Non-affiliated link and this video is not sponsored by Adorama. They did send me the unit for review. www.adorama.com/crxls2502.html Interview with Itai on class D amp kzitem.info/news/bejne/pX-ima2IpnxemYo Sound demo (Sorry, I forgot to adjust the time stamp in the video) Burmester 12:33 Schitt Freya 13:33
@HarshKumar-ts9mu
4 жыл бұрын
Thomas, you didn't tell us about imaging, soundstage, intruments seperation about XLS 2502.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Usually when there are many reviews on a product, I skip all those in the goal to keep the video short. Check out Sean's video where he goes into detail. I would say the soundstage is not as deep as my other amps.
@HarshKumar-ts9mu
4 жыл бұрын
@@ThomasAndStereo Thomas, there is only 1 other review of XLS 2502 and that is of Sean. You keep telling us to watch seans review. If that is the case, why are you running your channel. Have you watched sean's review of XLS 2502?? In his review, he says this amp has very neutral sound. But in your review, you said its a very lively amp. Now tell whom to believe? I don't find sean's review good. I will never buy any product according to his review. I only find your reviews genuine. The way you explains a product, no one does it better than you. Excellent job, keep it up.
I think you did a great job at trying to remain objective with this review, Thomas, lol! Nicely done. This Crown definitely needs some tubes in the stream...the sound demo with the Burmester preamp was quite dry compared to the Freya...and grats on the partnership with Adorama...I vouch for Adorama to send you the Yamaha A-S3200 integrated amp in sexy silver for review, but I think the A-S1200 might be a better review, as you could compare how it matches up to your separates and how close it approaches them, and price wise, the A-S1200 is reachable by a larger segment of the population.
@addonisryan
4 жыл бұрын
Hi Thomas, I was watching this video and saw you said the Crown XLS 2502 is a "lively" amplifier. Crown has always aimed for accuracy above all. The "expressive" top end is just because the amp is truly transparent.The controlled bass comes from high "damping factor".Crown Professional amplifiers are designed for high power output versatility and accuracy.High fidelity amps are designed to sound "pretty". BTW for those who look down upon Crown, they got their start in High Fidelity and grew into professional sound.So it is no surprise that they are sonically accurate,transparent and control speakers with aplomb.The heightened treble is just the amp's ability to put out what you put into it.Anyone who unsubscribes because of the positive points you've brought forth about the Crown is ignorant and elitist, don't worry, you don't need them.
@SLK-Estudio
9 ай бұрын
I have several amplifiers, both HiFi and professional, including a Marantz Model 30, a Yamaha S2000, a Crown XTI 4002 and a Crown SLX 2002, with the same speakers and the same SPL, I don't hear any difference in sound quality between any of them, so I can say that the SLX 2002 is a great amplifier that has nothing to envy of HiFi amplifiers double or triple its price. Good video, my like goes! Tengo varios amplificadores, tanto HiFi como profesionales, entre ellos un Marantz Model 30, un Yamaha S2000, un Crown XTI 4002 y un Crown SLX 2002, con altavoces iguales y mismo SPL, no noto diferencian en su calidad de sonido entre ninguno de ellos, por lo que puedo decir que, el SLX 2002 es un gran amplificador que no tiene nada que envidiarle a los HiFi y profesionales aunque estos dupliquen o tripliquen el precio del SLX 2002. Buen video, va mi Like!
@jipillow1
4 жыл бұрын
You missed a golden opportunity to label this the “Thomas Crown Affair”
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Dammmm!
@harryconover289
4 жыл бұрын
The Thomas Crown affair call med was right on. It always amazes me to see how someone describes sound characteristics of an app of our sexual lucid and impossible terms you can’t reflect anything he says it’s all bullshit eloquent bullshit pleasant well spoken quiet attitude no criticism of persons but impossible to verify so much dependent upon individual test to compare to excellent amplifiers and hear a difference here a difference is the truck is hard to believe that my friend I’ve been at this for 30 years plus I’ll bet in a good line test I could kick you out
@beesdreams9
4 жыл бұрын
@@harryconover289 Siri voice transcription is making minced meat out of your message. Maybe read before pressing send!
@fx-studio
3 жыл бұрын
I am calling this my Clown test - any reviewer who can't hear this amp is being strangled with its measly 48K ADC doesn't deserve any further attention.
@WeeWeeJumbo
Жыл бұрын
This comment is so strong that I am replying to it three years later
@stopthefomo
4 жыл бұрын
Focal Trio11 please! Arguably one of the best active speakers available that’s musical enough for consumers while loud enough for home theater
@russmaleartist
4 жыл бұрын
I have two (2) of the Crown 1502's and am thinking of buying two (2) more in order to make my speakers' crossovers active. I cannot afford the expensive high-end amps; so for the price . . . it comes down to what can I afford and still enjoy the presentation. It comes down to my ears, my choice, my satisfaction, and my opinion . . . and with that said, when I find someone like Thomas who works overtime trying to be honest to his subscribers and true to his own ethics, I respect such people's opinions -- it is just being able to live with your own decisions and being accountable for them . . . not someone else's. After all, they are not responsible for my decisions nor I of their decisions . . . they become guides -- not laws.
@xSKOOBSx
4 жыл бұрын
The longer I am in the audio community the more I am confused by people stating that such and such amp is better because it is more this or less that. Should an amp not be judged by how accurately it can output power into various loads (and varying loads) and at various gains, as well as the ease of correcting any non-linear response that shows us? Maybe the better way to review amplifiers would be to hook up a hard to drive speaker, and record the voltage between the terminals on the back of the speaker with an extremely high report rate oscilloscope, then compare that to the same data at the source. Do the same thing with a few speakers of varying resistance, and at various output levels, and if it matches perfectly, its a good amp. If it doesn't match perfectly, how easy is the discrepancy to correct? If easy, it is a better amp than one that requires more work. I prefer some coloration in my music, but speakers will always have coloration, and the frequency response can be further adjusted with a miniDPS or something... I say leave the coloration to the components in which coloration is unavoidable. Everything else should be flat as glass.
@andyh8239
3 жыл бұрын
I've often wondered this very same thing.
@monkeypunker
2 жыл бұрын
It is not that simple. Good speakers do not colorate the sound. Exagerated (or lacking) transient harmonics in the signal chain do. And the ear is such a revealing instrument that even much more sophisticated measuring equipment than a voltage-meter can not measure musicality, body and character of the sound reproduction. Some gear just sings, and some is just dead, to simplify my point.
@xSKOOBSx
2 жыл бұрын
@@monkeypunker it is impossible for speakers to not color the music, even the most expensive, "best" speakers.
@RadoDani
4 жыл бұрын
I wish you could get your hands on Yamaha's NS5000 $20k speakers (and Yamaha top of the line stuff in general). I keep seeing them at shows but no one seems to review these.
@zoinkz8188
4 жыл бұрын
I agree! very well built stuff.
@hushpuppykl
4 жыл бұрын
RadoDani ... I’ve had a good listen to the whole 5000 series set up. It’s just clean, punchy, crystal clear. Not harsh at all. If you like that sort of sound, it’s great. It does not give you that extra holographic soundstage that seems to be what many want. If you lean towards the tube sound, the 5000 series won’t excite you.
@RadoDani
4 жыл бұрын
hushpuppykl Thank you!
@muddyriverdogz
3 жыл бұрын
And it could double as a casket to bury you in.
@tameem9848
4 жыл бұрын
one of Yamaha new line please A-S1200/2200/3200
@lynnpoole7830
4 жыл бұрын
I'm holding out until Crown comes out with a million watt amp that will fit in my pocket for $99.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
and duplicates as a coffee maker too.
@johnkru1295
3 жыл бұрын
Plus, next year. Minus, it will be made in China.
@michaelcollins2473
4 жыл бұрын
Good review. I recently purchased the Crown XLS1002 (the baby brother of the 2502). Your comments on the character of the sound are spot on. I think it comes down to what you're looking for the amp to do. What it does, it does admirably. It's not pretending to be something that it's not. If you can appreciate the Crown for what it is, it is very enjoyable. It's just not going to be for everyone.
@mattbonaccio3522
4 жыл бұрын
Thomas, please have Adorama send you the Yamaha A-S3200 integrated amplifier for review!
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Ah, I would love that too, I just need more people voting for it.
@e.kent.d9561
4 жыл бұрын
@@ThomasAndStereo OK, I vote for it too.
@fabianmontano3936
4 жыл бұрын
Me 3
@HanifBarnwell
4 жыл бұрын
Yamaha yes however can we settle on the 2200 instead? (Due to pricing)
@justinhiggins2210
2 жыл бұрын
It's an 11 lbs amp. With 8 output transistors total,, 4 per channel. This is the way amps are headed. The switch mode power supply is here to stay and takeover.
@RP-mm9ie
4 жыл бұрын
You lose both ways. I wanted you to like it more.Rich folks can critiize it,they can pay 10 times more for that extra 10%.But I love it with my freya+ and bluesound node.Fair review.
@gnd144
4 жыл бұрын
Your honesty is respected my friend.
@oscarjung5405
4 жыл бұрын
When will you review affordable Tube Preamp..... so we can buy one to match a $500-1000 Class D Amp....
@pmAdministrator
3 жыл бұрын
Funny thing to me is, as a Audio Science Reviews -forum reader, which measure all the audio devices on earth, both, the cheap and powerful Crowns and the super expensive audiophile Hifi gear measure like shit on paper, and the only difference seems to be the price, really. I bet if Crowns were over 3,000 dollars each, audiophiles probably would "hear" all kinds of "beautiful" sounds and magic coming out of these things. Just like through their pure silver cables. People and their psychology, maan.
@pmAdministrator
3 жыл бұрын
Oh, and Crowns obviously at least give a lot of that power, for the money. Another point to Crowns. Would definitely love em, if they didnt measure like shit.
@nathanloggins1721
4 жыл бұрын
I love my crown 👑 1502 amps they sound 🔉 fantastic bridged 1050 watts per channel! My polk 707's truly came alive with these amps very pleased!
@quitmanlott7394
3 ай бұрын
The XLS Crown is a great class D amp. It has three variable band pass filters, it sounds precise, it’s very adjustable and is easy to use, it’s efficient and very powerful, and I’ve never heard its fan or any other unwanted noises. I am using pair of mono-blocked Crown XLS 1002s to drive a set of Skar DDX15-D2, 1000-watt RMS sub woofers in my home theater. Even though the XLS series of Crown pro amps have RCA ins and a sensitivity adjustment, using them only gives about 60% of the rated power. I needed to run the Crown at full power. So, to solve this issue, I used an ART Cleanbox Pro between my theater amp and the two Crowns. I am also using a Crown XLS 2502 as a mono block to drive another sub. But in this case, the cleanbox is not needed. As this amp alone has plenty enough power to drive any sub or set of standard home speakers.
@kuisin88
4 жыл бұрын
Great review. Bottom line: comes down to equipment / speaker matching and appropriate level of expectation.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
I love how you put it, appropriate level of expectation.
@trekjudas
4 жыл бұрын
I'VE DONE THAT! I've heard a piece of gear at the store for a few minutes under optimal conditions and then acted shock when it didn't sound the same in my home!
@nl4311
4 жыл бұрын
Great review! Very smart to open on the potential to polarise viewers. On my system, the crown paired with an iTube 2 brought oodles of warmth and body that my Rega Brio integrated couldn't achieve. Now I know the Crown itself is not contributing to that warmth, which is great as it gives me more freedom to swop and 'play' with different preamps to produce different results.
@pmizz7959
4 жыл бұрын
So I am just getting into this hobby and bought a pair of Polk LSIM 705s. I have a Marantz SR5014 connected to one of these Crown 1502s and I’ll say this. For your average listener, for the money, you really can’t complain. Most people don’t have the money to build Thomas level systems so for people like me these Crowns make a TON of sense. You can spend more of your budget on higher quality speakers and let this little guy run them for $400.
@puertoricanaudiophile4840
4 жыл бұрын
I got my set ready to get hooked up for some movies...
@pmizz7959
4 жыл бұрын
I got mine from Adorama for $650 a piece. Retailed @ $1,500 a piece, cant beat it. Bought the $1,200 center channel (706c) for $550. Such a steal for quality like this
@puertoricanaudiophile4840
4 жыл бұрын
Peter Missureli I bought a dinged up pair to put in my bargainphile HT set up and I’ll be using the crown 1502 as the amp to drive them. Here is a secret that people don’t really want to talk about- under a given context the sonic experience will rival high end system. Kind of like floating in the center of your above ground pool with your eyes closed on a 90 degree day. Same difference if you were doing so in an in ground or in an Olympic sized pool...
@mareli82
4 жыл бұрын
i pared a Marantz NR 1510 and a Crown 1502 and it works great.
@kenasaoka888
3 жыл бұрын
I have the same speakers LSIM705 with Denon AVR-X6700H matched with XLS1002 instead of 1502. I'm wondering if I should upgrade my 1002 to 1502. I'm worried that 1502 maybe too powerful?? What level of your gain knobs set at the 1502??
@johnoakes7922
4 жыл бұрын
As long as your honest with your review...I have this amp. I am not married to any of my gear. I always have an open ear to other views and other opinions. TY Thomas!
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Nice, it is always good to have an open mind.
@moktaabdul6310
4 жыл бұрын
Looks cheap, plasticky. Ugly curve arch design. This looks like a joke kids stuff, ugly crown. Better off buying Rotel Denon Audiolab Cyrus Musical fedility Sony Marantz Pioneer Luxman Teac Onkyo Technics These all have monolithic clean plain simple oblong metal plain front ,with no gimmicks. Pure rectangles with sharp edges, without ugly handles like Macintosh.
@chuckwilliams999
4 жыл бұрын
I own a XLS 1002 and love this amp. Does what it needs to do and I didn't break the bank doing it. I do run a tube buffer between the pre-amp and the amp and this takes out the sterile aspect of the sound. Might try to put in a tube buffer and see what you think.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Ah, nice.
@Rollyclic
4 жыл бұрын
Same unit for me, with a tube buffer. My ls50 love it.
@zombielandiii2711
3 жыл бұрын
Can you recommend me a preamp and where I can find a tune buffer? Sorry for the dumb question but I'm just starting to research about "separates" and going to buy the crown amp. Thanks for any advice.
@chuckwilliams999
3 жыл бұрын
@@zombielandiii2711 I have a Emotive BasX PT-100. Using a FX-AUDIO TUBE-03 Tube Preamplifier with upgraded tubes, Riverstone Audio - Tested/Matched Pair (2 Tubes) 7-Pin GE JAN 5654W Fully-Tested Vacuum Tubes. Very cheap solution and it sounds great.
@thierrible7
2 жыл бұрын
Another neophyte/noob question: i think the answer is 'no', but does a tube pre-amp or tube-buffer provide the dimensional/soundstage depth/layering that tube pre-amps & amps are known for providing more of, or is a class D, however transparent, incapable of passing this quality on to the speakers? Thanks in advance.
@jeffw.1854
6 ай бұрын
There are so few people around who are aware that at one time Crown made home amps for home systems that were second to none. They had the nickname of 'the poor mans Mcintosh' . Their pro gear is just as good if not better.
@rendroidz4680
4 жыл бұрын
You are on point. Had the 1502 which i think is the one below this amp and i can say that for the price this amp is good for specific purpose. I used it with my lsim 707 and wow its fast and gives it a good bass. Good video!
@SomeTechGuy666
4 жыл бұрын
"my lsim 707 and wow its fast and gives it a good bass." What makes an amp "fast" ? Why does it have better bass than another amp ? Frequency response ?
@Itagain2day
10 ай бұрын
I used to hate crown amplifiers now I have 2.
@ThomasAndStereo
10 ай бұрын
You have joined the Dari side
@jaigill7134
4 жыл бұрын
I have the crown 1502 running JBL L65 and it is a great amplifier. Quite neutral but with a dip in the mid range, however this got better after it was run in. I wasn't sure about amplifer burn in but this amp was quite detailed but lifeless. After running it in for a while the sound got a lot better and sounded like it had more soul in the music
@RingZero
4 ай бұрын
Exactly, the keyword is "value", and this is coming from me who currently own a Bryston 14B3 and have absolutely no issues with my Crown XLS2500 during audio comparison.
@charliemathews5210
4 жыл бұрын
The pictures of your children in the background are priceless!!
@TouristTrophyDetroit
4 жыл бұрын
I am using the Crown XLS 1502 with my Arcam AVR850 to drive my Revel Performa 3 F208 speakers and could not be happier. It is very neutral and I love crystal clear audio. I have also treated my room and that made the biggest difference.
@fendergibs
4 жыл бұрын
Too bright of a system with the revels and crown, poor combination. Bright, thin and hard with fatigue induced listening.
@TouristTrophyDetroit
4 жыл бұрын
@@fendergibs not for me lol.i love the sound.
@fendergibs
4 жыл бұрын
Ryan Cramer I’m surprised, especially in the upper mid range and higher frequencies. I do however love the fact that they give you a electron a crossover as that would be nice in a bi camping situation.
@MichelLinschoten
4 жыл бұрын
Had one for a year now to drive my jbl jrx subs never breaks a sweat. And tons of features, bridge capability, balanced inputs, crossovers , shit ton of power And you forgot to add in bridged this amp does 2400w @4 ohm
@46wireboy
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I have 2 of the older ones and each is driving a DIY sub and an Odyssey Lorelie main. No hiss, great bass, and as for the mids, I think I MIGHT want just the tiniest bit more warmth. But it seems that voices sound correct most of the time and some of my favorite music would sound muddy if I got that little bit "extra" warmth I think I want. Something else, I don't use a center speaker and truthfully it would be a waste. I actually have a couple around, but why complicate things with superfluity?
@aceofspades6667
4 жыл бұрын
I'm in group #4... Not a Crown fan and not anti-crown... I'm not a class D fan or a class A or A/B purist either. My ultimate dream would be able to take a speaker like the Maggie LRS for ~$650 and pair it with the Crown for ~ $650 and have one helluva 2.0 or 2.1 hifi setup for music. I understand the Crown may not be as great as a $3k amp from pass labs or $2k amp from Hagel or even $1300 for the Emotiva HC-1 monos.... But at $1300 all in hopefully it would be a great pairing.
@46wireboy
4 жыл бұрын
Two subs are much better than 1. Always. Go 2.2. Easy to set up. Also, lots of us don't really buy in to that crap that you can't tell where bass is coming from. I always have been able to and I've always used closed subs.
@hifisymphony
4 жыл бұрын
The Crown XLS Drive Core 2502 is a hell of a great amp. I had the 1002 and was amazing.
@madscientist6869
Жыл бұрын
Very very over priced way to expensive for what it is .
@jimhamlin6551
4 жыл бұрын
You have to have a great pre amp
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Yes, that is one of the important key.
@oscarjung5405
4 жыл бұрын
@@ThomasAndStereo You always suggest Tube Preamps for Class D, but using a $900 Shiit Freya+, defies the whole purpose of this budget crown amp, I think spending x 1.5 on a preamp is the wrong $ allocation, so what is the alternative matching budget preamp?
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
@@oscarjung5405 I dont know. My freya was the first gen Freya so it was $699 and given the crown is $649, it was a fair match. What is good tube preamp in the budget world to use with it? I have no idea as I have to try it at my place to know.
@ardabora6175
Жыл бұрын
I have been using xti 2002 hooked up to klipsch cf4 for almost 10years,its fun listening to juicy lively sound and yes value for bucks and again yes a bit backround noise is there but you cant go wrong with crown audio.give it a try if you like you like if not at least it will heal your new gear itching.after watching many reviews about crown audio the next thing that i want try is a tube preamp.thanks for nice and informative review.
@m.r.3128
4 жыл бұрын
Hey Thomas, it’s always our pleasure to hear candid, honest remarks on this equipment. Generally Caucasian people appreciate these attributes, so perhaps a little cultural difference; don’t stress out about minor issues or ‘roll off’ your personality on this topic man. Interestingly you used Polk Lsim 707 on the test, tells me plenty 👍🏼 Have yourself a good day
@m.r.3128
4 жыл бұрын
The iPad mini 4 could not handle the bass on this occasion (unusual); this system must be excellent to listen too
@billwillard9410
4 жыл бұрын
Only if someone says that they’re going to keep a component for their own personal system do I take notice, because otherwise it’s not better than what they have now.
@sixin1
3 жыл бұрын
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.
@daysofnoah1748
2 жыл бұрын
It took me a long time to match my Freya tubes and interconnects to make the Crowns sing, but am finally happy with it's performance. It is now top notch in my system. I have found the higher powered models to be glassy sounding, but the 1000 and 1500 models not so. Overall Crowns are relatively neutral, and when fed from a warmer tube preamp they can sing.
@richardkim668
Жыл бұрын
Which tubes did you match to your Freya?
@oysteinsoreide4323
4 жыл бұрын
I tested the Crown XLS 1502 drivecore 2. It was very good. I don't have it now, but I would not have any problems living with one if I was on a tight budget. For the price they are almost unbeatable.
@ASHISHSHARMA-hm6ex
4 жыл бұрын
Hi Thomas, I bought the XLS2502 after watching your review. When I paired it with a solid state preamp , the mids warmth was not very enjoyable and I packed up the amp and kept it away. Recently I bought the ifi tube 2 buffer / preamp. I remembered you mentioning using a tube in the signal path and I did that. Configured ifi tube 2 in preamp mode with 9db gain. Enabled the 3d mode and walla ..... What a superb sounding combination it is now. Fantastic mid warmth, highs are beautiful and bass is amazing. I am amazed to hear deep bass at a very low volumes. So very enjoyable. Thanks a lot for a brilliant review. I could verify your observations....... Now thinking why the hell I spent buying other 4times costly amps....,, Class D amp with a tube in signal path is magical....
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing your story. Glad it worked out for you.
@michaelwright1602
3 жыл бұрын
I have the Freya, and was eyeballing the Crown as the standalone amp in my two channel setup, are you still impressed with your tube/Crown mix? I'm looking at the little brother to the Crown that Thomas reviewed, the $339 XLS, it will be paired with two SVS Ultra bookshelf speakers, along with two SVS SB3000 subs.
@schemkesa
Жыл бұрын
Great review. I took the plunge and bought one, the XLS1502. Driving my front speakers (B&W 604 S3) in a 5.0 setup. Great control and base and steady detail. But definitely better stronger lower base than the AVR Marantz SR6015.
@JUNAutoMechanic
Жыл бұрын
I am planning to do the same but I am skeptical about the fact that it hasn’t trigger 12v port .
@schemkesa
Жыл бұрын
@JUNAutoMechanic I made small trigger unit for it. Converts the 12V trigger to a closed switch for the XLS1502. It's a simple relais in a box and works perfect.
@billd9667
4 жыл бұрын
Seems like the XLS would be a great match for any Magnepan - lots of power and tight control. Maggies can seem a little too "warm" sometimes. The edge on the XLS would be most welcome.
@planchernewfinish
4 жыл бұрын
in fact yes!
@flashhog01
4 жыл бұрын
That sounds like a match!
@planchernewfinish
4 жыл бұрын
I’ve tried it on maggies 20.1 ,carver platinum , apogee stage and duettas. All great results
@stephenstapleton1619
4 жыл бұрын
Good job as usual. Would like to see you review Yamaha A-S1100 if possible.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Cool, one more vote for it.
@jonatanhalvorsli9089
2 жыл бұрын
I bought this amp almost a year ago now, its a beast. I have a pair of QLN Artech 12 speakers wich need alot of power. With this power amp they become absolute monsters. Have Also tried driving two subs at once with different dsp settings on both, this amp is just awesome!!
@Rickzolla
4 жыл бұрын
Different strokes for different folks. Nice review as usual Thomas.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks, glad you enjoy it.
@andr192
4 жыл бұрын
Another vote for Yamaha A-S1200/2200/3200 , they look gorgeous and when it is time to upgrade i would love to have one of them if they sound as good as they look!
@weeooh1
4 жыл бұрын
The Crown sounds like the ideal amp for bi-amping purposes. Connect it to the bass drivers and use a smoother amp for the tweeters.
@SomeTechGuy666
4 жыл бұрын
"A smoother amp" ? What makes an amp "smoother" ?
@matthewhilty4209
4 жыл бұрын
Was thinking the same thing, you beat me to it 🙂
@chrisvinicombe9947
4 жыл бұрын
When it comes to class D it's mostly the output filters. Because it's effectively sampling the input signal hundreds of thousand times a second. The output needs to be smoothed by a filter to take the edges off the sampled signal.
@SomeTechGuy666
4 жыл бұрын
@@chrisvinicombe9947 And some analog amplifiers use decoupling caps or transformers on the output. What is your point ? There is nothing inherent in having a filter on the output of a class D that provides it with a specific character.
@FOH3663
4 жыл бұрын
@@SomeTechGuy666 But unfortunately there is an inherent negative characteristic to class D, and it's attributable to the output filter. You mention output transformers. Vacuum Tube amplifiers have benefitted greatly from it being a fully mature technology. Even with sonic irregularities, since the strengths are significant in class D, every facet of the design is being explored. Just as much thought and effort is put into the ideal output transformers, similarly output filtering on class D is being scrutinized as the fundamental problem. Fortunately, we're relatively early in the big picture with class D optimization.
@vindeiatrix
2 жыл бұрын
Hey Thomas, love your reviews I've recently upgraded from an AVR to a Marantz pre/pro and find myself in need of 13 channels of external amplification. My main application is Atmos home theater. My LRC is RBH Sound Impression series, R55TiB and R56CiB. All surrounds are Polk T50, even the heights. Should I try a stack of class D's, like Crown XLS? Does the notion of prioritizing raw power and headroom make sense for home theater? Or would it be too harsh, and I'm better off going the AB route and sacrifice the wattage? What do you recommend?
@ThomasAndStereo
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for the donation. For me, usually if it is the back speakers or ceiling speakers, anything is fine because they are more for effect. The 3 speakers in the front are very important. If you use it for music also, then I would consider a better class D amp or AB. If it is just for movies, I think it is fine. You can email me at thomas.tan@galion-audio.com for more questions.
@CThienV
4 жыл бұрын
I can't hear differences between amps. Am I a noob, or a economic audiophile?
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Maybe the 2 amps you AB tested sounded very similar and there was no difference. Also, depends on the song , volume, speaker and so forth
@billwillard9410
4 жыл бұрын
I too struggle with telling the difference when swapping components. You often see responses like “Your system is not resolving enough” or “You don’t know how to listen”. I second Thomas’s assertion that maybe your two comparisons are not very much different from each other, can’t say. I’m not running a super high quality system myself by audiophile standards, so I don’t take personally the idea that maybe my system isn’t good enough to hear the difference, and I won’t disregard the posters who do in their systems. However, I also stopped swapping out components that don’t make an easily discernible difference to my ears - it’s a waste of time and money when all you can say is “I THINK that it sounds better”.
@soniqhifiht1466
4 жыл бұрын
Great review Thomas . We sell high end audio gears , Crown doesn't get us that profits when we sell but its performance is undeniably exceptional for the price and i see all happy customers and some wondering about their high cost amps and its value !!
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Interesting, thanks for the info.
@BastianUllr
4 жыл бұрын
Not sure where I can vote, but very interested on Yamaha AS-1200 and iFi Classic S50 Tube integrated!
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks, you just voted!
@nullatenaciinviaestvia8617
4 жыл бұрын
One vote more for the Yamaha AS-1200 please thanks 🎶🎶🔉
@gage4375
5 ай бұрын
Blond😏
@rhwinner
4 жыл бұрын
For me it's all about tone and timbre. I find these cheap amps all seem to have an artificial sheen that masks the true character of the instrument or voice. So do ss amps in general compared to tubes, but with class D amps, especially cheap mass produced ones, it's more pronounced. Staging, deep controlled bass...none of that matters if the illusion of real instruments is broken. As always ymmv.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
I do see where you are coming from. The possible explanation I can think of is most people don't play real instruments like me, so we are more forgiving when it comes to tone and timbre. I mentioned this in my last Rogers speaker video regarding my observations on tone and timbre and that I listen more for stagging and so forth.
@SomeTechGuy666
4 жыл бұрын
"tone and timbre" ? "Artificial sheen" ? "So do ss amps in general compared to tubes, but with class D amps, especially cheap mass produced ones, it's more pronounced. Staging, deep controlled bass...none of that matters if the illusion of real instruments is broken." Give me a friggin break. You forgot the monster cables and vinyl to get the highest quality audio.
@michaelmityok1001
4 жыл бұрын
@@SomeTechGuy666 just because you cant hear a difference doesnt mean Rockinghorse Winner (RW) cant hear one. If you are determined to do some trolling however, go after RW on account of the dumbass RW moniker, I'd 100% support that.
@MichelLinschoten
4 жыл бұрын
With other words you never owned a xls before thanks for clearing that up
@rhwinner
4 жыл бұрын
@@MichelLinschoten true, and I'm sure I would be pleasantly surprised. I just couldn't buy one for myself at this point. Maybe at some point I'll get one for a spare room or something, and fall in love with it. Or any class d. But for now, I'll stick with linear amps. ;)
@sphaera3809
4 жыл бұрын
Nice to hear your impressions and your friend’s. Ill never criticize you for giving us your honest opinion whether I agree or not. I’ll spam Adorama with equipment review requests! ;-)
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Haha, bring it on!
@tjkadar
4 жыл бұрын
If you run out of power, you will hear distortion. The Crown measures well and provides gobs of power with that distortion and noise kept under control. In a perfect world, the Crown would be kept on bass duty freeing up a more finessed amp for the other frequencies, but there is no shame in using this beast full range. The 1502 doesn't measure as well as the 2502, but much of the same applies. No shame in running either of these affordable powerhouses.
@SomeTechGuy666
4 жыл бұрын
"a more finnessed amp" LOL.
@tjkadar
4 жыл бұрын
There are amps out there that measure a lot better than the Crowns. Now whether or not those measurable differences are audible, perhaps to those golden eared few...
@jdekong3945
4 жыл бұрын
Curious things these Crown amps, seem to have a bit of a following now with more of the high end audio guys wanting to have a look. I think its fantastic that a lot of audio guys are reviewing these things without shame, because the hobby is supposed to be fun
@46wireboy
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah, they've been crapping on them without trying them out for 10 years or so and now some of their buddies have given in and it's "OK" to give them lip service!
@rotaks1
4 жыл бұрын
Thomas, great honest review. I got this amp just a couple of days ago. I went with Sean's (zero fidelity) review of this piece. I also debated buying the Orchard audio and XTZ after your review. This is my first Class D. I hooked the Crown up to my Double Impacts and was pleasantly surprised immediately. The bass got deeper and tighter. The mids are definitely not thin to me and the highs are sharp but not too accentuated. I don't know what "dry sound" or "glassy" means and so I can't comment. I actually turned off my SW's. The soundstage got wider and on some tracks, the sound stage became weirdly enveloping (almost like I have surround speakers)! I love this amp. Definitely a keeper. Preamp: NAD C 658.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Congrats!
@oscarjung5405
4 жыл бұрын
@@ThomasAndStereo But for us that don't have/want to spend $1500 on a preamp..... what is a better match...? But a great review. Not sure people/I know what glassy means. Maybe you should do a video on speaker vocabulary...
Hello ! Do you think the Crown with Marantz SR 7015 for drive ARIA 928 is a good idea ?
@ThomasAndStereo
3 жыл бұрын
Sorry, no idea.
@scorpioncubain
3 жыл бұрын
@@ThomasAndStereo lol Thanks for your help
@mrtitms
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks as always, Yamaha A-s3200. Curious what Yamaha's top end is capable of
@nathanjones4039
4 жыл бұрын
That’s not those top of the line, C5000 & M5000 separates are top of the line. A-S3200 A-S3000 is top of the line as far as intergrated amps go, I’d love to have A-S2100 or A-S2200.
@christianolsson834
17 күн бұрын
Honest and great review free of bias. I wonder how this power amp would fare in a bass guitar setup. Using my Unicornbass going to Unicornbass cabinets I am afraid that the latency of a DSP amp will be noticed. Do anyone here have any details on latency of this power amp?
@garethknott5915
4 жыл бұрын
RUN MY SUBS ON THIS CROWN AMP AND ITS GREAT
@frediebouy
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks, was about to ask about that
@garethknott5915
4 жыл бұрын
@@frediebouy works great in my set up as i build all my speakers and powering the bottom end separate is better as i can leave the subs off at night for late listening stay safe gareth
@dungysphincter7974
4 жыл бұрын
I have couple of the Crown 2502's. I can max the volume without pushing a signal to the amp... I only hear a slight hiss with my ear almost against the tweeter. Not enough that you could even hear in a dead silent room. I have had vintage audio equipment of pristine status that was on par with the Crowns. My speakers sensitivity are 98db SPL too. I have owned quite a bit of high end gear. The Crown's can hold their own. For the money, they can't be beat for power, efficiency and features. Not yet... The Crowns match very well with the Emotiva PT-100 (which has a decent DAC built in, or use of a different good DAC (Aune X8 Magic DAC, JDS Labs EL DAC II, The ES9038Q2M SABRE32 Reference DAC, AK4490 - AK4499 etc.) and also using tubes as a buffer, if you want a fuller bodied richer sound. I would use good quality JBL or Klipsch speakers at least. People can get Audiophile grade gear on the cheap these days!!! What can be had for $5,000 today, would have cost you $50,000 or more 20yrs ago. Think about it...
@yumidad
4 жыл бұрын
I added a Crown xls 1002 to my PS Audio sprout 100 very happy with it can highly recommended.
@amb3cog
4 жыл бұрын
Thank you so, so much Thomas! This was exactly what I wanted to hear. I have a pair of Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary speakers that need some livening up, and I've been trying to figure out which way to go with them. This amp was already on my list, because I figure worse case scenario. Even if it doesn't work out as my main amp. I can use it as a sub amp, because eventually I'm going to try subs in my room anyway. And it has XLR in. I really want to try a balanced preamp and/or DAC, and amp. So I can run long interconnects, and short speaker cables. Right now I'm doing the opposite, and that's not optimal at all. Plus I can't afford good 20 ft speaker cables, but I can afford short ones. Not sure if I'll get this one, or the XLS 2002 yet, but I've read that those are the best ones to get in the XLS series. Although a pair of XLS 1002, or XLS 1502 run as bridged monoblocks, or bi-amped would be real nice too, I'm sure. And I don't know if I'll go used, or new. But if I do go new. I'll definitely get it from Adorama. Just because of their relationships with you, and Sean. I trust you two guys more then the rest. That's for sure. And am sure you wouldn't work with a bad company. Thanks again, and have a great night my friend. ✌️
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Hey, nice to have you drop by. Thanks for the support, really appreciate it.
@46wireboy
4 жыл бұрын
I'm running the XLS 2500's(2); each runs a sub and main speaker. Figures out to about 700+ watts to each sub and around 600 watts to each main. It sounds clean, effortless, and punchy. Used for 2.2 HD and Stereo. No worthless(in my opinion) center channel. If you need a center channel, something isn't set up right. I love them. They never get hot, never run out of power, never draw attention to themselves.
@alfma976
4 жыл бұрын
Thomas this are great reviews, specially for us that are starting to build a system, could you review the Yamaha RN 803? Thank you.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
If it is on Adorama and I get enough views, sure.
@DerekBove
4 жыл бұрын
I have the Crown XLS1002 and have always had trouble integrating it in my system with my JBL Studio 590s; its currently sitting in a closet. Too much noise (even with a Rolls MB15b), and to my ears, my OSD A5500 sounded much more dynamic and clear than the Crown. It may come down to the speakers, or personal preference of Class AB vs. Class D, or that the 1002 is more limited compared to the higher end models. I really want to find a good use for it, but the noise was a bit off putting.
@sepulsteve
4 жыл бұрын
I had to remove the 1002 from my system due to noise as well. Not only the minimal hiss but I was having a random static noise that I couldn't get rid of. Switched to the monolith and never heard any noise in the system again.
@monkeypunker
2 жыл бұрын
I just tested it at my place, with a highly revealing speakers and a great tube amp. So glad I did not buy the amp. Now, let me say it straight that I do agree with you Thomas on quite some points. You make the right observations, like the glassiness, drynes (big problem!), and the lack of body (related to dryness I would say). The good things you point out are also right, like clean sound, imageing, and crazy tight bass). But - and you will not(!) "solve" it with tubes and cables - there is quite some noise present all the time, dryness is still there, but most important for me, the musicality, the emotions, warmth of vocals.. are just not there. Hope that helps anyone, cheers.
@bilguana11
4 жыл бұрын
I use a Crown XLS 1502 on my ELAC Vela 407 speakers with Analysis-Plus Apex cables. So reviewers fear to losing their credibility if they say budget gear is great sounding. Thomas, you have convinced me to look into a different amp. The Crown was great when I had soft dome tweeters, but these true German AMT drivers are much too revealing. Thanks.
@cgambarrotti
4 жыл бұрын
Bill Crane What is your impression on the AP Apex cables? I am currently using AP Crystal Oval Solo RCA interconnects and think they are great. However, my friend let me hear his AP Silver Oval interconnects and was blown away by how much more transparent they were. I’m thinking I might as well get the Apex interconnects. Please take a moment to describe their sound characteristics in comparison to other cables you have tried. Thanks in advance. Also can you name some speakers you have listened to and we’re bested by the Elac Vela 407? I have a feeling those are great as well. Sounds like you have very dynamic and transparent system. What preamp do you use?
@bilguana11
4 жыл бұрын
@@cgambarrotti I'm a dealer for my entire system. There was still a slight improvement in transparency when I moved from the Silver AR cables to the Apexs. It should be a final system tweek IMO. I use a Yamaha 5200 pre-pro because I have one reference system for both stereo and surround. A customer has a Marantz 8500 and it may be better sounding but I have not heard them side-by-side - with all of the cabling and set-ups that would be difficult. Yes it is a very fast, revealing and dynamic system. Like most audiophiles I'm always looking to improve it (within the budget).
@cgambarrotti
4 жыл бұрын
@@bilguana11 Thanks for your response. The Apex will be the next interconnects I will get.
@cgambarrotti
4 жыл бұрын
Bill Crane do you have a website for the Audio equipment you sell?
@bilguana11
4 жыл бұрын
@@cgambarrotti Yes, but I need to seriously update it: cranehometheater.com
@Warpedsmac
4 ай бұрын
A class D power amp with a tube pre-amp....think carefully about this people.
@scottscottsdale7868
4 жыл бұрын
The other in expensive amp is the Niles on sale at around $250.00. In amping those was actually pretty good. At least to me. Again. Fantastic return policy is your friend.
@guyboisvert66
Жыл бұрын
You were right on. And those amps are often better than many other supposedly "high end" over hyped amps! Saying this, you have to see every component as a transfer function (like an equalizer for those who don't know about signal processing theory, every component are not perfectly linear / flat) and the sum of all the transfer functions makes the final sound to you ears. Even the room has its own transfer function! You probably know about component matching, this is why some very high end amp / preamp / speakers don't work well with each other. If every component could be perfectly flat, we would hear the sound as it was recorded / mixed. Recent quality Class D are sometimes labeled as "dry" or "bright", look the other components you use with it! And most of the distortion and non linearity come from the speakers and the room!
@vintagestereo
2 жыл бұрын
how does this crown stand against a bryston 4bst
@jimmintz4348
4 жыл бұрын
I bought one 3 months ago and will never get rid of it. I am an audiophile myself. The amp is a shocker for the price.
@jimmintz4348
3 жыл бұрын
@Ratt Wood Polk SDA SRS & Polk SDA 1Cs
@michaelsk87
4 жыл бұрын
Can you review the Yamaha A-S1200 please.
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
Another vote!
@eduardomenendez1706
3 ай бұрын
Great Review , your right in orther to give an opinion you need to own one of this XLS' s Amps , I do and the reason i bought one its because my pioneer A-757 integrated was strougling with the low end with 2 JBL Speakers 1 has 2 15"s woofers the other one 1 18" sub so i bought the Crown based on many good reviews like yours , all i can say its wow , wat a game changer the xls2502 is i use it to handle my lows with the active crossover and my pioneer is handling the med and highs , know i got the sound i always dream of without breaking the bank , for what you pay for you get the power of a 3k amp and like other people say the sound quality is great it needs some fine tuning that's it
@CC6_Fanclub_President
2 жыл бұрын
I am using the 2502 to push 2 subs... I added the ART Cleanbox Pro between my AVR and the Crown... Tons of headroom now with that unbalanced/balanced converter...
@daviddaniels6473
10 ай бұрын
I'm in the 3rd group I'm afraid. I have 4 old Cerwin Vega U321e I'd like to drive. I've used Crown before, just wondering if they're still any good..
@simonxuan
9 ай бұрын
Impressive, ran into your video clip and ended up buying one XLS 2505 for my HT to see if I can replace the Anthem MCA amp for my front LR channel.
@mcjonner
4 жыл бұрын
Hey Thomas, when you reviewed the xtz edge you classified it as audiophile level which I found very easy to digest and understand what you meant. When comparing these 2 amps, there are pros and cons of both, but the overall package, do you consider the Crown audiophile level? Thanks
@ThomasAndStereo
4 жыл бұрын
The issue for us is that you need good depth for audiophile so depends how picky you are.
@darpanbhuyan1909
4 жыл бұрын
paused at 1:32 to write this! well summed up Thomas. im the third category and i am supremely conflicted between the XTZ A-2 300 and crown 2502. looking foward to hearing your opinion on it
@nasimhaider281
2 жыл бұрын
With XLS1502 connected to Denon (X3700H) AVR with RCA preouts, what should be XLS's exact input sensitivity (0.75/1.4) and Gain knob settings to drive my 8ohm JBL (ES100) L+R Front stand speakers? I tend to listen to both medium and high volume at times .. Kindly advise me the best possible settings required.. Thanks in advance
@familyfirstlife6078
10 ай бұрын
Does the xls 1002 really put out 1100 watts bridged at 4ohms? I have my sub wired at 4ohms and I have the xls1002 set in the bridged low pass mode and it just doesn’t seem like it’s putting out 1100 watts.
@c0uchsl0uch
7 ай бұрын
Which xls amp would be best for bic rtr EV15 floor speakers? They are rated at 225 watts RMS each
@666PANDEMONIUM
4 жыл бұрын
Me watching this video with my Crown 2502 and Wharfedale Jade 7s like, "I guess I belong in that first group of people that he was talking about. . . ."
@yauchongchang7224
4 жыл бұрын
Considerinh to pair with Jade 5. May I know what preamp you use?
@666PANDEMONIUM
4 жыл бұрын
@@yauchongchang7224 The best preamp is no preamp. Get a dac with a lossless volume control. If you have alot of analog sources then I would reccomend a Schiit Freya +.
@RichSmithify
2 жыл бұрын
No, Crown amps are not amazing. They're exactly what you'd expect from pro audio gear. So are amps from Crest, QSC and Mackie. They're only amazing when compared to consumer grade gear.
@sammyorta
5 ай бұрын
Whats a great Pre amp for this crown i am using cds and vinyl technics sl-1200mk7
@randyhunt1581
3 жыл бұрын
I have a Marantz SR5013 AVR and fr left and R speakers are Def Tech D11's. My center is SVS ULTRA. What I want to do is buy a Crown XLS 1002. My questions are 1, which should I use the XLS to power for most benefit ,fr r & l or center? 2nd will this take enough strain off SR5013 to make a significant difference in power out and clarity? The SVS is rated at 225 rms. The D11' 200 rms and the SR5013 @ 100 watts rms. I had an Onkyo AVR rated @ 95 watts rms and the Marantz absolutely blows it away so the power seems to be accurate on it. Please respond, I am on social security and have very limited finances. I am 63 and basically all I do is watch movies until my time here is over. Thank you and hope to hear something soon.
@SuperMcgenius
4 жыл бұрын
You should run for a political office, good review thank you. If someone is offended by that then they need some professional help from a counselor.
@desuhunachew2805
4 жыл бұрын
I have a problem to choose for my home theater 9.2.6 setup amplifier .i am not really audio guy but i want watch movie and lessen music my speakers 1.front speakers klipsch r28f future rf7lll or rf 280f 2.center klipsch rc64lll 3.surround klipsch rc62 x4 4.celling Polk audio rt80ix4 5.atmos elevation klipsch rp140sa 6.front height klipsch rp250s My receiver denon avrx6500h 7.Audio Source 210 for my celling speaker amplifire. My question what kind of amplifier how much watts they need my speakers i follow your video i believe you gave same idia thank you so much gor your time.
@McgarickWAstate
4 жыл бұрын
What I get by reading between the lines, so to speak. Is the crown Lacks sophistication. It's probably great for blasting ACDC and having it sound really good. But Lacks the dimensionality , needed for say the modern Jazz Quartet.
@foleyhund3860
11 ай бұрын
Interesting. We can all agree that our ears are all as different as our personalities. And our personalities shape our selection and preference to audio. I grew up on the latest in fidelity. I also understand that we all have different needs and requirements and dreams of the perfect audio. Now lets introduce the latest in AVR software that in theory "fixes" a room, the amplifiers, the speakers, and so forth. So in theory, room correction software should yeild the exact same "sound" characteristics. regardless of how the sound gets to ones ears. Thus, if one has superior audio equipment, then that equipment should "adjust" the sound to match your specific needs. After all, one assumes that's why you bought it.
@johngault-9597
Жыл бұрын
Nice review, I have Crown Class D amps and share your sentiments. On a different note, you'd most probably lose more viewers with the blonde brunette reference than with your Crown review...
@xSKOOBSx
4 жыл бұрын
Behringer A800 which competes with this amp directly. Would love an A/B. Did you say you won't post a negative review of a product? Why not?
@jemdost6724
4 жыл бұрын
How can I have individual volume control remotely of each channel? Preferably under $30 Thought about splicing up two RCA bass knobs + - input with the sub wire then the other out RCA on the knob directly into the amp....but I don't understand how to determine if that is suitable for the potentially upwards of 300+ watt RMS draw from each channel Will this work and if so any concerns/cons? Or any better options? Would appreciate replies from anyone that would be knowledgeable on best way to accomplish this. Cheers!
@ms19631964
2 жыл бұрын
Have you ever reviewed the QSC1450a amp? This is a new amp from QSC and I would like to know how it compares to the Crown amp.
@andyh8239
Жыл бұрын
How does output compare at 120 vs 220v ? My CE4000 needed 240 to reach full power.
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