Crown Poweramps - Overrated?

[Boot Soul]

I've been using the Crown XTi 2000 for a few months now. Input sensitivity is significantly lower than the Stewart World 2.1 and Crest Ca9 amps I'd been using, but my SansAmp RBI has no trouble pushing it.

I am interested in how you would contrast and compare the three amps that you mention. I own an RBI, a CA9 and a Stewart World 2.1, so I know how those two amps perform with an RBI as the preamp.

IME, while both the Stewart and Crest perform well, I must agree with those who favor the lead sled. The bass just hits me in the chest and punches more, at any volume through the Crest. And this isn't just a quality that can be EQed up to sound the same on the Stewart. All the cabs I have played through using these two amps (Acme B4, BagEnd 4x10, trace elliot 15) sound better to me, powered by the Crest.

How would you rate the Crown, by comparison with the Crest and the Stewart?

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

I've been looking for a LIGHTWEIGHT poweramp (1k watts+) to power my SWR Marcus Miller Preamp. I know with many products in the music industry - "you get what you pay for" this makes total sense until I looked at Crown Poweramps. You can get a new one for $300!! However, a buddy of mine told me they're over rated, and his crapped out on him.

1. Are they really over rated?
2. What are some good lightweight power amps? (1k watts +)

In this world, for every product you can find, there will be some individual, somewhere, who will think it's overrated. It's why people bitch about free cake. So take any one single "complainers" complaints as that one experience, and with that grain of salt. If you see a PATTERN of problems, then that may be something else to think about. Perhaps your buddy ain't the brightest bulb in the bunch, and misspec-ed amp and cab in OHMS, overdrove the amp, or did some boneheaded thing which caused product failure.

Crown is fine. And no, I don't own Crown, but would not see any reason not to, either.