PA/PA

[MikeGee]

For those that are running pa/pa or has or will ect.


What are some good power amps for the price? ie. What is the best power amp for less then $350?


http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_american_audio_vlp1500_power_amplifier?full_sku=803182

any opinions of American Audio?

[Mysteryman]

I think its more about specs whether its a cheap or expensive amp. I would compare all the specs on a set of amps. I try to do things like this when looking at headphones and speakers online. Im not sure of all the details but I know that RMS watts and frequency range are the most important to me. Especially a large frequency range.

[ptidwell]

I don't think you will find an amp under $350 that will accomplish your objective, but I could be wrong. If you want something light in a single rack space checkout the Stewart World 1.2 new there about $650 used on talkbass they go for $400-$500. Also you are going to need a preamp and you need to make sure that the preamp can significantly push the power amp to get maxium output. You more than likely want a power anp that can run bridged and parallel and can take a 2 ohm load. That's asking a lot for a budget price. Checkout Crest CA9 or a CA6 Stewart also makes a 1.6 and a 2.1 there is also QSC power amps. Preamps there's Demeter, Alembic, Aguilar, BBE,  and Kern a good power amp and good preamp could run about $1200-$1500, but you'll have plenty of headroom with the right combination. Hope this helped.
Good luck.     

[MikeGee]

I don't think you will find an amp under $350 that will accomplish your objective, but I could be wrong. If you want something light in a single rack space checkout the Stewart World 1.2 new there about $650 used on talkbass they go for $400-$500. Also you are going to need a preamp and you need to make sure that the preamp can significantly push the power amp to get maxium output. You more than likely want a power anp that can run bridged and parallel and can take a 2 ohm load. That's asking a lot for a budget price. Checkout Crest CA9 or a CA6 Stewart also makes a 1.6 and a 2.1 there is also QSC power amps. Preamps there's Demeter, Alembic, Aguilar, BBE,  and Kern a good power amp and good preamp could run about $1200-$1500, but you'll have plenty of headroom with the right combination. Hope this helped.
Good luck.     

Here are my ideas of pres.

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-TEC-RBI.html

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-BBE-BMAX.html

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-BBE-BMAXT.html

Here are my ideas of power amps.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_crown_xls_602d_power_amplifier?full_sku=103635546

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_qsc_rmx_1850hd_power_amp?full_sku=481567

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_crown_xls_802d_power_amplifier?full_sku=103635553

[Mysteryman]

You look like you trying to do some damage. Must be a large church.

[MikeGee]

You look like you trying to do some damage. Must be a large church.

I plan for the future. I hear a lot of stories from "more mature" musicians that are married and how their gear purchasing has been put to a limit. I'm not married with no children, I figured now is the time to get the things I want for now and the future.

[ptidwell]

Here are my ideas of pres.

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-TEC-RBI.html

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-BBE-BMAX.html

http://www.americanmusical.com/item--i-BBE-BMAXT.html

Here are my ideas of power amps.

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_crown_xls_602d_power_amplifier?full_sku=103635546

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_qsc_rmx_1850hd_power_amp?full_sku=481567

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_crown_xls_802d_power_amplifier?full_sku=103635553

You can't go wrong with the BBE BMAXT. I am familiar with the QSC 1850 in a bass setup I would probably lean that way, however at the church I select and purchase all the sound gear and we run nothing but crown amps, about eight of them but there the 3600VL and 2400 series amps and we have never had a problem with them. Oh yea, on the other end we do have a couple of 602's not the D's running the monitors four aux sends. Crown makes great amps.
Finally, I run a Alembic F-1X preamp into a Crest CA9, but I am looking for a Stewart 1.6 because I want to travel light and yet have a heavy weight punch when I am at a venue that requires that type of headroom. Normally I just carry my ThunderFunk TFB550-B that can do most any venue I play. Let us know what you chose. 

[6stringapprentice]

I know alot of people dont like the company but have you though of the Behringer EP series.http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_behringer_europower_ep2500_power_amp?full_sku=102496544. (I got my for 299 from samedaymusic a while back) I think this amp was designed for people who where running multiple cabinets because the channel is rated down to 2 ohms. This may be too low for some. It was perfect for me because it allowed me to wire my 4x10 all in parrallel to 2 ohms and get all 1200 watts. and my 2x10 is getting 700 @ 4ohms from the other channel. I have never had any problems with it. The protection cirucit is really nice the amp will allow you speakers to peak without letting them go into thermal breakdown. Overall the only complaint is the weight the transformer is HEAVY.

[MikeGee]

I know alot of people dont like the company but have you though of the Behringer EP series.http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_behringer_europower_ep2500_power_amp?full_sku=102496544. (I got my for 299 from samedaymusic a while back) I think this amp was designed for people who where running multiple cabinets because the channel is rated down to 2 ohms. This may be too low for some. It was perfect for me because it allowed me to wire my 4x10 all in parrallel to 2 ohms and get all 1200 watts. and my 2x10 is getting 700 @ 4ohms from the other channel. I have never had any problems with it. The protection cirucit is really nice the amp will allow you speakers to peak without letting them go into thermal breakdown. Overall the only complaint is the weight the transformer is HEAVY.

How do you like your pre-amp. I had the non-rack unit (til I gave it away) I liked the models but didn't like the effrcts.

[6stringapprentice]

Honestly for what I do with it I would have better off with a regular preamp because that is all I use it for but I only payed 70 bucks for it. A lot of people say it is difficult but I dont think it is there are just so many features I mean you got the 16 bass amp sims, 23 cab sims, 3 live modes, 3 studio modes, 2 function eq, compression, and effects so it takes a while to get the sound your looking for. I will never get rid of this unit but I think I am goin to switch to the BBE Bmax SS just for the simplicity.