking for something cheap and cheerful.   :)

I'm setting mine up now, used some sorbothane semi-spheres as feet. They are rated at 2-4 # each, and with the Crown weighing in at around 8-1/2 pounds, guess I can add about 6 more pounds to the top of the chassis or where ever.

I've got some Herbies Tenderfeet which work well. And Herbie has a good return policy if you don't like them.

OzarkTom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #915 on: 3 Jan 2015, 09:14 pm »
To the folks out there who have added damping weight to the Crowns, what did you use, bags of sand? looking for something cheap and cheerful.   :)

I'm setting mine up now, used some sorbothane semi-spheres as feet. They are rated at 2-4 # each, and with the Crown weighing in at around 8-1/2 pounds, guess I can add about 6 more pounds to the top of the chassis or where ever.

 I used the two end weights of of a barbell hand weight. Total weight of those were 5 pounds. Cryoman used 7.5 pounds of lead shot.

Look inside your tackle box and see if you have any lead lying in there. :D

Folsom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #916 on: 3 Jan 2015, 09:16 pm »
Mechanical dampening is good, electrical is better  8)

Tomy2Tone

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #917 on: 3 Jan 2015, 09:16 pm »
To the folks out there who have added damping weight to the Crowns, what did you use, bags of sand? looking for something cheap and cheerful.   :)

I'm setting mine up now, used some sorbothane semi-spheres as feet. They are rated at 2-4 # each, and with the Crown weighing in at around 8-1/2 pounds, guess I can add about 6 more pounds to the top of the chassis or where ever.

I think anything that can distribute the weight works. It even helps having some weight on top of the speakers. I have Herbies sonic stabilizers but they aren't cheap but they are cheerful.  :D

I like using them because they are small and you can incrementally adjust the weight and see what is enough and what is too much. A while ago I had an extra barbell plate that was 10 lbs and it made my speakers sound really dead and lifeless. Put a few stabilizers on top and they have good clarity, put a couple more and the bass tightened up.

Something you can just play around with and see if it works for you or not. I think the guy that Ozarktom sent his Crown to for Cryo said 7 lbs worked really good.

OzarkTom

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #918 on: 3 Jan 2015, 09:26 pm »
And don't forget the moongel pads. $7 for six of them. And these beats everything out there at the moment, even stillpoints.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RTOM-Moongel-Drum-Damper-Pad-Moongel-Drum-Damper-Pad-/171242036275?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ded21c33

rodge827

Re: Crown XLS- for the rest of us!
« Reply #919 on: 5 Jan 2015, 08:41 pm »
Happy New Year! to all of the XLS owners and those of you who haven't been convinced to purchase one yet!

I'm done my listening and the tour amp will be delivered to mjosef tomorrow.

First, a big thank you to Tomy2Tone for his generosity in sending the amp on tour, and trusting that a bunch of half whit audiophools don't destroy it.  :D

I'll do my best to describe my experience with the XLS 1500, but since I'm not a pro writer please excuuz enie gramatik airers and the like.  :roll:

DISCLAIMER - I have not listened to the Ncores so there will be no comparison to them here!

System is as follows: 47 Labs Flatfish Transport>MSB Digital Director>Dspeaker Dual Core 2.0>iTube>XLS via XLR-RCS cable and Dual Core RCA out>RCA in on Subs, Speakers are Shelby+Kroll Nano Monitors with a matching pair of Woofer Monitors(subs)

Room 11w x 15l x 8h

Speakers are 8' apart and 4' into the room and I sit 8' away.

1) Did I like the amp? Yes

  It lived up to all the hype and I had the same experiences as others who have listened to it.

2) Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes

For the cost and the ability to return it...its a no brainer!
 
3) Does it have balls? Yes

My speakers are 86db into 6ohm and drop off very steeply at 100hz (24db slope I think). I have had them singing on as little as 8w, but sound best with about 25w. The XLS drove them nicely and with loads of headroom to control the drivers very precisely. 

4) Can it convey the delicate nuances like air, creaky floors, the ladies having a conversation near the recording mic  :roll:, mic bumps, finger plucks, breathing...Yes

I like to listen to live music more than studio stuff, but the XLS is so clear that you get that feeling of (Warning! Overused Audio Cliche's About To Be Written) musicians are "in the room" with you. Hall echos, depth, height and voices very real in tonal balance. Some over produced stuff (Diana Krall) sounds that way while the better older live recordings (Bill Evans Live At The Village Vanguard) offer up that "you are there" experience. (OK that was 2 audio cliche's..Deal with it  :D)

5) Is this the best amp I have ever listened to? No

 But it is darn close! The amp I would really like to have in my system would run in the 20k range and being that this amp is about $400.00 methinks I can seriously live with it!  :thumb:

6) Will I buy this amp? Yep already did!

 Was lucky enough to find one for sale about 20 miles from home and purchased it on New Years Eve...Happy New Year to me!

In conclusion the Crown XLS is a winner!

I did use a custom Mosfet amp before the XLS and though it was all that and a bag of chips, but I was wrong! I don't like to admit that too often but things being as they are... :oops: 
With the XLS in my system the sound stage grew in depth and height and the detail was off the charts! Not some kind of fake detail with trumped up high frequencies but the detail that portray's the artist as human! I could here deeper into the little nuances that bring out a (Dare I say it?) 3D feel to the music. By nature my Shelby+Kroll monitors throw a big spooky sound-stage and image about the best I have ever heard. With the XLS in the chain all of the very good attributes to the S+K's were increased exponentially and then some. The XLS allowed me to listen to the true potential that my speakers were capable of.
As compared to the TBI amp the XLS completely out classed it!  Think of a fast food restaurant compared to a 5 star joint! White gloves, white linen, great ambiance and some seriously good service to accompany all the great flavors popping around your mouth! (Keep it clean here guys!)

Truth be told I was looking to get out of my audio hobby. I wasn't enjoying it any more and my system was sounding flat and uninteresting. I would listen occasionally, loose interest, turn it off and go to sleep. With the XLS that has all changed and I now have a verve for it again.

Poppa's got his groove back!

Chris