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Crest CA-9 vs. QSC PLX2502 (PLX2 Series)

Which power amp?

  • Total voters
    92
#62
xgabriele said:
If anyone can recommend or find a good rack that will fit the CA-9 and hold it rigid, please let me know.
Click to expand...

I use a 4 space SKB case (make sure it's the deep one) and I use the other 2 slots for my pre-amp and a power strip. It works perfect and the case is as light as possible. I wouldn't worry about the amp being damaged if I dropped this baby multiple times, It's sturdy. If you really want to take the load off though, you might want to get an SKB with wheels or something.

edit: I have the CA-6, same dimensions.
 
#63
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
Make sure the rack has rear rails or some other structure that you can secure the back of the amp to. It'll strengthen the rack by distributing the amp's weight across more numerous and wider spaced support points.
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Good point. The cool thing about the 3 and 4 space SKB ATA cases is that the rear of the CA9 rests on the rear opening of the rack. It's not quite as secure as bolting the amp at both ends, but as long as the rack is handled properly (not stored or transported upside down) there should be no problem.

That's also true for the 2-space SKB ATA... and with the 2 spacer, the rear of the CA9 is supported from above and below. The problem with the 2 spacer, however, is that it's a half-inch shallower than the others: a critical shortcoming because the rear of the CA9 sticks out just a smidge too far to allow the rear rack lid to close. Others here have mentioned that the Gator 2 spacer is large enough to hold the CA9**.



**But I prefer the SKB design: the butterfly latches are mounted to the rack lids rather than the rack case itself, which pretty much eliminates latch rattle/buzz when the rig is in use...
 
#64
ThunderSix66 said:
I use a 4 space SKB case (make sure it's the deep one) and I use the other 2 slots for my pre-amp and a power strip. It works perfect and the case is as light as possible. I wouldn't worry about the amp being damaged if I dropped this baby multiple times, It's sturdy. If you really want to take the load off though, you might want to get an SKB with wheels or something.

edit: I have the CA-6, same dimensions.
Click to expand...

I've thought a lot about just getting the 3 space SKB rack, as I really don't need anything else in it, but they are so darn expensive. I paid only about $50 for the Anvil ATA style case that I have, and while it is heavy, it fits the CA-9 well.
 
#65
Fuzzbass said:
Good point. The cool thing about the 3 and 4 space SKB ATA cases is that the rear of the CA9 rests on the rear opening of the rack. It's not quite as secure as bolting the amp at both ends, but as long as the rack is handled properly (not stored or transported upside down) there should be no problem.

That's also true for the 2-space SKB ATA... and with the 2 spacer, the rear of the CA9 is supported from above and below. The problem with the 2 spacer, however, is that it's a half-inch shallower than the others: a critical shortcoming because the rear of the CA9 sticks out just a leetle too far to allow the rear rack lid to close. Others here have mentioned that the Gator 2 spacer is large enough to hold the CA9**.



**But I prefer the SKB design: the butterfly latches are mounted to the rack lids rather than the rack case itself, which pretty much eliminates latch rattle/buzz when the rig is in use...
Click to expand...


Which rack case are you using for your CA-9?
 
#68
alexclaber said:
I still think there's a lot of psychological trickery and weak preamps behind the CA-9's popularity... I look forward to more anecdotal evidence (and would love to see some true test results!)

Alex
Click to expand...

Demeter
Eden
Glockenklang
Kern

and the list goes on...

I've had a TON of high end goodies and there IS a difference. It isn't just in the preamp, unless of course you want co call the above manufacturers weak :o
 
#70
alexclaber said:
I still think there's a lot of psychological trickery and weak preamps behind the CA-9's popularity... I look forward to more anecdotal evidence (and would love to see some true test results!)
Click to expand...

The power amp is the component that has the least effect on tone in a bass rig, so it makes sense that it would be the thing some people change to find a different tone. ;)
 
#71
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
The power amp is the component that has the least effect on tone in a bass rig, so it makes sense that it would be the thing some people change to find a different tone. ;)
Click to expand...

Ok, so I want to understand. If I went with a power amp like the Stewart 2.1 or the PLX2502, you are telling me that I won't notice a change in tone? Then what is the difference? I would really like a light weight power amp that has the "perceived tone" that the CA-9 gives me. Please help me to see the light on this.
 
#74
I have owned a QSC RMX750 and a PLX3002 and a Yamaha. The QSCs are no doubt quality, well-built power amps and the 3002 went into service in our PA where it works great.

But there's a dramatic difference, even to my "just-a-gigger" ears with the CA-9 mated with my Kern pre. Because of the weight difference, I tried and tried to get the 3002 to perform close to the CA-9 but couldn't in terms of depth and tone quality.

I don't like the weight, but I've got a reasonable solution in my SKB 6 space rollable rack. It has the roller blade wheels on it and works swell, retractable handle and all. Got mine here used.
 
#76
xgabriele said:
Ok, so I want to understand. If I went with a power amp like the Stewart 2.1 or the PLX2502, you are telling me that I won't notice a change in tone? Then what is the difference? I would really like a light weight power amp that has the "perceived tone" that the CA-9 gives me. Please help me to see the light on this.
Click to expand...

If there's a change in tone, then either at least one amp is altering the signal, or you're comparing them at different loudnesses (in which case the change in tone is due to the phenomena of human hearing and not the amps).

Any competently designed professional power amp of the past fifteen or twenty years or so should be able to amplify the signal with such high accuracy that there is no difference in tone.
 
#78
xgabriele said:
I would really like to understand though. If there should be little to no difference in power amps "tone", than why do we hear it as such?
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There are many things that we hear as different that aren't actually different.

For example, take two identical amps and set their gains randomly. Unless the gains happen to match the up exactly, they'll have different tone when you compare them.
 
#79
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
If there's a change in tone, then either at least one amp is altering the signal, or you're comparing them at different loudnesses (in which case the change in tone is due to the phenomena of human hearing and not the amps).

Any competently designed professional power amp of the past fifteen or twenty years or so should be able to amplify the signal with such high accuracy that there is no difference in tone.
Click to expand...

Ok, lets talk about "feel" then. When I A/B amps, I do my best to try to get the approximately the same volume level. Or, in other words, I'll turn both channels of each side of the power amp to max, and control my volume from my preamp. When A/B'ing, I touch nothing but the cable, swapping from amp to amp. Not touching the volume, why does one feel like it has more punch and headroom than the other?
 
#80
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
There are many things that we hear as different that aren't actually different.

For example, take two identical amps and set their gains randomly. Unless the gains happen to match the up exactly, they'll have different tone when you compare them.
Click to expand...

Ok, this makes sense to me. Is it possible to match gains from say, the PLX2502, to the CA-9? Does it seem the common idea that more gain sounds better than less gain?
 

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