Amp recommendation for eighteensound 18LW2400.

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
I am looking for some recommendations for an amp to run two 18LW2400 in cubo 18 enclosures. I will be using the speakers mainly for a small underground music venue with the capacity of around 100-150 people or so. Secondary application will be small scale stages at outdoor music festivals catering to about double that crowd. These speakers will be exposed mainly to electronic music, specifically house and techno.



There has got to be a few people in this forum running these speakers, what amps are you using?



Any help would be tremendously appreciated, I am confused as all hell and really just want to get this subs running!
 
Ideally you want an amp capable of delivering at least 3000rms into 4 ohms bridged which allows the amp headroom whilst getting the most out of the drivers (the rating of your drivers is 1200rms * 2 bridged, 2400rms).
Watch out for the cheaper class D amps which lie about their specs and dial back the power when pushed (all of the manufacturers seem to do this).
If going for budget class D amps the personally I'd aim for something with double the speaker rating (5k rms) so you know its got plenty of head room allowing it to remain punchy but without being ragged. Something like a behringer inuke 6000 would do the job nicely (cheap power).
 
like said above, a good amp that gives at least 1500w per speaker.

If you have a large budget, a FFA 10000 could do the job very good (and it's a very good sounding amp). A Crest Pro 8200 is also very good for this and does sound good (especially on bass).

Many now use Powersoft, because it's very lightweight, small and reliable. But the sound is not that good if you ask me, and it's not cheap. But for rental companies this is the best deal.
 
That Crest Pro 8200 amp looks like a decent bit of kit. Class H too :)

I'm driving pairs of 1k subs with Ecler DPA 2000 (2800rms into 4ohms bridged, also class H). The amp weighs a fair bit but does a good job of delivering tight, punchy, warm and deep sounding bass.
 
The 18LW2400's I am running are 8ohm. Which is why I feel like I am having a harder time finding something with enough juice to provide ample headroom.


The FFA 10000 is absolutely beautiful. I wish it was in the budget. I have been browsing the inuke 600 fairly heavily but they just look like a cheap build. Does anyone have any first hand feedback on this unit?
 
If you have been looking at stereo into 8 ohm figures then yes Its not easy to find an amp with that much grunt. Just connect them in parallel dropping the impedance to 4ohm and run the amp in bridged mode.

Assuming you are based in the states (with the $ for budget) look at the Peavey IPR 2 7500 has some pretty decent feedback and is about that price. It is a Class D amp but has power by the bucket load and a clean sound (apparently).
 
Budget would be in and around a $1000.


I will check these options out, really appreciate the direction!



In your budget i would get 2 crown xli 2500´s (450 a piece on sweetwater) and bridge them to get 1500w per amp and use one amp for each speaker.

Those are solid build and decent sounding amps, that are used a lot for more budget soundsystems here in Europe.
 
If you have been looking at stereo into 8 ohm figures then yes Its not easy to find an amp with that much grunt. Just connect them in parallel dropping the impedance to 4ohm and run the amp in bridged mode.

Assuming you are based in the states (with the $ for budget) look at the Peavey IPR 2 7500 has some pretty decent feedback and is about that price. It is a Class D amp but has power by the bucket load and a clean sound (apparently).


I took your advice and added another jack to one of the subs in order to run in parallel. That was a hugely helpful piece of advice!
 
Thank for all the help. its much appreciated. I think I'll be bumping my budget up to more in the 2k(Canadian) $1600-1700USD range. I want spend the money for proper sub duty and am liking the idea of the QSC RMX 4050 for the class H.

This has been my thinking too with a couple of recent PA related purchases. Up the budget a bit and buy right, not twice (hopefully). Unfortunately the wife does not agree but ... oh well ... that was after the event :D
 
Anyway, RMX 4050 and 5050's easily wipes the floor with those much more "powerful" cheap class-D amps like Behringer inuke etc..

We have few QSC MX3000a's as example (rmx 4050 is almost the same thing, just newer version) and they are amazingly good for the price (second hand). Sooo clean power for subs, no anomalies what so ever.

I just cannot recommend those cheap SMPS class-D amps, they are mostly rubbish.

Crest CA series, 12 and 18, also good for sub duty but there might be some issues with reliability.
 
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.