Crown amplifiers

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Azazello
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Crown amplifiers

Post by Azazello »

Given that the active JBL monitors seem to be so highly regarded among many members of this forum, it makes me wonder if anyone has experience with Crown amplifiers - supposedly the amplification built into those speakers?

I have ordered a pair of 708's to replace my tundra mono/JBL 3677, but I don't think I can bring myself to sell my 3677's, I need to find something else (and less expensive) to power them.
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by V.A.MKD »

I have heard, not Crown as are today, but Amcron / Crown, many years ago, when I visit Nat. TV and Radio Studios M1, M2 and M3. That was in several occasions on recording some Pop, Rock and Classical music songs and ...

They was incredibly reveling, together with old JBL Studio Monitors 4343, 4351, 4355 ... That was once in life time listening experience. At the end of day, studio monitor sound, different from Linn ... Isobarik ... sound ...
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by jajo »

I used Crown amps in my previous cinema. Tried many different models.

XLS-1500 are decent. Pretty far from Tundra though but can work ok in simple systems.

Keep in mind that Pro amplifiers are noisy because of the fans. Crowns also has a bad Signal To Noise-ratio which will give an audible hiss from high sensitive loudspeakers like 3677 so avoid them unless you are seated far away or if your hearing is bad in the high frequency range.
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by Azazello »

V.A.MKD wrote: 2021-11-15 14:35 I have heard, not Crown as are today, but Amcron / Crown, many years ago, when I visit Nat. TV and Radio Studios M1, M2 and M3. That was in several occasions on recording some Pop, Rock and Classical music songs and ...

They was incredibly reveling, together with old JBL Studio Monitors 4343, 4351, 4355 ... That was once in life time listening experience. At the end of day, studio monitor sound, different from Linn ... Isobarik ... sound ...
jajo wrote: 2021-11-16 03:29 I used Crown amps in my previous cinema. Tried many different models.

XLS-1500 are decent. Pretty far from Tundra though but can work ok in simple systems.

Keep in mind that Pro amplifiers are noisy because of the fans. Crowns also has a bad Signal To Noise-ratio which will give an audible hiss from high sensitive loudspeakers like 3677 so avoid them unless you are seated far away or if your hearing is bad in the high frequency range.
Thank you guys! Fan noise and hiss are deal breakers for me, I'm super sensitive to that.
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by matthias »

Azazello wrote: 2021-11-15 13:19 tundra mono/JBL 3677
After listening to TM do you think you can go back?

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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by Azazello »

For my main system I’m getting 708P, expecting them to be better. It’s just that I look at the 3677 and feel I can’t get rid of them, so I was thinking about moving 3677 to the summer house. Of course that’s idiotic given that the summer house is rather small.

Maybe I should just sell them. But for some reason this is probably the first hifi-component I feel a strong emotional attachment to.



Writing this just made me realise I should sell them immediately! 😂
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by tokenbrit »

Azazello wrote: 2021-11-16 21:32 For my main system I’m getting 708P, expecting them to be better. It’s just that I look at the 3677 and feel I can’t get rid of them, so I was thinking about moving 3677 to the summer house. Of course that’s idiotic given that the summer house is rather small.

Maybe I should just sell them. But for some reason this is probably the first hifi-component I feel a strong emotional attachment to.



Writing this just made me realise I should sell them immediately! 😂
Any chance of some 3677 v 708P comparison clips ?
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by matthias »

tokenbrit wrote: 2021-11-17 14:35 Any chance of some 3677 v 708P comparison clips ?
Would be nice, but please with Tundra Monos.......:-)

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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by ThomasOK »

matthias wrote: 2021-11-17 15:15
tokenbrit wrote: 2021-11-17 14:35 Any chance of some 3677 v 708P comparison clips ?
Would be nice, but please with Tundra Monos.......:-)

Matt
Ditto!
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by Azazello »

Unfortunately not. The monos are sold and already in Amsterdam.
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by TMV »

If 708P is better than TM + 3677 then 708p input stage is better than TM? Amazing!
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by matthias »

TMV wrote: 2021-11-17 18:59 708p
Something like that:

ADC > DSP > 2x DAC > 2x 250W Class-D amp > 2x speaker

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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by Azazello »

TMV wrote: 2021-11-17 18:59 If 708P is better than TM + 3677 then 708p input stage is better than TM? Amazing!
Probably better to have this discussion in the thread about them :) It's really a leap of faith for me, I'm beginning to regret that I sold the Tundras and 3677 before I got the 708 ...
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by FairPlayMotty »

Azazello wrote: 2021-11-18 23:21
TMV wrote: 2021-11-17 18:59 If 708P is better than TM + 3677 then 708p input stage is better than TM? Amazing!
Probably better to have this discussion in the thread about them :) It's really a leap of faith for me, I'm beginning to regret that I sold the Tundras and 3677 before I got the 708 ...
I bought my 308P with the idea that they were for my secondary system. They're outstanding andmy primary system is mostly going to be sold. I hope you're as impressed by the 708P!
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by ThomasOK »

The Boazu does a great job driving 3677s and then you don't need a preamp (not as good as SM/TM, of course). Probably a better budget option than the Crowns.
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by matthias »

ThomasOK wrote: 2021-11-19 00:34 The Boazu does a great job driving 3677s and then you don't need a preamp (not as good as SM/TM, of course). Probably a better budget option than the Crowns.
+1,
but as I understand the 3677 are sold too.

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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by Azazello »

XLS 1500 is available used here in Sweden for 2500 SEK/270 USD (c:a), about half the price of a new one. So they are another “budget”. :)
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by u252agz »

Azazello wrote: 2021-11-18 23:21
TMV wrote: 2021-11-17 18:59 If 708P is better than TM + 3677 then 708p input stage is better than TM? Amazing!
Probably better to have this discussion in the thread about them :) It's really a leap of faith for me, I'm beginning to regret that I sold the Tundras and 3677 before I got the 708 ...
If you don’t sell the old stuff you end up like me with old systems all over the house. I have my Ninkas from 20 years ago in the kitchen ( with an old sneaky ) and my Rega P3 and creek from 1984 in the loft. I suppose even my KDS2/monos / 242s are almost 10 yrs old .
Kalla/Sag M/Tun M3/242/LP12/Slip7

Kalla/Giella Pi/JBL308/RS2e

Majik LP12/Boazu/110s
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by ThomasOK »

Gee, that would never happen to me! (Says the man with 3 pair of Isobariks, one pair with blown tweeters, Quad ESLs, Meridian M3s, JBL LSR305s and three pair of Radio Shack Optimus 7s - two pair in a very unusual configuration.)
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by u252agz »

That makes me feel so much better!

Even with the JBL Mk1 305s I’m planning for the loft - and my two pairs of Komponent 110s ( one with Malik LP12/ Boazu, one with classic movie ) - I can’t compete with your collection.
Kalla/Sag M/Tun M3/242/LP12/Slip7

Kalla/Giella Pi/JBL308/RS2e

Majik LP12/Boazu/110s
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by Azazello »

ThomasOK wrote: 2021-11-19 23:19 Gee, that would never happen to me! (Says the man with 3 pair of Isobariks, one pair with blown tweeters, Quad ESLs, Meridian M3s, JBL LSR305s and three pair of Radio Shack Optimus 7s - two pair in a very unusual configuration.)
I was expecting you to be the kind of person that didn’t attach emotions to objects. ;)
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by ThomasOK »

Azazello wrote: 2021-11-20 11:52
ThomasOK wrote: 2021-11-19 23:19 Gee, that would never happen to me! (Says the man with 3 pair of Isobariks, one pair with blown tweeters, Quad ESLs, Meridian M3s, JBL LSR305s and three pair of Radio Shack Optimus 7s - two pair in a very unusual configuration.)
I was expecting you to be the kind of person that didn’t attach emotions to objects. ;)
It is indeed a goal and I'm probably relatively unattached. A customer of mine who posts on this forum was rather surprised when I didn't really react when Bella put her noseprint on one of my SINGularity units in his presence. Of course I thought it would clean off but after later polishing it found it was still barely visible, a permanent tribute.

But while I haven't completely overcome attachment to objects, my having all those speakers is partly due to having four systems, one a home theater with 4 Isobariks, and partly due to laziness in getting rid of things.
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by tokenbrit »

ThomasOK wrote: 2021-11-20 16:31 .. Bella put her noseprint on one of my SINGularity units... I thought it would clean off but after later polishing it found it was still barely visible, a permanent tribute.
A tribute indeed and one that I'd think would be heartwrenching now if it were to fade... All the more special *with* the signature nose print <3

To give some context, we couldn't bring ourselves to clean the puppy nose art from the inside of the windows of our car after they were both gone from our lives... A house without nose prints, and dog hairs, isn't a home :)
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by Tony Tune-age »

ThomasOK wrote: 2021-11-20 16:31
Azazello wrote: 2021-11-20 11:52
I was expecting you to be the kind of person that didn’t attach emotions to objects. ;)
It is indeed a goal and I'm probably relatively unattached. A customer of mine who posts on this forum was rather surprised when I didn't really react when Bella put her noseprint on one of my SINGularity units in his presence. Of course I thought it would clean off but after later polishing it found it was still barely visible, a permanent tribute.
And as it turns out, that was a good thing to happen!
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Re: Crown amplifiers

Post by Lego »

matthias wrote: 2021-11-19 01:18
ThomasOK wrote: 2021-11-19 00:34 The Boazu does a great job driving 3677s and then you don't need a preamp (not as good as SM/TM, of course). Probably a better budget option than the Crowns.
+1,
but as I understand the 3677 are sold too.

Matt
Interesting,where did you hear Boazu and what's your thoughts on them Matt ? Thanks in advance
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