Power Amp for clubs.

[infectdrhythms]

Hi, I'm looking to create a 500W power amplifier that I can use with my DJ kit at home and transport at club gigs. Is it possible to do? And can some one point me to some good kits?

The idea is to first create a 500W stereo power amp so I can plug in to the DJ booth at the club.

Eventually I will want to create a 3 way Crossover and amp for each frequency range: bass, mids, highs and my own speakers finally.

I'm thinking that each amp for each frequency should have it's on characteristics, instead of building the 3 same amps...

So, should I go up to 500W or will something less be sufficient? Keep in mind I want to use it in a club so it must be loud enough to overcome the main club sound in the DJ booth. And of course it must sound good

As for the electronics part, I have a few friends who will help me with the construction.

Thanks!

[pacificblue]

You will not achieve 500 W with a chip amp. You will have to look in the solid state or class D forums. Better even, search for a PA forum.

A 500 W amplifier is not exactly a beginner's project, and you can probably get a PA amplifier with that amout of power cheaper than DIY. If you will use it at a public place there are also safety issues to address, which is another reason for buying instead of making.

Something less than 500 W could be sufficient. That depends on the size of the club, the sound pressure level you need to achieve, the amount of equalizing and, most important of all, the speaker sensitivity. 10 dB more (what humans percieve as double as loud) needs 10 times the amplifier power, so a speaker with 10 dB more sensitivity is a better choice than trying to make up for it with power.

[infectdrhythms]

Well I seen a 300W amp made from GainClone I guess I look into that!

I mostly want to use the kit at home or in the DJ booth! Maybe 300W is all I need with good speakers!?

[Cliff45]

Hi Infectd-

I take it since you used the term "DJ" in your post that you will play a bit of what would be called "Dance/Trance" music styles in these clubs? That type of program material seems to require a rather large amount of high-horsepower subwoofers, doesn't it? At least that's what all the clubs I have seen in NYC and Chicago had installed in their public areas....

You can do a LOT with a little if you're careful, that's for sure. But I would try to bear in mind that the majority of what gets discussed in these forums is often being done in the desire of people trying to build audio equipment that has superior characteristics to that of which is commonly marketed to the general public. It's often not even "bigger" and most definitely often not "cheaper" when you start trying to do that, I have found.

But I surely have learned what to look for in equipment that I do end up buying instead of building myself from the information I have read in these pages, I assure you that!

[pacificblue]

Originally posted by infectdrhythms
I mostly want to use the kit at home or in the DJ booth! Maybe 300W is all I need with good speakers!?

The difference from 300 to 500 W is less than 3 dB. You will hardly notice a difference.

What you are looking for is the BPA-200. For PA application soft clipping/limiter, DC out protection, and a temperature controlled fan should be added.

[infectdrhythms]

I found this! http://www.shine7.com/audio/bpa300.htm


Clif you are right! It's for House music mostly, which I would need good bass response.

I'm not looking to build a club system, but rather a kit for home and something I can use in the DJ booth not the whole club. I.e: 2 speakers a good cross over and amps to power those speakers. Technically if I use an amp for each frequency I won' t really need a 500W amp. I can probably get away with 300W and good speakers.

Guys this system would make you wet your pants! We have this in Montreal!

Look through the pictures: http://www.systemsbyshorty.com/sbsstereo1.swf

The stacks are 15 feet tall! :P

And check out his Home System! http://www.systemsbyshorty.com

[pacificblue]

BPA-300 will not give you more power than BPA-200 into the same load. One advantage of BPA-300 is that it can be 2 Ohm stable with the same transformer, if you have enough heatsinking. BPA-200 can only play into 2 Ohm with reduced supply voltage.
Another is that it distributes the heat dissipation across more ICs. So for home use you may get by without a fan. In a PA environment you will need a fan anyhow.

Why don't you start with a single chip amplifier optimized for the load you will have to drive and take that one day with you to test? That way you get an idea about the sound. If you find out that you need more power during that test, you can still use the components for a BPA configuration later.

Start with a 2x18 V transformer for 4 Ohm or a 2x24 V transformer for 8 Ohm. 160 VA in either case. Get a big heatsink, too.

For home use it will be sufficient for more than 80 or even 90 % of all listening situations. For the DJ booth it only has to add the mids and highs that reach the booth muffled. There should be enough bass from the main speakers, so that should not be too much of a concern.

In an active system with one amplifier per driver the power adds up. E. g. an active speaker with 200 W for the bass, 70 W for the mids and 30 W for the highs would give a similar performance to a 300 W passive system. If you plan for that, a single chip amplifier will then still serve for the tweeters or even the mids.

[sakis]

Originally posted by infectdrhythms
I found this! http://www.shine7.com/audio/bpa300.htm


Clif you are right! It's for House music mostly, which I would need good bass response.

I'm not looking to build a club system, but rather a kit for home and something I can use in the DJ booth not the whole club. I.e: 2 speakers a good cross over and amps to power those speakers. Technically if I use an amp for each frequency I won' t really need a 500W amp. I can probably get away with 300W and good speakers.

Guys this system would make you wet your pants! We have this in Montreal!

Look through the pictures: http://www.systemsbyshorty.com/sbsstereo1.swf

The stacks are 15 feet tall! :P

And check out his Home System! http://www.systemsbyshorty.com

these are the systems we actually used in greece arround 80's ....do you still play with stuff like that ?????

now days most of our clubs feature LA systems .....

[fredos]

I agree with Sakis

The sound system of the Stereo in Montreal was crap...and old! It just sound because it have brute power on it...Nothing more! infectdrhythms, go to the Parking Night Club...The system is 10 time smaller than the one of the Stereo and maybe twice as loud and specilay lot more hi-fi...Send me PM, I will bring you at some place to show you what's a system...Not just high power bass...But a whole high power system...And compact of course!

[lgreen]

...to your original question- I don't think a chipamp is going to be powerful enough for a club situation- even a BPA 300 or BPA 200.