Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Amplifier You Install the Most

my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

»	Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE » Operations » Film Handlers' Forum » The Amplifier You Install the Most (Page 1)

This topic comprises 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Author

Topic: The Amplifier You Install the Most

Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-23-2002 01:43 PM

Was wondering which make and model of amplifier most people are installing these days for both budget and highend theatres
Until its discontiouance I used the QSC USA amp the most with the DCA for high end
Now it seems to by ISA's

For Budget theatres we have been using a amp made in China and sold under the Pryamid name (1000watts bridged mono)

| IP: Logged

Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 06-23-2002 01:47 PM

I sill use QSC's. They are competitive in price.

| IP: Logged

Richard Fowler
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 06-23-2002 02:22 PM

The QSC ISA are made in China ( same as RMX / designed by QSC ). Most of our projects use DCA or ISA based on the client and our audio harnesses are designed to work with both types of amplifiers. The Harmon Group ( JBL and a million other companies they own ) has taken over Crown;there are some new options from that manufacturer. For home theatres and small screening rooms we have used Sherbourn multi-channel amplifiers.
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com

| IP: Logged

Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-23-2002 03:29 PM

I use the RMX QSC series the most. They are great and very cheap. Its essentially the same circuit as the QSC 1400 amp. In quantities they are VERY cheap and ultra cost effective. Have not lost a single unit in well over a year now. My second choice would most likeley be Crown Amps as they too are high quality and somewhat cost effective. Both QSC and Crown are very good sounding....not like Krell, or Pass Labs stuff, but very decent. For X-overs on two way systems I am switching to the Component Engineering THX replacement card, used either in a used 3417, or my own main frame. Second choice, and for three way would be either the digital, or analog JBL x-overs. I've gotten excellent results with them in past jobs.
Mark @ GTS

| IP: Logged

Pete Naples
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1565
From: Dunfermline, Scotland
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 06-23-2002 04:26 PM

QSC is king in these parts pretty much too. The USA has given way to the RMX, but I do like the DCA too, although reliability has been a bit of a problem, like a lot of US made kit, it's rated for the 220v supply that US makers seem to think we have here in Europe, feed it the 240 upwards supply that we have in reality and those SMPSUs go out with a BANG sometimes.

Middle of the road jobs I've been using HFA amplifiers made by a UK company called BK Electronics, and for the budget concious there's the OMP series from the same stable. Cheap they may be but they are surprisingly good for the £££

In the past Rauch and Quad Electroacoustic were popular, but I've nto seen any new ones of eitehr make for some time now.

| IP: Logged

Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-23-2002 08:55 PM

QSC here. DCA, ISA and MXa series. The bulk have been DCA amps though.

Mark, watch out on the Crowns (CE, CL, CH series)...they do not ground their inputs (despite the symbol the silk-screen on the panel). Also, they have a quirk in that the SPI indicator is on the input, pre-attenuator.

Steve

------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

| IP: Logged

Don Sneed
Master Film Handler

Posts: 451
From: Texas City, TX, USA
Registered: Aug 2001

posted 06-23-2002 11:00 PM

we use QSC DCA, & Crown CL series amps....I perfer the QSC anyday !!

| IP: Logged

Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 06-24-2002 02:59 AM

I haven't done that many installations (about 20 screens total). I had good experience with QSC 1400 (which is out of production now) and so I just kept using that model wherever possible. I was striving for uniformity from theatre to theatre in this chain I work for. Sometimes it wasn't possible to find that many used 1400s...

One of the theatres (a 3-plex) uses the USA type by QSC.

Another one (5-plex) uses Ashley amps. I think their subs are driven by Crown amps.

I'm always on a budget, so I got nearly all of my amps used and they are in great condition. I only had to return one and that was because the rack was set up for 220V and the amp in question was 110V only (or vice-versa).

| IP: Logged

Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 06-24-2002 12:11 PM

QSC 1x00 series, USA series and MX series. I have also recently installed Hafler and Crown in a couple locations, but mainly QSC for me

-Aaron

| IP: Logged

Bernard Tonks
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 619
From: Cranleigh, Surrey, England
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 06-24-2002 01:30 PM

quote:
Pete said:
Middle of the road jobs I've been using HFA amplifiers made by a UK company called BK Electronics, and for the budget concious there's the OMP series from the same stable. Cheap they may be but they are surprisingly good for the £££

As I installed stereo for monitoring in the projection room and to be able to enjoy a film from the large viewing port, I used BK Electronics OMP amplifiers which you can also get in module form only. Well built and rated at 100 watts rms, also included in the same price is a very meaty Toroidal power supply for a mere UK £39 including UK VAT plus £10 to include loudspeaker protection. Excellent value and service with a very little price increase today.

www.bkelec.com/
B.K Modules & Hybrids page.

The main amps with the Dolby CP55 were Quad make.

| IP: Logged

John Gordon
Film Handler

Posts: 62
From: Earth
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 06-24-2002 02:45 PM

Hello all,
Thanks for the support.
Our DCA and ISA models are our current cinema amps--as well as the MX series. For those who want the best, the DCA is the amp. For those on a budget, the ISA series is the choice.
I would highly discourage theaters from using the RMX as a cinema amplifier. It does not have the right features for cinema use, rather the RMX is intended for the DJ and MI markets. We do not authorize RMX amps to our cinema dealers. If you are on a budget, the ISA is the amp to use. The price is very similar to the RMX as well.
My personal favorite is the DCA--I use these at home as well. Great amp. And

, I will put the DCA amps up against your Krell or Pass Labs any day

------------------
John Gordon
QSC Audio Products, Inc.
1675 MacArthur Blvd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 957-7100
john_gordon@qscaudio.com
http://www.qscaudio.com

| IP: Logged

John Gordon
Film Handler

Posts: 62
From: Earth
Registered: Jul 2000

posted 06-24-2002 07:23 PM

Hello Pete,
I’m at a little bit of a loss regarding the failures you mention with the DCAs. Do you have an actual count of the number of amps that have gone down? We do not have a record of consistent failures.
But for your concern, and others in Europe, all of our amps for countries running on 240V power are indeed capable of 240V—our European amps are the exact double that of the US 120V—we just label them as 230V. It is true though that a switching supply can go out with a “bang.” I’m not trying to divert blame or anything, but is it possible the theaters have unstable power and pushing it well above 240V? We have 120V amps running in Mexico just fine on a nominal 127V, with lots of fluctuation too.

------------------
John Gordon
QSC Audio Products, Inc.
1675 MacArthur Blvd.
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 957-7100
john_gordon@qscaudio.com
http://www.qscaudio.com

| IP: Logged

Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-24-2002 08:33 PM

I haven't seen the DCA models--what features do they have that makes them appropriate for cinema use?

The places where I've worked have almost all had QSC MX and USA series, which seem to be very reliable. And I use an MX-1500a at home, though it is completely the wrong amp for my smallish apartment...it sounds good, though, so I'm keeping it.

| IP: Logged

Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-24-2002 10:36 PM

THe DCA is the best amp I have used
The worst are the Crown CE serries

| IP: Logged

Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 06-25-2002 12:08 AM

Steve,
I just completed a re-install of over 40 CE2000's at the Isis Theatre in Aspen, CO. All went very well and they sound great!! Speakers here are EAW, but not by my choice. I don't care for their HF sections much, you have to run the hf through a passive flter to bring them in line for THX, or for that matter just to get rid of the rising hf response so you can eq them properly. I always hate running through any sort of additional filter network on the hf end of things!! Not a single problem with the CE2000's though......
Mark @ GTS

| IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Printer-friendly view of this topic

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.