Who's making lightweight half rack power amps?

Brad Johnson · #1 01-29-2011, 12:43 PM

I recently acquired a Mike Pope Mitre Box preamp and have been using it with a Crown Drivecore XLS1000 amp. Sounds great and I'd like to go even smalller amp-wise. With the proliferation of tiny micro bass amps it's odd that similar footprint power amps are in such short supply other than the SWR Headlite or kits. K-Array makes half racks but they're 19" deep and $2K+.

What's out there or on the horizon? Ideally I'd want around 500@4 ohms.

unlined4string · #2 01-31-2011, 07:17 AM

The Acoustic Image Focus SA would be a good choice (if you can find one).

DavePlaysBass · #3 01-31-2011, 07:26 AM

Brad Johnson · #4 01-31-2011, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unlined4string

The Acoustic Image Focus SA would be a good choice (if you can find one).

Finding one is the trick.

Brad Johnson · #5 04-13-2011, 03:40 PM

unlined4string · #6 04-13-2011, 05:23 PM

FS: Acoustic Image SA 600W power amp

(No connection to seller.)

derrico1 · #7 04-13-2011, 07:03 PM

What sort of micro amps is Mike Putnam putting in his rackmounted version of the VT pedal to make it a 1U 250 or 500 watt amp?

seamonkey · #8 04-13-2011, 07:14 PM

Vestax makes a small vertical format amp. VDA 1000
Not a rackmount but the insides are a licensed Powersoft amp.
You could put it in a new case.

I see them selling for around $200 from time to time.

Brad Johnson · #9 04-13-2011, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamonkey

Vestax makes a small vertical format amp. VDA 1000
Not a rackmount but the insides are a licensed Powersoft amp.
You could put it in a new case.

I see them selling for around $200 from time to time.

Cool, thanks. I may check one of these out when I get back.

I saw in a thread about them here that the manual says it can run a 4 ohm load bridged vs. having to run 8 ohms bridged as stated in all of the ads. Any insight on that? Also, I'm going to be driving two Euphonic Audio VL110's so I need a genuinely robust amp. They work great with the Drivecore XLS1000.

MarTONEbass · #10 04-18-2011, 09:14 AM

Bumping this one.

Although I'm loving my micro amp lately, every time I play my rack rig I am wishing it was lighter and smaller. It definitely sounds better than the micro.

The Stewart 1.2 looks good, but optimally requires an extra space to vent it properly, and necessitates a larger rack.

Any other 1U power amp suggestions?

BurningSkies · #11 04-18-2011, 09:51 AM

For me weight is more important than form factor. I ended up with a Peavey IPR-3000, which while its a 2 space amp, is 7 pounds and bridges at 3kw of power.

Brad Johnson · #12 04-18-2011, 10:32 AM

I have a Crown Drivecore XLS1000, similar format/weight to the IPR, bridges at 1100w@4ohms. Don't need more power, I want to go smaller format to match up with my Pope Mitre Box preamp.

Brad Johnson · #13 04-18-2011, 10:34 AM

Looking for lightweight half rack power amps

CapnSev · #14 04-18-2011, 10:36 AM

If SWR would drop the price on their Amplite, it would be the ultimate half-rack, light weight solution IMO.

Brad Johnson · #15 04-18-2011, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unlined4string

FS: Acoustic Image SA 600W power amp

(No connection to seller.)

Yep, saw that. Thanks for the heads up. Unfortunately I'm out of town and I'd need to thoroughly check out a used piece upon purchase. The kicker is that it's local too.

MarTONEbass · #16 04-18-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Looking for lightweight half rack power amps

Gotcha. Sorry to hijack. Details...

Burning: I will have to check that one out. Half the weight of my 1804 IIRC.

Aram · #17 04-18-2011, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamonkey

Vestax makes a small vertical format amp. VDA 1000
Not a rackmount but the insides are a licensed Powersoft amp.
You could put it in a new case.

I see them selling for around $200 from time to time.

Does anyone have any experience with these? Seems like the price is right if they actually hold up!

Brad Johnson · #18 04-18-2011, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarTONEbass

Gotcha. Sorry to hijack. Details...

Burning: I will have to check that one out. Half the weight of my 1804 IIRC.

No problem at all.

Check out the Crown Drivecores too if the form factor works for you. Mine has been excellent, performs beautifully with a fairly hard to drive load. I just want to go even smaller.

My Yamaha PB-1 preamp is heavier than my amp.

xring · #19 04-18-2011, 04:00 PM

Can you go the GK MB500 and bypass the pre? Size and power are there...

seamonkey · #20 04-18-2011, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aram

Does anyone have any experience with these? Seems like the price is right if they actually hold up!

I've got an older model sitting right here.
I use it for studio because it doesn't have a fan. And it has a simple USB plug interface that works fine with ASIO4ALL

It has a power switch 100w,300w,500w which I leave at 100w for studio. I do quickly notice live if I forget to switch it. It doesn't sound distorted, it's just quieter. So it might be just an attenuator but could be some kind of limiter. If you every plugin speakers that can't handle the full output this limiter seems to do it. It could also be some kind of power supply switch to lower the rail voltage.

For live, I use it for subs, but never bridge. I don't need it. It's never gone into protect mode.

There's an older and new model.
I have the older model.
The new model includes some venting holes. Maybe the new models do 4 bridged?

My only grief is the form factor. It is meant to stand upright. You can't rack mount it.

$200 was cheap at the time, If I had to do it again I'd be looking hard at a Crest of Peavey amp with DSP, which include Waves Maxx. Overall the AMP + DSP easily are a bargain even for several hundred more.