Need help on deciding the best compatible amp for the speakers
Speakers: 2 Yamaha C115 V Speakers - 8 Ohm - 250 / 500 / 1000
BEHRINGER EUROPOWER EP4000 - 2 x 2,000 Watts into 2 Ohms; 2 x 1,400 Watts into 4 Ohms; 4,000 Watts into 4 Ohms (bridge mode)
OR
Behringer NU6000 iNuke Ultra-Lightweight, High-Density 6000-Watt Power Amplifier - 2 x 3000 Watts into 4 Ohms, 2 x 1500 Watts into 8 Ohms
OR
Any better options within $400 range
Speakers: 2 Yamaha C115 V Speakers - 8 Ohm - 250 / 500 / 1000
BEHRINGER EUROPOWER EP4000 - 2 x 2,000 Watts into 2 Ohms; 2 x 1,400 Watts into 4 Ohms; 4,000 Watts into 4 Ohms (bridge mode)
OR
Behringer NU6000 iNuke Ultra-Lightweight, High-Density 6000-Watt Power Amplifier - 2 x 3000 Watts into 4 Ohms, 2 x 1500 Watts into 8 Ohms
OR
Any better options within $400 range
Those aren't real numbers.. you have to look at the amps spec sheet to see what it will really do into an 8ohm load over the whole 20hz-20khz spectrum on each channel. My suggestion is to buy the most expensive(highest quality) amp you can afford that will produce about 500w/ch, that will sound better and last longer than the cheapest thing you can find on the web.
Behringer iNUKE NU4-6000 6000 Watt Four Channel Power Amplifier
Bridge the other two channels for an 8Ω sub, use the built-in crossover.
Bridge the other two channels for an 8Ω sub, use the built-in crossover.
I have found that curent capability is pretty important to power amplifier performance.
You can get some evidence of this (necessary) current capability by comparing the power output at the impedance/resistance you want to use and that delivered into a test purely resistive load of half your intended speaker impedance.
eg. you need an 8ohms capable amplifier.
Selecting the power figures from a hypothetical spec sheet shows:
200W into 8ohms (when they really means into 8r0 dummy load)
300W into 4ohms (should be into 4r0 dummy load).
The increase in power driving the dummy load of half your speaker impedance is ONLY +50%
R.Cordell suggests that you aim for +80% as a good guidance to current capability
Looking at it from a voltage perspective:
200W into 8r0 is equivalent to 40Vac
300W into 4r0 is equivalent to 34.64Vac. The output voltage has collapsed trying to drive a simple 4r0 dummy load. It has dropped by 5.36Vac (-1.2dBV) from the 8ohms value.
Using the +80% from R.Cordell we have 180W into 4r0 as our "goodness" target.
That +80% is equivalent to 37.95Vac, a drop of 2.05Vac (-0.5dBV) from the 8ohms value.
using the values
But it might make a good or even very good 6ohms or 8ohms capable amplifier. We need some real measurements of performance into a wider range of dummy loads to make the assessment.
You can get some evidence of this (necessary) current capability by comparing the power output at the impedance/resistance you want to use and that delivered into a test purely resistive load of half your intended speaker impedance.
eg. you need an 8ohms capable amplifier.
Selecting the power figures from a hypothetical spec sheet shows:
200W into 8ohms (when they really means into 8r0 dummy load)
300W into 4ohms (should be into 4r0 dummy load).
The increase in power driving the dummy load of half your speaker impedance is ONLY +50%
R.Cordell suggests that you aim for +80% as a good guidance to current capability
Looking at it from a voltage perspective:
200W into 8r0 is equivalent to 40Vac
300W into 4r0 is equivalent to 34.64Vac. The output voltage has collapsed trying to drive a simple 4r0 dummy load. It has dropped by 5.36Vac (-1.2dBV) from the 8ohms value.
Using the +80% from R.Cordell we have 180W into 4r0 as our "goodness" target.
That +80% is equivalent to 37.95Vac, a drop of 2.05Vac (-0.5dBV) from the 8ohms value.
using the values
2000W into 2r0 is 63.25Vac, 1400W into 4r0 is 74.83Vac. The voltage has dropped by more than 11Vac (-1.5dBV) trying to drive the 2r0 dummy load. This is a disaster in the professional PA field. It is not a current capable 4ohms amplifier.
But it might make a good or even very good 6ohms or 8ohms capable amplifier. We need some real measurements of performance into a wider range of dummy loads to make the assessment.
Last edited:
typo in post4
Using the +80% from R.Cordell, we have 360W into 4r0 as our "goodness" target.
That +80% is equivalent to 37.95Vac, a drop of 2.05Vac (-0.5dBV) from the 8ohms value.
should read:
Using the +80% from R.Cordell, we have 360W into 4r0 as our "goodness" target.
That +80% is equivalent to 37.95Vac, a drop of 2.05Vac (-0.5dBV) from the 8ohms value.
what you use is the nu6000 so you can have headroom on your mixer (because it doesn't have to drive hard) and the amp runs cold (because you will only use maybe 30% of its power)
What is this mixer headroom you talk about? Proper gain structure demands that the signal through the mixer be high to produce the best signal to noise ratio so there won't be a lot of headroom in the mixer. Amp headroom on the other hand is a good idea but these Inukes are not very good sounding fullrange amps so I'd still suggest he find something better quality.. like the Yamaha P5000s.
Look for a decent make amplifier.
In the past I have bought cheapies off ebay and disappointed with power output.
I recently looked at a 1000 watt amp.
Stupidly I bought one off ebay.
Took the lid off and the transformer is around 500VA max.
There is no way I can get 1000 watts out of it.
So steer well clear of ebay and cheap amp vendors.
In the past I have bought cheapies off ebay and disappointed with power output.
I recently looked at a 1000 watt amp.
Stupidly I bought one off ebay.
Took the lid off and the transformer is around 500VA max.
There is no way I can get 1000 watts out of it.
So steer well clear of ebay and cheap amp vendors.
well the best signal to noise is at 0vu not +18vu on the master
especially on budjet PA gear
and I do agree a quality amp would be better. like a crown macrotech 3600 but that is out of his pricerange.
Last edited:
Search for "bench test" in addition to the amplifier make/model. That'll give you a good idea of what they'll actually do.
The NU6k would kill those speakers without trying, unless you're very careful (it'll do 1.2kW continuous a side into 8ohm). EP4k is just heavy, but does around 500w/ch into 8ohm continuously.
Chris
The NU6k would kill those speakers without trying, unless you're very careful (it'll do 1.2kW continuous a side into 8ohm). EP4k is just heavy, but does around 500w/ch into 8ohm continuously.
Chris
I have 50~60 amps around the house. I prefer the Crest over the Crown.
A bought a couple of the iNuke 4-6000 to play with . They're OK for the money. Figure about 350W/8Ω and 700W/8Ω for the bridged channel to drive an 8Ω sub.
I set up some friends with a Crest CPX1500. They have the same club series Yamaha 115 with a dual 15 sub. It works fine in most clubs. They have a big rig for halls and outdoors, it has Crown and QSC power.
The MAB Support Team - The Miles Adams Band.
Another rack has the CPX1500 and an Ashly 31 band. The Crest CPX has a built in crossover. The CPX series has different models up to 3.8KW, I stick to the 900/1500/2600 models.
A bought a couple of the iNuke 4-6000 to play with . They're OK for the money. Figure about 350W/8Ω and 700W/8Ω for the bridged channel to drive an 8Ω sub.
I set up some friends with a Crest CPX1500. They have the same club series Yamaha 115 with a dual 15 sub. It works fine in most clubs. They have a big rig for halls and outdoors, it has Crown and QSC power.
The MAB Support Team - The Miles Adams Band.
Another rack has the CPX1500 and an Ashly 31 band. The Crest CPX has a built in crossover. The CPX series has different models up to 3.8KW, I stick to the 900/1500/2600 models.
Last edited:
The NU4-6k is a pair of NU3k in a box.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/class-d/213071-behringer-inuke-nu3000-measurements.html
~1200w when bridged into 8ohm, as per the bench tests of NU6000s.
Chris
We can't get enough power out of the 120V outlets in the USA. 14A at 120V is only 1680W, and if the circuit breaker panel is warm from other loads it will trip at 70% or rated current (about 1176W).
I haven't bothered to open my iNuke 4-6000, does it have two complete iNuke 3000 supplies?
I haven't bothered to open my iNuke 4-6000, does it have two complete iNuke 3000 supplies?
What, you don't plug your amps into a dryer/stove/welder plug to do bench testing? The voltage drop in the 12/2 wiring to a regular plug will usually cause amps to fall way out of spec. I was measuing 106V at the plug just testing an old CS800 - and wondering why it was well short of 400W/channel. Got the full 440W at 20 Hz on one side of a dryer plug.
I'd expect it to be an NU6k power supply - does it have a breaker on the back?
I feel for you guys in the states - at a venue I work at we use a 125A 3-phase supply to power the amplifiers. I'd hate to imagine something double the size of that.
Chris
I feel for you guys in the states - at a venue I work at we use a 125A 3-phase supply to power the amplifiers. I'd hate to imagine something double the size of that.
Chris
" The voltage drop in the 12/2 wiring to a regular plug will usually cause amps to fall way out of spec."
My point exactly.
I've played jobs where the main drop for the entire building is only 8ga, beer coolers, AC, lights, and PA. 108V with a few lights on, sound gear on but not playing.
My point exactly.
I've played jobs where the main drop for the entire building is only 8ga, beer coolers, AC, lights, and PA. 108V with a few lights on, sound gear on but not playing.
Agree��. Im also looking for an amp for my Yamaha A15 200/400/800 and I can't decide between Crown XSL 2000/2500 and QSC GX3/5. What would you guys think? No behringer, although the threat it's about them lol
Last edited:
- Status
- Not open for further replies.