2. amps-preamps
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I give UP Aerial 10Ts and Power Amps

Ok, about 30 days ago, I ran a post stating my Citation 7.1, a 4 channel 210 x 4 (biamping my speakers) started cutting in and out at VERY loud levels, probably +100db, give or take. Everyone pointed to larger amps, that the speaker, a 4 ohms load, could take anything I threw at it.
Well, I took that word, while keeping my Citations, and threw a set of Jeff Rowland monoblock 7III's at them!
The babies, definitely high current, 350 into 8 ohms, 700 into 4 ohms, and a whopping 1100 into 2 (not that we are going to 2, but I suppose it could drop) ohms. That said, it happened again! WHAT GIVES?

It did this with the Casablanca, the Citation 5.0, and tomorrow I will be with the keeper, the Proceed PAV/PDSD combo. NOW, what is causing this? Could it be the speaker has a cut off to prevent any clipping, could it be the power in the house hits a wall and can't go anymore, could it be cables, power cords, what?

Or, dare I say, could I have just hit the limits of volume for a home and this set of speakers?

For what it is worth, I do not listen to things this loud, ever, or RARELY, but when changing pieces, I do PUSH to know the limits.

HELP!!!!!

Frustrated home theater guy trying to learn more about 2 channel!

Dan
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stehno
1,453 posts
 
Sean, the amps do not have to be 'starving' to experience some to many of the affects of being starved. Simply being a little hungry is enough seriuosly hamper an amps ability to perform. And I have no idea what affects a little hunger may have at full volume, but I'm sure it's not pretty.

For example, I have a 600 wpc @ 4ohm amp on a dedicated 20 amp circuit. However, until I installed my 3rd dedicated circuit/line, my preamp shared the amp's line. The preamp only consumes something like 36 watts or so, hardly anything. When I moved the pre off the amplifier's circuit, the amp just started singing dynamics. Huge difference in the dynamic headroom.

And I 90% of the time I play my music at just over 10 percent of full volume.
justlisten's avatar
justlisten
489 posts
 
Just for the record, I was the person to who sold Dan (PorscheCab) the Rowland 7s. As he drove up to my home in his van I knew he was coming as I heard his car stereo from about 4 blocks away!! (:-)

While I have very efficent speakers (Michael Green Chameleon 3s), I agree with Stehno and had each Rowland on its own 30amp Dedicated circuit. In fact I have 5 circuits, 1 for wach amp, 1 for a preamp, 1 for analog, 1 for digital.

Dan, perhaps, you need to get an electrician in to work on your AC supply....give me an email and I put you in contact with the person who did mine.
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porschecab OP
336 posts
 
Thanks to all that have responded (again) to this post.
In deed, contrary to your thoughts, I have talked with Mike Kelley, and indeed, he felt more power from a 2 channel amp would be better served than a lesser 4 channel, biamping.
Thus, he thought the Classe would be a good match, and my thought was, the Rowland would not be any worse, if not better.

In deed, I do not listen to music this loud very often, but I do like to on occasion, as I imagine everyone here does.

Also, I appreciate the 'learn about audio' comment, nice.
I think that is what I am doing, and if there was a clean answer to this question, not only would I probably have know the solution, all the responses would be identical.

That said, I am starting to feel, the circuit is the issue.
I am running BOTH amps, as well as ALL of my gear off the same 15A circuit!

Hey, great suggestions, maybe it is the circuit!!!

Thanks, and I will search that avenue. Let me ask this, would a power regenerator, like the Monster AVS-2000 help?

D
beemer
444 posts
 
Forget the power regenerator stuff, the amps draw way too much. You just solved your problem when you mention that all your stuff's plugged into one circuit, can you say bad, very bad?! I'd be on the phone to your favorite electrician, and quick.

beemer (I love my 10t's)
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porschecab OP
336 posts
 
Beemer!
This is it? With all the gear plugged into one outlet?
Plasma, a pair of SW-12 subs, a trio of Roland 7's, a citation 7.1, LD, DVD, preamp, processor, projector, screen, and of course a couple of line conditioners?

This is it? How simple. I understand this is going to make a huge difference.

Do any of you know threads that discuss what types of lines, size of cables, etc that should be run? I understand a dedicated ground should happen, what else should I do?

D
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