Studio/Performance Amps for High-End Systems?


As a practicing (hobbyist) keyboard player and audiophile, I am familiar with why one would not use a guitar amplifier for a keyboard, for example. But, I notice that some of the finest brands of high-power power amplifiers for recording studios or live performances (QSC, Crest, Crown and more) cost hundred or thousands of dollars less than high-end "audiophile" power amplifiers of similar or fewer watts/channel. The specs of these musicians' amps, designed to play 20-20K full-range sound through very low impedances (often as low as 1 ohm) seem to equal those of, say, a McCormack, Classe, Krell amp.
Is there something I'm missing here? If one needs 500 wpc or more, why buy a McCormack DNA-500 for $7K when you can get a QSC with 800 wpc into 8 ohms, capable of driving a 1 ohm load, for $2500?
toxrtp
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Pro amps like the ones the OP mentioned are designed for power and reliability at the expense of sound quality. They are not "accurate" so much as they are crude, due to the use of lots of negative feedback or digital supplies and output stages. They often have connectivity, controls and features that complicate them compared to amplifiers designed for purity of sound.

In recent years, more and more of the Pro amps run efficient classes of operation such as class D or, when conventional, are biased more toward class B for cooler running and efficiency rather than good sound. In contrast, the most desirable and good sounding audiophile amplifiers run in Class A or are biased toward class A and attempt to minimize or eliminate the use of global negative feedback. Some innovative class D amps have even begun to appear in the audiophile world, but they have not had wide acceptance thus far.

Parts quality in Pro amps tends to be poor when compared with audiophile amplifiers. Pro amps often use generic and inexpensive parts everywhere including critical signal locations. Many audiophile amplifiers have better quality parts in their power supplies than pro models use in the signal path.
I might hurt people with the following statement, but I'm afraid this is the truth: Proamps are NOT audiophile quality amps with the exception of two brands: FM Acoustics from Switserland and Rey Audio. Sorry.

Chris
Good points. Pro amps cover two markets => venue sound reinforcement and recording studios. Only the studios will go for the higher quality sound (similar to audiophile except slanted towards precise/forward sound) whereas the sound reinforcement and music store rental gear tends to be low cost highly reliable high power but lower quality sound.
Elevick/Tsvisser/Davemitchell have all made excellent points. I've worked on High-End and pro gear for years, and have yet to see the pro gear built with the quality of components(passive or active) that are utilized in High-End audio equipment. That's why the stuff sounds electronic, fatiguing, recessive, etc, in the home audio system: It's largely built for brute force and ruggedness. I always recommended Crown for professional installations, but their gear sounds like... well- forget about it for home use! Some of the studio gear being the exception(I'm using a Hafler TransNova 9505 to bi-amp my woofers). Then again- If you can listen to the pro gear and not be bothered by the sound: Enjoy the savings!!