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

[agedhorse]

Was that also uphill Bill? If not, you are such a whimp

 

[Jim C]

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!

Back in the day, the Crowns were predominately used in studio and live sound in the MD / DC / VA area.
Occasionally you would see a BGW or a Phase Linear but Crown marketing had us all convinced they were the best for audio reinforcement.
Amazing that they weren't designed for this application.

 

[drummer5359]

I have a DC-300A that I haven't put to use in a few years sitting in a corner of my music room. I offered it to my brother, but I have yet to have the energy or inclination to move it to his house. It powered stage monitors for years in a rolling rack, was part of my DJ rig at one time as well.

I never considered using it in a bass rig.

Hmm.

 

[old spice]

There is a blurry photo inside a Hot Tuna lp, "First Pull Up..," that shows a DC300 onstage in Jack Casady's bass rig.
My friends in a Chicago sound company, Euphoria Blimpworks, had one they used constantly for PA's around 1970.

 

[svtb15]

ah yes the Flame Linears! lol

Back in the day, the Crowns were predominately used in studio and live sound in the MD / DC / VA area.
Occasionally you would see a BGW or a Phase Linear but Crown marketing had us all convinced they were the best for audio reinforcement.
Amazing that they weren't designed for this application.

 

[agedhorse]

Crown and BGW were much more reliable than the Flames.

 

[Jim C]

Remember those Crown adds that typically had a box truck that had run off the road, flipped, and threw DC300's into the mud?
Of course after the amps were dried off they worked perfectly.
Those things were bullet proof.

Here is the most amazing Crown story of all time and I swear to God it is true.

I used to work for a mobile recording truck called Big Mo.
In the early days we had a single 24 track MCI 2" machine that we bought used.
I think it was the 3rd gig and we were recording a gospel act over a 2 day performance.
The entire thing was odd in that, they were good, relaxed, and wanted to overdub the choir after the basic tracks were recorded in church.
Thankfully, we had a tech guy who was a genius (still owns a very successful sound company called Entertainment Sound which has been around about 30 years).

I'm down to the last overdub; tracks sound great, the Pastor is super happy and wants us to mix the album.
I roll back the tape for the last pass and the machine is dead.
Ed's quick diagnosis that the logic board just took a dump and has a suspicion as to what IC is bad.
We were using Bryston and QSC monitor amps but he mentions that a DC150 has an IC that is reasonably close to what we need.
My onstage guy realizes that the church has a spare DC150 and we ask if we can borrow it with the full understanding that we will restore it.
Quick O'scope and soldering station time and the board is back in.
I say let's roll tape and the reels turn forward and the red light comes on!
We ended up double tracking and then checking the takes for approval.

The pastor says it sounds great and I go to rewind to give them a 2-track rough mix.
The machine goes dead again.

The DC150 saved our a$$
Just like SWR, they can be dangerous with no HPF but I will always remember that day.
I suddenly want a DC 150 or 300 just to have....
Freaking life saver amp

 

[agedhorse]

Remember, the good 'ok days weren't as good as we remember.

Heavy, expensive, no offset protection, and not all that reliable compared with much of today's pro product.

 

[Jim C]

Remember, the good 'ok days weren't as good as we remember.

Heavy, expensive, no offset protection, and not all that reliable compared with much of today's pro product.

That's true too although did you really have that many Crowns in for service compared to modern amps?
I don't think I know more than a few people who has had a DC series fail (other than dumping the thing for weight and speaker damage issues).

 

[agedhorse]

That's true too although did you really have that many Crowns in for service compared to modern amps?
I don't think I know more than a few people who has had a DC series fail (other than dumping the thing for weight and speaker damage issues).

Yes, on a "per watt basis" definitely. On a per amp basis, probably about the same. The difference is that amps have become 10x more powerful, thus the net reliability is better.

 

[ChristopherB]

What are some early pre-amps? Late 60's early 70's. I'm not even sure there were any.

That was really helpful as I have just bought a Crown DC-300a mk 11 and I wanted to know what preamp works well with it. Thanks all for your advice. I also have an SAE 2401 and would be good to know same thing - what preamp pairing works well.

 

[zon6c-f]

I had a greenface PQ-3 I bought in '78 that I used with my D150A in a bass rig back in those days. At one point I had a Furman crossover that ran the two channels of the Crown into a large EV midrange horn and an Acoustic 106 cabinet with EVM15s.

In the mid '00s I had a blackface PQ-3 that I used as a DI/preamp for recording and gigging with.
View attachment 427499

Our keys player let me use his green face PQ-3. I loved it

He moved I was broke

Years later I bought a black face re issue

Love Furman PQ-3!

 

[zon6c-f]

Always wanted to try old school Crown or SAE preamped by Furman PQ for bass and into JBL scoops !

Saw Clapton in 80s Slow Hand tour. All SAE power amps. Never saw so many in one place at one time

 

[agedhorse]

Just note that even the top guys who toured in the day with such old school rigs no longer do so. The good ol days weren't all that great

 

[svtb15]

I played a pair of DC300a amps for many years in the 70s and early 80s.. Never had an issue except for the Rocker switch that went bad on one of them.

I played one about 3 weeks ago.. It wasn't as loud as i remembered them being..
Even in Mono..
That's why I got a Crown PSA2 when it became available around 1980-81?? Been a while.. . I got a 2nd when Showco was dumping theirs..
If you don't mind 60 or 70#s in 4 rack spaces and you want headroom. (Boat Anchor) Try to find a Crown PSA2 ..
In the 90s a went to a Crown MA1200.. Smaller still very heavy compared to today. But a great bass amp. They are all pretty cheap these days.
Though I'm Not sure the availability of REPAIR parts. And they will need repair by now. Those amps are getting old and will need to be re caped among other things I guess. I don't even know if the solid state metal can OP transistors are still available ..??? I dont know.. ..
But they make a nice science experiment and a LOUD noise BOOM

Always wanted to try old school Crown or SAE preamped by Furman PQ for bass and into JBL scoops !

Saw Clapton in 80s Slow Hand tour. All SAE power amps. Never saw so many in one place at one time