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Period-correct pre-amp to pair with Crown DC 300A?

#21
As a Crown service center tech back in the day, and with lots of familiarity with this entire era of product, I do not recall the Crown product being any more brittle or harsh than anything else of that time.

There were limitations to all amps of that era because the speed (bandwidth, and GBP) of the semiconductors was uniformly pretty slow compared with today's products. This made slew rate limiting (and the associated global feedback challenges) a very real issue. Different manufacturers handled if differently, but most quality companies had effective workarounds.

I worked on a lot if these kinds of products, the good 'Ol days were pretty tough. Anybody remember walking to AND FROM school uphill in the snow? ;)
 
#23
I tried a D150 in the 70s with my Alembic preamp.. It was not enough power for what i needed. so i went with the 300a... then to a Crown PSA2.. then a BGW 750.. The PSA 2 was the best sounding power amp i ever used. maybe the heaviest too.. Showco used PSA2s for all their PA back in the days... The PSA2 was a Monster amp..

I still own and play my Alembic F2B.. I just did a full Recap on it this year... Now its quiet once again..
I bought mine in and around 1976 at Mannys on 48th st....
My first gig with the F2B was with it plugged into an SVT for power and countryman .. Did a bunch of dates with Jimmy Iovines band.. He was just an engineer then.. Jimmy now moved onto being a huge record mogul. Working in NYC at that time had many benefits and connections
 
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#24
The PSA2- you could probably weld with that beast. We used them strapped in mono to power our subs. Killer low end! I also went the 300a to the BGW750 route. Never had the fortitude (back) to use a PSA2 for my bass rig though.
As far as pre's the Ashley SC40 would get it done. It's still a great piece, made a few miles from my home. The Yamaha PB1 worked with it as well, but that was more early to mid 80's.
 
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#26
Andy,
Back in the early 80's I worked in a studio where the owner was also an EE.
We were using JBL 2-ways with a 15 and a horn.
Occasionally a 15 would get injured; the owner built a high pass filter as he said the DC300 would reproduce extremely low frequencies.
The Neve console had incredible bandwidth so it was believable that with filters off and dumb EQ, one could get produce extremely low frees especially with the brand new Prophet 5 synths of the day.
Could the old logo DC300's really produce 40 hz and below or was it more of a SPL issue?

Kurt, tell us more about Jimmy Iovines band.
I've always been a huge admirer of his production and arranging skills.
 
#28
If i remember correctly they named them DC for a reason.. I think they ( from rumor) will go to DC... . But that is only what i heard many many years ago by sound guys with burned JBLs.. Not sure if it is fact

It was late i worded it wrong ... He was working on a pet friends project Jimmy Crespo FLAME. I was in a band American Tears at the time..I did their 3rd lp. I was 17 years old. We had a deal on Columbia Records.. Iovine was just a starting beginner producer from engineer...He may have finished engineering Born To Run record and we were in pre production with him.. we wound up using a different producer .. But made friends with him.. Id go up to record Plant in NYC to watch him work a couple times.. The people that would drop into session some days were big names at the time.. Peter Wolf ' j Geils and Fay Dunaway. got to hang with Andy Warhol a few times A rather nice person.. He bummed champagne off me.. The Ramones before they became popular and Frampton would come by... It was very cool time in NYC.. I have so many stories and photos from back then. I need to write a book.


Jim C said:
Andy,
Back in the early 80's I worked in a studio where the owner was also an EE.
We were using JBL 2-ways with a 15 and a horn.
Occasionally a 15 would get injured; the owner built a high pass filter as he said the DC300 would reproduce extremely low frequencies.
The Neve console had incredible bandwidth so it was believable that with filters off and dumb EQ, one could get produce extremely low frees especially with the brand new Prophet 5 synths of the day.
Could the old logo DC300's really produce 40 hz and below or was it more of a SPL issue?

Kurt, tell us more about Jimmy Iovines band.
I've always been a huge admirer of his production and arranging skills.
Click to expand...
 
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#31
Kurt,
Funny you should mention that (I thought the reference was too esoteric), but this guy claimed the old DC300's would actually get down as low as DC voltage.
Perhaps the original intent from Crown was for these to be used as laboratory test instruments.

I for one would LOVE to hear old war stories in a proper thread.
Nothing more exciting than original music rock band stories for me, especially the recording, writing, and performing side.
The drunkalogs and drug stories are things that I am happy that many were able to live through and sad for those who didn't.

Maybe a good topic for a thread for rockers that wrote, played, recorded and toured in the original music scene.
So much more of that going on in the day; you know, back when you could hear rock/R&B/ soul music with a melody line on regular radio; sadly many years ago.
At least there's Sirus!

Edit - Simul post with Bill regarding a lab amp.
 
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#32
What i once heard was they used them strapped together to powers motors to Open Airplane Hanger Doors.... somehow?? Just what i was told when i was young and all ears.. Truth??? i dont know


Bill Whitehurst said:
Although everyone thinks the DC300A was intended primarily as an audio amp,
it was really a lab amp.
Range from DC up to 50KHz or so.
I don'y know just what kind of lab work they may have done,
but a ton of them certainly did do some audio work.
My first one was a Showco veteran.
Click to expand...
 
#33
The D-150 and DC-300 could be configured as (fully) direct coupled and were essentially a power operational amp that could be used for all kinds of alternate uses.

For audio, this mode was definitely not recommended, but some folks being as they are today, operated DC thinking they knew what they were doing and destroyed many speakers this way!
 
#39
I just found a Crown DC150 in the garage awhile back that hadn't been turned on in at least 20 if not 30 years and gave it to some friends with a studio. They put it right to work and said it fired right up. Stupid heavy, reminded me of the Peavey 800s I used to have, what a boat anchor! If the kids had to move those today they wouldn't bitch about D class being not as good as the SS stuff of yesteryear. They don't know how good they have it. And get offa' my lawn!
 
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