★ *REVIEWING: **amzn.to/3mAJB3v** NEED MORE INFO? ✔︎ THE ⬆︎DESCRIPTION⬆︎* ★ *QOTD: Do you think audiophiles will ever accept Crown amps as hifi contenders? What's another amplifier that more people need to know about?* ★ *COMMENT RULES:* - No outside URLs or RU-vid links. - Please be respectful to one another. Harassment and threats will not be tolerated.
Andrew, I went and purchased a Legacy Powerbloc2, class D amp about a month ago. I can’t believe how solid and transparent it is. Using it with a Martin Logan 60XTis (4 Ohm impedance) the beast amp is capable of 650W rms. I didn’t have to hurt my back to install it.
Just swapped out a musical fidelity m6i which is a fantastic amp bought a crown 1502 on ebay and paired it with a topping pre 90 and was suprised how good the sound is from these 2 i have a topping d90 a parks audio puffin phono pre amp which is connected to the d90 via coax a linn sondek and elac carina speakers i was sceptical about how good this would be but i am amazed how good this sounds
Andrew - I am using a crown to drive 2 subs with preouts from a Marantz av receiver. I have all of the sub preouts maxed out. I have resorted to Amazon line level gain boosters. They only work sporadically. When they do, it sounds great! How did you match yours? High end home audio pre outs are apparently much lower than what the Crown inputs need. Do you recommend a higher end solution? I will pay more to get consistent sound quality.
I just received my XLS 1002 today, plugged it in and tested it with various music. I was uncertain that it was going to be as good as reported by many reviews, however I am so glad I took your advice. The sound is head and shoulders better than my old JVC 6012R. Full and rounded with no discernible deficit. What an amp.
I had a Crown XLS 1000 and loved it. Gave it to a friend and now I have a Crown XLS 2502. I never heard the fan in my 1000 but in some (rare) circumstances, like quiet sections at low volumes, I can hear the fan in the 2502. Well, that problem is solved. If you're interested, here's the fix - and it's easy. The Noctua NF-R8 redux-1800 is about $10, and it matches the specs of the 2502's fan - 12V, roughly identical CFM (cubic feet per minute of air moved), but there's a catch: it's about 13 dB quieter in official rating, and I wouldn't be surprised if the OE fan manufacturer lies about the noise rating a little bit. Installing it is really easy, as the XLS' case top is secured with Torx screws and the snap-ins that hold the fan in place can be pushed from behind and easily pulled out (and reinstalled). The only tricky thing is that you have to remove the pins from the fan connector and swap the order of the red/black wires. If you have a small flathead screwdriver that will be sufficient to get the leads to pop out, then pull back the sleeve, cross red over black, and re-assemble the connector. The Noctua has a 3 pin connector, but you only need to connect the red/black part. The yellow pin will simply be unused.
Thanks for your video. I purchased and use the XLS1502 DriveCore 2 preamped from my Denon receiver to drive my front stereo mains in my home stereo/theatre setup, with input sensitivity @.775 Vrms .... Unreal power and sound! The realism and soundstage it brings to my stereo music, I close my eyes and the artists are in the room with me! Clean, pure, neutral sounding power that simply allows your sources & speakers to determine your sound signature. Noise floor is dead, dead quiet. Never going back. :-) Thanks again.
I have a couple crest amps, a 10004, and a 10001, they each weigh 150lbs. I bought a crown xls 2500 from a pawn shop and was blown away. I'll be honest it bothered the shit out of me. The midrange and upper frequencies were just brilliant. I have over 100 amps of all different levels and topology and to my ears none I tried sounded better until I a pair of Emotiva xpa1s series 2 amps, and I can't really say for certain that they sound better, and I run the matching xsp 1 pre amp processor. The crown I run with no preamp and it just blows me away that kind of sound can come from something so miniscule. I put off leaving this comment for as long as I could. Great video thank you.
I tried an XLS 1002 with my cd player and used a Rolls mixer as a volume control. It was vastly superior to my previous amplifier. I have since acquired a XLS 2502 and use it to drive a pair of JBL SRX835 3 ways for my stereo system. Ridiculous for home use, it is truly powerful and articulate. No need for subs. XLS Drivecore 2 AMPs deliver a gigantic boom for the buck. They are wonderful amps...quiet, flat, and effortlessly powerful. Highly recommended!!!!
@@AB-80X 1970's SX727 Pioneer. Just not powerful enough. And bass was poor even with decently efficient speakers. Highs and mids are so much clearer in the XLS amp it is amazing. The Pioneer was a great rig back in the day and it was very heavy and ran hot. It was weird to see the very lightweight XLS totally outclass it, especially in terms of power. And stay cool while doing so.
I 've always been of the mind that if a pro amp has to sound clean at 120db through horn-loaded p.a. speakers, they should sound great with home hi-fi. In general, this is true. With the exception of some units having loud cooling fans that stay on all the time, pro amps are amazing values for performance, real specs and reliability. Crown has been a leader of these virtues since their beginning. The beastly DC300 of the 1970s weighed a ton but was one of Sterophile's favorite, if not all-time favorite amps of the period. Incredibly stable, colorless, clear sound with seemingly unlimited power reserves... what more do you want?
I am a live sound engineer and long time fan of Crown Amplifiers ,going back to the original Macro-Tech series. For many years Crown was and still might be the de-facto standard in the industry. I LOVE THEM. I share you point of view in that they currently build amps that are affordable and rival many others which cost more. When Clarence Moore, the founder of Crown started the company they made tape recorders and eventually decided to make high fidelity amps which again evolved into high powered professional amplifiers, so Crown definitely has some hifi experience.Furthermore, The well defined , well controlled bass comes from their higher than average "damping factor".Nice videos, keep up the good work!
I am just glad your back to making these types of video's. I used all of your video's to create my home theater\ music listening room. Did I spend to much...maybe...but its perfect for me.
For the last 3 years I have been using the XLS with my JBL l220 and couldn't be happier. This is the best bargain in the amplifier world bar none. Thanks Crown for delivering such an amazing product:)
Been using a Crown XLS 1002 for the last several years… it replaced a pair of Trio LM-07 mono blocks… and I must say I am very impressed… better control of the bass, indistinguishable in the mids, and slightly more detailed but perhaps more etched at the top… so might not be perfect for rather forward speakers or bright speakers.. but with my Dalis I love it!
I couldn't agree more Andrew. I am a sound engineer and recovering audiophile, I LOVE CROWN Amplifiers.Most great amp technologies come from companies in Professional Sound. CROWN was founded by a Missionary named Clarence Moore and in terms of amplifiers they started out in home HIFI. CROWN have always been about sonic accuracy( or as audiophiles say "neutrality").Crown amps also possess some of the highest "damping factor" in the industry, minimum 200:1 or better. This means far better speaker control than most overpriced, hyper expensive,so-called "audiophile" brands.A CROWN XLS Drivecore 1002 produces 210 watts per channel all day all night 24/7 @8ohms 350@4ohms and yes it produces 550 @ 2 ohms for all of you out there with Magnepan ribbon speakers and various electrostatics - both channels driven ! Most "Audiophile amps aren't even rated down to 2 ohms! Stop pupu-ing Professional Amps!
That's all I need yo hear...I desperately need more power for my magnapans...I've been looking at class a and ab... but they are ungodly expensive for the power I need...this is the answer. Thank you, guys!
The history of Crown Audio is very interesting. The founder, Clarence Moore worked at Christian shortwave station HCJB in Quito Ecuador in the early 1940s. When he returned to the USA he began manufacturing rugged portable reel to reel recorders that were used by missionaries. The company also built professional reel to reel recorders that were widely used in commercial stations in the States. In 1964 Crown produced their first solid state amp. I had the pleasure of being able to use some of Crown's equipment as a high schooler in Quito.
I was in guitar center today they had some on the top shelf. I said screw it I bought one. Well I have it hooked up to some bozak MB 80s. Holy hell. I'm impressed. It was worth every penny. Looks are as said a bit to be desired. The clarity and weight this added to theses tiny speakers to make them sound great and not a note is off. Screw opinions and graphs. It's great.
As a live sound engineer, I was able to use some of the best amplification including Crown and Crest. Amplifier technology has finally evolved to Class D and have improved in strides lowering the switching power supplies to what it is today. I am surprised that professional amplifier manufacturers are failing to see the home audio market and creating a separate division to re-package their pro gear to home audio enthusiasts. I am glad though that single ended connections (RCA) are now becoming an add on to make it easier to implement pro gear to home systems since most home gear have RCA's. All they have to do is re-package these amps to be more "home-e" looking with cases and front panels that suit home audio enthusiasts....I know that Magnepan owners love these pro amps and drive them with aplomb!
Crest. It was a really great amp once. In the late 80's and up though the mid 90's, I tried to use nothing but 7001, 8001 and 10001 amps. Crown Macrotech's were powerful, but did not sound nice. They were workhorses though and would stand up to most things. But things have most certainly changed, and like with Turbosound, JBL and many other things, the Harman group has ruined Crown, just like Peavey have ruined Crest, and Midas is a shadow of its former self. As a fellow live engineer, i'd say it's hard to beat the sound quality and reliability of a Lab PLM, Powesoft K, FFA or MC2 Delta. I simply don't get why people are still raving about Crowns and QSC, but I suppose it's no different than the "sheeple" that has to use line arrays despite all it's shortcomings. A shame people are not using their ears and simply drink the Koolaid.
Although to be fair, Crown did a pretty good job of stepping all over themselves even before they were acquired. Reliability in pro applications has been a problem for Crown for 20 years. When was the last time you saw a Crown amplifier in any rig that wasn't partnered with JBL?
@@AB-80X Basically it's because most people not very discerning, even people who you'd think would know better. Experienced ears are rare and long term listening will sort out the crap, the good and the best.
Yeah, great job. Now it is time for the DJs and pro audio snobs to unite. Go class D amplification! ;-) Seriously, though... Class-D amplification is getting better sounding, and a very few of them can do a reasonable job of driving difficult speakers (low efficiency, low impedance, highly reactive) . Class A and A/B still have a unique signature and use cases.
@Larry Niles I'm jealous of audiophile systems because they have beautiful setups, great sound with high dollar equipment. Audiophiles are jealous of guys who can get great sound for reasonable money. I shouldn't have to pay $15,000 to make my $30,000 speakers sound good. I'll take my $1000 speakers and $500 amp get really good sound, and blow the doors off their hinges if called for. Our goals are different, audiophiles are searching for perfection, I just wanna ROCK!
D class amps are improving by the day. New designs are reaching A/B amp levels at much lower cost, weight, heat, complexity. Evolution is at play. In 5 years' time class D will be widespread. In 10 yrs it may well be the new standard . Engineer Bruno Putzeys is redrawing the map and the rules.
Best amp for the money, period. Have an XLS 1502 running my Klipsch RF7 III and it was a huge jump in performance over having just the Denon 6700 push them.
Have you considered bridging the crown in bridge mode? I considered it but I hear some speakers, especially klipsch's can go down to 3 ohm at certain frequencies and I don't know if the crown will like that in bridge mode.
@@garavonhoiwkenzoiber I thought about bridge mode, but with my speakers, even at high volumes the Crown is not breaking a a sweat. Lot of power in reserve. So glad I bought it. My other speakers sound better too now that the receiver doesn't have to power my towers.
He’s back! Watching all your videos helped me choose some xls2002’s for my subs but now looking to put a 1502 and 1002 for my speakers. My Rotel’s are like ovens!
I have a Crown xls2500 hooked up to my Klipsch Chorus I . A Crown xls1002 hooked up to JBL 2446H (for movies) helps with speech . JBL PRX718XLF 18" powered sub. This is in my music room, where I spend my down time. I transferred all my music to a solid state hard drive. My computer's graphics card has a HDMI out so I Bought a Essence HDACC II 4K DAC which I think is awesome. It has 4 HDMI inputs & 1 out, 1 coax in & out, 1 optical in & out, 1 usb in & out, 1 rca L & R out, 1 Balanced XLR L & R out. Supports Sampling Rate Conversion, all inputs can be SRC to 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 and 384 KHz via DSP Engine. So with the Crown products having xlr in & out and rca, I use the XLR connections so everything is dead quiet except for music or movies and of course RU-vid .
Just my 2 cents. I played bass for a Nashville singer from 77-83. The PA used Crown DC-300 power amps. I know of several times that the mains were shorted. The Crown amps always worked and always sounded great. My bass was miked and also ran direct to the board. The Crowns through the JBL mains never gave any problem. I inherited one of the DC 300's and it runs my stereo today.
I had been a mobile DJ for 30 years. As my career started to wind down I decided to setup a nice home theater that I could also use to spin some music. My home speakers are older speakers rated at 100 wrms. I went with the Crown XLS1002. It is rated at 215 watts rms at 8 ohms. My 100 rms speakers would be rated at 200 watts program. So speakers should be matched with 2X rms or program power. Perfect match for me. This amp has been outstanding for my needs. It has plenty of reserve/headroom but not so much power to be dangerous to my speakers.
I have Dali Zensor 7 towers powered by a Denon AVR. the speakers say 40-150w power requirement. would the XLS 1502 be the perfect addition to my system. To be HONEST the current set up is Fantastic. I just want to know if the extra power of the XLS will take it to the next level? My current AVR is claiming to be 140w per channel.
Xls 2502 bridged pushing an 18" 2000 watt 8ohm Rockville sub with no problem. Huge upgrade from the Behrenger ep4000 Europower. I was worried the xls 2502 would not be enough but it is just right. Of course I can go bigger. The sub can take it but my neighbors can't lol. My setup is a home PA system for rockin out on the weekends and karaoke. Xls series is awesome!
Finally! A "cut-the-shit" video that provides a valuable recommendation in hi-fi without indulging any of the snake-oil nonsense. I wish folks understood how on the $ this recommendation is. A+
I replaced both a $$$$ passlabs and $$$$ quicksilver tube monos with a $$$ class D amp. I lost *nothing* in terms of fidelity, but gained power. The amp is neutral.
@@ianjohnhorwood2605 That's a load of garbage. You sound like a marketing/advertising schill, or repeating BS you read in a magazine. You want to be a sucker for that crap, go ahead, that's your right to be a fool. Who the hell are you to tell anyone what they can or can't hear? That's not for you to determine. I've owned more audio gear than most people I know. I don't let "self proclaimed" experts tell me what sounds good and what doesn't. You're just another person online, and the type that drives people away from having an interest in audio.
Tips for stereo use- one to two o'clock is the sweet spot on the gain knobs. Select the .775 voltage input. Use the XLR inputs and true balanced gear, not just gear with XLR connectors like Bryston's pre amps. Using RCAs on these amps= mediocre sound. Don't use any type of filter or surge protection, the amp has it already built in and they are a tourniquet for current as the wall is your power supply. Use a minimum 12 AWG power cord instead of the stock cord. The 2002 and 2502 are not much more expensive and have no end of headroom.
what's better for home XLS 2502 or XLi 2500? So I have ordered Crown XLi 3500 for my CerwinVegas DX9 rated conservatively 400wpc at 4 ohms. Is that an overkill and will hurt my 3 ways, with 15in woofers or as long as I don't blast them they will be fine?
I thought I was the odd one out.😂 Been running a Crown XLS as main amplifier for last 3 year's and really enjoy it. I have tried other amplifiers here and there, and while some have have been better at various things I keep coming back to the Crown for it's neutral and analytical sound. Watching this review kind of has fixed my conundrum over next amplifier as I was asking you about regarding the Technics G700. Makes perfect sense now, we obviously share relatively the same required sound to some degree which is very helpful. A few people really found my using the Crown kind of funny, to the point of ridicule in some circles, yet when people hear it a lot of the time they are blown away. I tried a higher end Denon at one point, bit the sound was horrendous coming from the Crown, far too warm and seemed muddy as hell in comparison. I was once a fan of the heavier and warm sound with a bias towards bass, the Crown was literally the amplifier that matured my listening tastes. Was only something I discovered by accident as well as it was literally on sale at the time my all time favourite amp, the Marantz PM52 SE KI Signature decided it had had enough. I absolutely loved the PM52 and could not find another, only other numbers. Would I enjoy it as much after the Crown, probably not, the Crown was a pivotal moment for me, took me by sheer surprise. Only way on from the Crown is the G700 I'm thinking, but the Crown will still be in play as subwoofer amplifier.
Just swapped my Denon PMA 800 for the Crown XLS 1502. I love how much better they sound with Magnepan LRS speakers. I used a Bluenose 2i as the source. Got a cheap subwoofer for $200. Tell me a better system for $1,500!!!!
I stuck this amp between my Elac Element Integrated amp and my Elac F6 towers and let me tell you, this amp brought LIFE my speakers! I also pair this up with a Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus and its pretty incredible. Thanks Andrew!!!!
I have 2 xls2502s that I used for many years in a mobile DJ system. I downsized my dj rig to 10 inch powered Yamahas and sold off the passive speakers, but I refuse to sell the amps because they’re just so dang cool! I finally found a use for one of them in a home theater subwoofer build
There is another product that i recommend from personal experience. Behringer a 500 used as monoblocks. They are ab amps very cheap and they sound amazing!
Hey Andrew! I purchased a XLS 2000 based on your recommendation years ago when my Adcom amp blew, and I've never looked back. I've recently refurbished a pair of Klipsch Forte II's vintage 1995 (with new Crites crossovers) and the setup sounds amazing, even though I doubt I ever use 50WPC with these efficient speakers. The Crowns just sing at idle (75db) and have no problem pushing 100db + in my home stereo (2.2) theater setup. The choice of buying a replacement Adcom amp for $1500 vs the Crown (at 375wpc) for $400 was a easy decision! Thank you for exploring the details of using Pro gear in a home stereo environment!
Unfortunately, it didn't work well for me. I was very excited to get a nice sound for low prices and I bought one of those XLS, but unfortunately, on my Magnepan speakers (not even quite high-end really) there was something wrong with sound comparing to standard A/B. Highs were quite harsh and something wrong with mids like the piano wasn't natural sounding. So not sure... I also googled other reviews with Magnepan and a lot of people got hearing similar issues. Maybe with normal speakers it is not noticeable, or Magnepans are more transparent. But that's my feedback. I think it is good to try yourself and compare with something, it may work very well with your speakers.
Magnepans are just tricky. They really are a great sounding loudspeaker when and if you can get them to sound "right", but damn if they're not (in my opinion) a bad design. One of those "oops" moments that worked out, but on a whole probably shouldn't have. They definitely had a hay day in the 80s and 90s which solidified their legend, and made them audiophile royalty, but I'm not surprised to hear you had issues, for I've yet to find an affordable amp that can drive Maggies well. In truth, when I owned Maggies (MMGs, 1.6s AND 3.6s) the only 2 amps that cut the mustard for me were Krell 402e ($18K) and Pass Labs 350 ($12K I think it was). Needless to say I got frustrated trying to make my musical tastes and needs conform to a speaker and got rid of the whole lot and started over. To each their own. I thank you for watching and for commenting!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thanks Andrew, yes Maggies are indeed quite difficult to power and get a clear sound. I even get rid of standard preamp and got a passive one which made a huge difference in clarity comparing to "audiophile" one I had before. I end up getting a used tube power amp as Krell and others were too expensive. I also heard a great reviews of Hypex class D but didn't try myself yet, may be worth checking out if you're interested.
I use several Crown K2 amplifiers in my home theater. They are pretty old, but pack massive power, super high damping factor, and no fan noise. Once you get used to Pro Audio amps and use them with the right accessories, it's really hard to go back to consumer stuff. I just wish it was more affordable to buy good preamp/processors for multi-channel decoding that have XLR outputs.
This is why I subscribe to your channel, Andrew. You have great taste in audio equipment, but don’t fall for audiophile nonsense. Pro audio gear is awesome. I have a pair of bridged XLS1502s I power my SVS Ultra bookshelf speakers with. These amps are amazing. I paid $750 for both and they put out 1550 watts each into 4ohms. If I crank the volume up the amps can deliver clear sound as loud as my ears can tolerate. I can stand out in the street and hear my stereo like I’m sitting right next to it, and it sounds great. These amps combined with the SVS ultras are a great match for playing super loud and clear music.
sonyvaio33 Yes, for a short time. One 1502 is plenty of power to drive them both I’m sure. I just wanted more power than I would ever need and I like the idea of running one amp per speaker.
I've been looking for a review of the XLS for some time but most of them were flat without expansion, I'm glad to come to your channel and I enjoyed the detail, I ordered this model and I'm waiting to enjoy the speakers I'll connect to the XLS, thank you
Well i decided to try an XLS 2002... I own a McIntosh MC402, Emotiva XPA2 & Emotiva XPA200... For the price im literally blown away after 30 minutes of A-B comparison between my amps... Im getting really close to selling my Emotiva's...
I've been using an XLS1000 for going on 13 years and have always appreciated its neutrality, power, and utter reliability. 250 of the best dollars I ever spent on audio gear. Fortunately, I have an ARC preamp that provides the signal level that this older Crown requires. But good that the newer versions have addressed that potential issue.
Bought a 1502 after watching your video. Getting another at Crutchfield and got a comment that these are not recommended for home/critical listening and are meant for PA systems only. I honestly could not tell the difference between my crown or direct to my marantz receiver to be honest.
@Land of pîss and pôôp - i have the KEF Q350s and got the crown xls1502 recently and IMHO, its a terrible match. it totally ruins the depth of sound and the bass becomes flat and lifeless (you'll see the drivers move but no bass). I have tried the Crown with my Quad S5s as well and though the detrimental effect is not as profound, it makes them sound like cheap supermarket desktop speakers (the KEFs sound worse than even cheap supermarket speakers). switching back to my very basic Marantz PM6006 is a revelation and has more or less made up my mind to cross off class D amplification as a viable option. I am getting a tube preamp to see if it helps with the depth and the midrange glassiness. Please audition before you put down your money on it. Cheers!
@Land of pîss and pôôp - i have a subwoofer but theres no point if the natural bass of the speaker is destroyed by the crown. you saved yourself a good deal of disapppointment by not going with the crown! The Emotivas cost twice as much where I live compared to the US/UK so they dont represent good value. Marantz on the other hand is cheap but good enough which is why its been the amplifier of choice for me.
Chris Clark you are right. It was a placement issue. I tinkered around and have found the perfect spot for it. Now it sounds phenomenal and the bass response has improved to such an extent that no sub is required.
Interestingly, in the 90s a friend's dad with a large home had installed essentially gig/PA equipment. Peavey speakers that were 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide with a massive horn and probably a 2 foot woofer, a PA grade pre-amp and stereo power amp and a fairly good CD player. I don't remember all the brands and models but I can tell you, played softly you felt the room fill with richness and melody that you just can't reproduce with most home systems. It wasn't just the power, it was astonishingly musical and true. Turn it up a bit and it was very lifelike as you'd hear at an actual concert or gig. Played loud of course it was designed to blow girls' shirts off. Theoretically. We didn't actually know too many girls. Anyway, the point is, this was probably all done for under $10,000. Sure that was big money in the 90s but even back then it wasn't hard to spend a heck of a lot more if you got started on heritage branded home audio hifi. So this guy had hacked the system.
I tried out the Crown because of the massive thread you had on the XLS's. I have a pair of old Cerwin Vega VS-150's I had since I was a kid, that I was driving with my Denon POA's. They would never play very deep even with the huge 15's. So I began researching for something with more wattage as they are rated at 400 watts RMS. I picked up a used XLS-2002 and man do they have bass for days now. The high end sounds better than the POA's as well. I don't really see the worth in high dollar amps after hearing these.
I now have four (4) of ths 1502's in my system, which is now actively amplifying each of the frequency levels with great control and flexibility...including stereo subs. I am pleased with my decision to use Crown and also in the results I have been able to achieve with an active crossover. Do your research and decide for yourself... ultimately it is your own ears you are out to satisfy--so, enjoy the hobby and the music... and let others worry about the opinions of others. I had a friend come over to listen and he was taken back with the detail, the clarity, with placement while lacking listening fatigue; however, you need to judge for yourself.
Andrew, thanks so much for your review of the Crown amplifier. I currently own three other reputable Class A and A/B amplifiers, and just purchased the 1002. I am totally in love with it. Thanks a million!
100% agree. sold 2 xls2500 that drove my 2.1 home office system and replaced with Parasound JC1's. Kept the Jc1s less than a month. Have had everything from McI to Halos to Krells. What is in my office rack today 2 XLS
I am in process of adding the Crown XLS 1502 to a pair of JBL 4425 monitors. Current HiFi gear is all Prima Luna tube amplification. Trying Crown for the damping factor control which my tube amp does not possess. Otherwise they are magic.!
That means you know little about CLASS D.....let me tell you a secret, Class D has nothing to do with quality classification. Class D has been far superior to A/B and A since the past decade. Why? Because they finally figured out how to eliminate the distortion issues Class D had back in the day, it's more efficient than any other classification amp out there and it has because of it tons of more power with a super low THD %.... In a blind test....you would never pick your amp based on "sonic quality" differences why? Because they are not there...
It's below the threshold of human hearing in ideal (perfect) conditions. In a real world living room it would likely be impossible to hear. So, once again we're making mountains out of mole hills here. You don't listen to spec sheets, you listen to amps and speakers and music.
Andrew Robinson but... What about the fan? Does that kick in during home use? That would get heard. Personally, I'm fine with my Outlaw rr2160 receiver, but I've no doubt the Crown sounds good too.
@@TA-nn9os That means you have no idea how low thd that actually is. It's way below human hearing... People do yourself a huge favor UNDERSTAND what you're talking about. Look up a good video about thd you'll understand precisely how that works. A fantastic channel would be Ethan Winer or whiner (a veteran audio engineer, it eludes me what his last name is) he has a fantastic presentation. With samples about these topics. Go for it...information is free and readily available.
I have a Crown XLS 1502 Amplifier in my garage. Plenty of headroom. Best feature is XLR connections for PA and RCA inputs for home audio. At first I thought that the fan did not function. After a few Led Zeppelin tunes, I checked with a flashlight, and the fan is ON. One more point: After being in the garage for several years, I am surprised how little dust is inside.
To test out the "class D is Bad" allegations, replicate my measly $340 experiment. I replaced a Krell KAV 300i with a Crown XLS 1002. Martin Logan SL3 electrostats are "difficult to drive" but the sound is unchanged (and great). That's 1/10 the cost at two times the power.
Just bought one; used LR pre-outs on the Marantz SR8015, running Kef R7’s. It did exactly as you described and was to be just an extension to the Marantz. No dryness or loss of “3D” sound stage, as other well regarded reviewers described. And floor noise was imperceptible at approx 1 metre. Very pleased, did exactly what I wanted which was to add power to drive the lower sensitivity R7’s. Thanks Andrew!
@@Hi_how_you_doing yeah, read pretty much every online review on this so came into it knowing as much as I could find. With the mixed opinions it had, I had very low expectations but, for the money it cost, it exceeded them. This is purely a stepping stone amp and for now, I’m happy :-)
The reviews given by you and Z Reviews convinced me to go with the XLS. I've got a 1502 fed by a Marantz NR1508 and driving a pair of KEF R3s. Bass is handled by a SVS SB2000. It sounds great.
This is just an amplifier, you do not connect source components (CD, DVD, turntables) to it directly. This sits between a preamp or receiver and your speakers.
@@geoffreywelsby7434 You can use the RCA connectors to connect a preamp. I connect my McIntosh C28 to the XLS that way (unfortunately my MC-2102 is broken :( )
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for responding to this gentleman's question... I've seen many of these questions if not all ignored by the maker of the RU-vid video... Kudos to you for replying...
"You don't listen to spec sheets, you listen to music" HAHAHA THAT'S GREAT! Some of these replies are hilarious. Self proclaimed "audiophiles" sure love to lose their shit over something they've never heard in person, only on paper in their heads. :) After hearing one over the weekend at a friend's place then going home and googling it, I found nothing but positive reviews from owners and this video was the nail in the coffin. My new XLS2002 will be here Wednesday!
I have an Adcom GFA 5500, 200wpc into 8 ohms. Also, I have a Crown XLS 1500 I believe it is 300wpc at 8 ohms. I use KEF R5 speakers and while the Crown can push the speakers I felt that the adcom had better low end, more defined, punchier and tighter. I have not tried the XLS 1502 but I belive besides the DSP changes they probably sound the same as the older series.
Didn’t understand much of this video, it was a bit above my level, but I enjoyed it anyway and that is why this is a great channel. I’m enjoying my subscription very much and getting my money's worth. Best zero dollars I’ve ever spent. 👍
I just got a Crown XLS 1502 for my passive custom made 3way stereo speakers... best decision I've ever made. I was surprised the sound quality sounded better than my previous class AB amp.
Do you have two 2502's? setup in bridged/mono bloc mode? At 8 ohms Crown says that is 1550 watts a channel. Goldenear Reference Recommended Amplification is 20 - 750 watt/channel. That seems like a ton of extra wattage, do you worry you are going to overdrive the speakers? I have Triton One.Rs powered by PS Audio Stellar S300 at 140watts a channel. While it is ok, I would like a bit more wattage. So I was thinking of getting two XLSs (not sure which model yet) and putting them in bridge mode to mono block my One.Rs. What has your experience been like? Thanks for your time.
@@Old_Wizard_Minis First off you're more than welcome. I have the Crowns running in stereo which is 440 watts into 8 ohms per speaker. I have thought about bridging the amps just to see, but I am using my Oppo BDP 105D as a preamp, feeding it TIDAL via HDMI from my MacMini, and I don't think I've moved the volume past 33 out of a 100. Anything beyond that shakes the walls.
I'm running 2 XLS 2500s in this manner with excellent results; also using the same OPPO as the preamp each amp is running one Odyssey Lorelei and one original Titanic sub. This keeps the speaker wires short. That would be about 4 ohms to the subs and 6 ohms to the Loreleis. That's lots of extra power than needed and I've had zero issues. I love them. I wish they were black like the 2502s tho.
I took your advice and dragged out a spare xls 1002 from my club to drive my 683’s at home via a marantz sr5007 - VERY impressed! Has opened up the soundstage noticeably and is very neutral. Thanks Andrew. Mitch, Christchurch, New Zealand
I love the old McIntosh commercial tube amplifiers from the late '60s, used by bands like Vanilla Fudge, Led Zeppelin, and others..Heavy, hot, and reliable as a Sherman Tank, and a warmth of sound that remains unrivaled.
I run a Mark Levinson solid state power amp that ways 93 lbs. It runs Class A first 10-12 wpc and then A/B to 100 wpc. This amp runs my Magnepan planar quasi ribbon speakers. I’m running a tube DAC preamp. Works nice. However Class D is great. I use Class D amps in my entertainment theater system. There’s nothing wrong with Class D and they have two great attributes: High watt per dollar value and small size. Where I take issue is when audiophile companies take a Class D topology and try to charge $3-10K. The whole point of Class D is for value. I’ve never tried taking live audio equipment for 2 channel use but I may try now. The crown amp looks interesting.
If you want to try class D that is reasonably priced and of a proper audiophile sound quality, give ATI a try. Trust me, as a veteran audiophile as well as pro audio guy, these are NOT what you want. Not sure if this guy is endorsed by Crown or what, but I'm shocked at how he's raving about the "audiophile" nature of these amps. I've tried them in front of my Wison Sasha's, and they are really harsh and brittle sounding. Generally speaking, few pro style amps can deliver a sound similar to what we hear in the audiophile world of class A/B and A, or even audiophile class D, but some get close. From a purely audiophile standpoint in the pro world, I'd say MC2 Delta and Lab PLM amps are leading the pack, and Crown is ont even in the top 5. But ATI is doing great things and sound awesome. We just did a home theater install at my wife's cousin's home using ATI amps to drive seven B&W 802D S3 speakers in a 7.1 setup and they are really nice. Probably the only class D amps I've heard I feel that can compete with my Dartzeel's.
I did a lot of checking with Harman before I bought the 1500 XLS's to use with my Proceed AVP 1 preamp and I think they would be hard to beat , in the real world price range .
I'm now, due to downsizing and retirement, using a Denon A/V receiver for my audio system. I previously had a Hafler DH-110 pre-amp connected to a Hafler DH-220 amplifier. I built them from kits, which endeared me to them even more. I recently sold them (dirt-cheap) to a friend who could make better use of them. The thing that always impressed me about the combo was the fact that I could put a record on the turntable, raise the cartridge/stylus, set the gain at maximum, and not hear a single sound from my speakers with my ear pressed against them. All I ever heard from the system was the music.
This is the video that finally made me subscribe to your channel after months of watching your content. A budget no-nonsense recommendation to that boosts my music experience.
Thanks for your work, Andrew. I really like your channel. With regard to the Crown drivcore amps I have to say, that I disagree. I bought the XLS1502 and hooked it up to my Marantz NR1710 and different speakers. I have to say, that I really wanted it to sound good, or better than the Marantz alone. Nevertheless I found, that something was missing regardless of the speakers I used. The sound was just.... How to say...? Boring? Flat? It was obvious. I just did not want to listen to it for a longer time. When I changed back to the Marantz, the sound came back. As said, I wanted it to sound good, but it just didn't, at least not for me. I sent it back...
@@kochsebastian0 okay.... interesting. So not Just an adapter. Hmm... I somehow don't like the idea of putting an additional piece into the signal path, but t mobile f it works. So the sound is really better than via cinch..? What pre do you use?
Myself have a rack of qsc and crest amps and pushing to many speakers to list here. It sounds better than anything I have ever heard.you are there! And I have heard some of the best and most expensive systems. All for under $1200 no b.s. I am 58yrs old.
I DJ as a hobby and have 2 of these , and a pair of QSC's. For the money, they're absolutely fine. But when I put them in my high end audio system, they work, but don't even come close to the sound quality of the amps I normally use. And its no surprise. When you open up both amps, the expensive one is filled up with much higher quality parts. To be clear, I'm not saying these amps are not good, or you shouldn't buy them. If you get great results, then they are the right amps for you. My point is simply not everyone will get the same exact results. One other thing worth mentioning is that Crown was bought out by Harman. They also own Mark Levinson, Lexicon, Harman Kardon and Arcam/dcs. I don't know who designs what, but I don't think its a coincidence that Crown amps are working well in home systems.
When opening amps its important to copair like products. A QSC rmx or cmx amp is nothing like this crown as they a totally different topology. The A/B class demands massive transformers, usually toroidal in those vs the MUCH smaller solution in the MUCH more efficient crown amp. Open a crown MacroTech and compair that to the QSC RMx series. That apples to apples. The I think they are about the same. You do bring up and interesting point on sound. I don't think it's as much the parts, the pro amps have hi quality parts, but it's what t they are built for. I have read about people molding the QSC cm series amps by removing/ changing some resistors, caps etc that are present on the input stages to open up the amp. Many of those are there to handle/filter alot of the crap that gets sent to a pro amp, designed to run full out for hours at a time. In the home audio environment that's not the same concen and signals are far more controlled. I think that can lead to some of the differences in sound.
@@chrisj9008 Comparing my Crown amp to my QSC is completely valid. I own both so I can compare them. I wasn't trying to find out of class ab is better than d. I like the QSC better, and that's it. As for parts, my statement was to imply sound quality, not build quality. Yes, the cheap parts used in a Crown amp can last a long time. How they sound is another matter. The type of changes I'm talking about are not the same as doing some mods on a pro amp. Going from one of the pro amps back to the high end amps that are normally in my system, leads to a profound change in sound quality. It can be heard by anyone, at any level of experience. Its a completely different system. To be fair, not many people have the type of high end system I have. Its fairly expensive and very revealing. Not everyone will hear the same level of difference in their system. For some, the pro amps can be considered an upgrade. And that's fine. Different results in different systems.
@@mohammadwasilliterate8037 Please know what you are talking about before open your mouth. Bad and wrong advice is not cool, man. What you see on the amp are GAIN controls. They are NOT to be used as volum. Here are the instructions: Get a preamp and conecct to Crown => With both units off, turn volum on preamp and Gain on Crown to zero => Turn on preamp and Crown => Turn volum on preamp carefully to full => Then adjust the gain on the Crown carefully up to as fare as you and your system can handle => when done NEVER TOUCH THE GAIN ON THE CROWN AGAIN! ONLY USE VOLUM ON PREAMP!".
@@joacwootTop Tip from an electronics engineer, YES I studied amplifiers, as part of my studies in electronic weapons systems for the military, volume is GAIN control, usually done by controlling negative feedback on an amplifier, usually the input line level is 1.2vp-p for maximum output on an audio amp, however pre-amps control this level to vary the volume. 0Dbm is referenced to milliwatts with 0=1miliwatt and half power points being -3Db levels you can easily calculate attenuation or maximum power output, which is why only electronics guys understand why amplifiers have negative numbers for volume as an increase, it simply shows the rough attenuation of the main amp. If you want to know anything further feel free to ask.
@@mohammadwasilliterate8037 Volume is how loud the OUTPUT of the amp is. It controls loudness, not tone. Gain is how loud the INPUT of the amp is. It controls tone, not loudness.
Andrew! Agreed and well said. Beyond being great bang for the buck, Crown Audio amps have always been very neutral and uncolored. I'm still running an old fanless K2 Class-I (Google Class-I if you're not familiar with it) for the L/R channels in my own system. It was recently serviced and brought back up to spec, and I'd be willing to race it against any of the high-priced spreads currently on the market.
With the drivecore 2 do you still recommend against using it with an av receiver? I saw another video where you recommended against it. Was this because the original drivecore didn't have a voltage input selector?
I have to say Thank You for recommending this amplifier - I just got mine, and I have to say, I loved it at first hearing! I was a little anxious that it would sound a bit harsh or rough being primarily sold as a PA amp, but I am delighted say it, it has a much warmer tone than I was expecting - I assume it is driving the bass on my speakers far more than its Onkyo predecessor, on which I used to have the bass control turned up about +10%. So, really happy with the Crown after just a couple of days of listening - Thank You! On another topic, have you looked into Audiophile vinyl records at all? I had heard about them, but was rather skeptical they would be worth the considerable extra cost. Then I came across a Mobile Fidelity recording of Planet Waves in a second hand shop, and wow, it sounded a whole lot better then my existing copy (which admittedly dated from 1974, so may not have been in the best condition and also came from the very nadir era of vinyl record pressing.) I was sufficiently impressed to invest in a couple more second hand and new MoFi records, which are definitely now my 'go to' copies of those albums. However, I know that there's nothing like a high price tag to make an owner think highly of their purchases, so I wonder what your experience/impressions of audiophile records is?
I have looked at MoFi records, and I do find their quality to be exceptional when compared to other albums, though there just isn't much in their current catalog that I NEED to have save for one or two albums, which is why I don't talk about them much. But yes, they are nice.
9999999.99 of modern solid state amps not driven into distortion cannot be distinguished audibly between each other. I know that seams impossible yet truly research it. It made zero difference $200~20,000 I learned the hard way myself back in the early 90's
So many of these amps when not driven into thier upper limits have some great numbers. You start pushing that limit and things change fast. Makes you wonder,... do you just up purchase the larger amp with the extra headroom rather than getting into far more expensive amp lines.....
I on a whim I thought and did just that, I bought a very cheap amp I don't run a turn table. I am just running a mp3 thinking no moving parts no fan. And the sound is very clean not a high wat amp that I can play all day and going to play the heck out of it to see what happens. My question to you is, are tube amps and turn table's as quiet and clean? By the way the sound is very clean no rumble no hiss and the speaker's were cheap too and handle bass and treble and mid nicely. This amp has great sound as good as some that go for hundreds to thousands of dollars. And only paid under 200 dollars for the whole set up. I just saw a guy bragging about his set up but could not play it cus it was so hot you could hear it cooling off. Why would I want that?
Maybe, I must say I do love the class D amp in my car, made by JL Audio, it is fantastic and maybe this Crown is the way to go in the home now, I won't be dumping my McIntosh amps for it, but if I was starting out new, I would give these a listen if possible. I love the way my Mac system sounds and always have, when I listen to other systems, they just don't have that great sound I have gotten so used to over the last 25 years or so. I think the Class D in cars is the only way to go because of the reduced size and weight with that huge amount of power.
It's a dam good amp. if you know how to set up the way it's meant to be used. I'm pretty convinced the Crown XLS series is the best amp period. especially if you have a high end receiver that has XLR outputs. That can and will make a huge difference in what you'll hear. simple advice. don't use the RCA inputs. use XLR-balanced inputs. or 1/4 inch TRS. if you don't have XLR outputs? then you'll need a converter box.
@@titanxsand2153I almost did the same after being disappointed with the sound quality using RCA cables. After doing a huge amount of research I found it was not the amp. it was the type of signal coming into the amp. since the Crown is a Pro amp and not a conventional home amp. it requires XLR-balanced inputs. A home audio signal is minus 10 db while Pro audio is plus 12db just to be at Zero level between your receiver to your amp. The best converter box is the ART CLEANBox Pro Dual Channel Level Converter. unlike the Rolls MB15b Promatch 2-Way Stereo Converter. which many are complaining about Humm noise. The ART CLEANBox doesn't have that problem. and can drive 4 separate channels.
@@karimkitty1The RCA inputs are misleading. for this amp to work properly along with a home audio receiver you would need a converter box. Look up the difference between Home Audio single vs Pro Audio. That will give you all the answers.
I have dealt with Crown Amplifiers throughout my time as a live sound engineer (27 years) and audiophile (25 Years). Crown is my favorite amplifier manufacturer and from what I've experienced with the XLS II although it's not a macro-tech I like it's very clean unadulterated sound. Also, yes they are a supreme value.there's not much else available which matches them in the power for the dollar category. Seriously, in order to get as much clean unadulterated power from any of the esoteric brands would require possibly selling body parts and/or a mortgage, etc., and then you wouldn't be able to lift them
I have to ask. I have roughly the same amount of years on my back as you, and I have definitely used my share of Crown Macrotech amps in the past. But as a fellow audiophile, I simply don't understand where you're coming from. Back in the day, we used Macrotech's because they were strong and reliable, not because they sounded great - they were never about that. Yes they would drive Turbo boxes and JBL Soundpower rigs like there was no tomorrow, but they were harsh and rough sounding amps. As an audiophile, I sometimes strap a pro amp in front of my Wilson Sasha's just for the hell of it, to see what the amp can do - and Crown never fails to disappoint. Same goes if I "stress test" and heat soak them, and they will simply not hold up and deliver. Have you ever done an earnest and unbiased A/B with a proper listen? Forget what it says on the tin and what else is going on, just listen and see what's out there.
@@AB-80X I'm with you That said, there was a Reference Studio (or something similar) Crown amplifier that was made to a different spec iirc. I've always wanted to spend time with it.
Is this good for a receiver like the Denon x4300h? I ask because on an older video you warned us about not using it with receivers and only to use with a separate preamp. Thanks
Not sure why this would be. Perhaps because these do no like very low level input, and most receivers are only good for 1.2V of clean output. But receivers like the Denon 3600H (perhaps earlier models too?) are good for 4V of clean output. This can make a big difference I think. Also, these latest Crown DriveCore2 amps have selectable input sensitivity.
Great video! I've owned Mac, Parasound, Yamaha M, Integra, and a truck load of Adcom and I stopped looking/collecting when the XLS (first gen) went on sale. A pair of XLS 1500 have kept me VERY happy for a number of years now, even running a pair of DIY two-ways with the Crown's handling all of the xover duty. I wish I could find justification to upgrade to the Drivecore 2. Excellent amps, all the way around.
I do live audio / video for a living so I have a Professional QSC Powerlite 1.4 in the house I use for my electronic drums. A while back I did an experiment and hooked my up to my system (ifi Dac 2 - TVC {passive Preamp} - AMP - Spatial M3 Turbos.) It sounded pretty bad. Not enough weight in the bass department, and kind of harsh overall. Pretty sure the QSC Powerlite 1.4 is a class H amp. My main system amp is a Class D and it sounds great. Your channel is very entertaining.
Hi Andrew. I'm considering getting the Crown power amplifier after watching your videos and scouring some forums. This would be for a home stereo setup. However, I'm kinda new to separates, so it's possible that this isn't the right product for me to start the journey with. For example, I don't know whether I need a preamplifier. Some people on forums say that all you need is a DAC which has volume control. I have no intention of using a turn table, so can I get away with just getting the Crown and a DAC / streamer, for example? Also, am I right to assume that even the 1002 is sufficient to drive most consumer speakers? Any advice would be helpful.
I feed my XLS with the Emotiva DC-1. I use the XLR balanced. It's computer to DC-1 to Crown... That simple. The 1502 has a lower noise floor and I would spend the few extra $$ to get that over the 1002.
DITTO on the Crown XLS Drivecore2 amps. Stunning fidelity. Gladly upgraded/replaced my "audiophile" Goldmund, McIntosh and bel canto amps. Everyday joyful high fidelity listening.
Low impedance stable. Amplifier controls located on the front. Variable crossover. They will play well below 20hz, contrary to what the Harmon techs say. I use them for subwoofer amps. I have not found anything better or more convenient. They certainly beat using plate amps. Excellent product. I seem to be in agreement with Andrew more often than not.
Wanted to thank you for recommending these amps over the years. I jumped on the 2002 the other week and its great for my needs (had a XPA2 gen 2 before). Makes my ls50's and (new to me) em-esl's sing. No noise/gain issues - can't get over how light it is... Looking forward to your new ML speaker review coming out. Did they include an ARC kit of some kind for the review?
Well, the Drivecore units will be superseded. The THX AAA tech will make just about everything else obsolete insofar as a clean, transparent, uncolored amp sound. I mean, other amps will exist, but the reference will be THX AAA most likely. If you can get it. Not aware of many speaker amps with it yet, but the Benchmark AHB2 for instance. Granted, that's three grand, and you can't have one because they're sold out all the time, but if and when it gets into more consumer-friendly price points it will probably be everywhere.
I purchased this amp to run 2 all weather subwoofer’s. I tried it out in stereo with my Anthony Gallo reference speakers and was pleasantly surprised. This is a very nice sounding amp. Is it high end ? No. It is a very good value. I have installed 4 of then. Not one has failed.
5% is the difference between first generation Bluetooth audio and Bluetooth today. That last 2% is the painfully expensive and time consuming part of being an audio enthusiast. I can get 95% with $400.
Man, I finally picked an XLS 1002 up at guitar center today to replace a 30 year NAD integrated that starting to suffer from a mild channel imbalance to drive a pair of recently acquired pair of B&W 606s. I just don't know, man. I sold pro audio gear at a local music shop when I was in college and it sounds like a mediocre pro audio amp as I've grown accustomed to them. It's just so dry and and flat sounding when driven by the preamp outputs of my Schiit Asgard 3 with a Multi Bit DAC card installed compared to differing headphones on the same device. The NAD was just so sweet and lush and detailed for a budget vintage buy and I feel like I've lost everything I enjoyed about my system by implementing this amp. No hate for those that enjoy enjoy it and it has my respect as professional sound reinforcement product, but I think I've learned that I prefer a more romantic presentation by auditioning this amp. I'll give it a few more days to burn in and see if I end up keeping it, but this was the video that finally got me out to a music shop to pick one up and audition it and it was worth it all just the same.
Wonder if it could be the preamp though which is affecting the sound? You swapped from a NAD integrated to the Asgard + XLS so there's more than one change in the system there right? I know I had that same feeling when I swapped my NAD 1155 pre (which also began suffering from a slight channel imbalance) to something else, suddenly the magic of the system just seemed to disappear so I ended up getting it repaired instead.
@@blanex10 I was only using the power amp section of the NAD integrated having removed the preamp to power amp jumpers, so I was comparing the power amps only in this instance. There was an increase in resolution once the preamp was bypassed to I wen that route and used the Asgard as the gain stage of the system. I would up returning the Crown. It wasn't a horrible amp by any stretch but did't sound as good as the 30 year old amp I was using, with less punch, sparkle, and harmonic resolution so I'll save my pennies for something I like better. My biggest issue with the Crown was the dryness and lack of sound stage. Others may enjoy the neutral presentation.
i have a first gen Crown XLS 402 that i refurbed a few years ago. it ran daily in a community center for the better part of 20 years until the main input caps dried out and took parts of it out with them. once i rebuilt it, rock solid, and has way more power than i need. not a bad score for the $40 i put into the parts for it.
