Ashly FX125.4 Multichannel Amp Review

[diddley]

Thank you Amir for a interresting review, and a nice device. Thanks @lowerfe for sending it in.

 

[Waxx]

Wish I'd kept my mouth shut! LOL

PS : And you do make a good point. Static yes but you have to find it first - is my amateur take!

We are a funny bunch - we do get hung up on the strangest points !

that's why you check the mac adress of a new deivce on your network, and reserve an fixed ip on mac adresses. In the network i now manage we always ask mac adress of an unkown device and id them by mac adress. Mac adress should be noted on the device (best) or in the documentation that comes with it.

 

[AkodoGilador]

No DHCP? I don't care about the audio performance, that's just Poor.

Alex

 

[peniku8]

This is completely normal for commercial/installed/professional/live audio systems, especially when they live on networks that use IP audio protocols (Dante, AVB/Milan).

Relying on DHCP can wreak absolute havoc on installed systems, especially if after a power interruption/restart, the router takes longer to come online than other components causing them to possibly default to completely out of IP range/subnet addresses.

Also, many commercial/installed/live audio systems do not use routers - just managed switches. DHCP wouldn’t work in these scenarios.

I have never in my career worked on a commercial/installed system where static IPs were not used for the above reasons.

I carry a USB Ethernet dongle which is addressed in Windows to be 192.168.1.254 (or any other xxx.xxx.xxx.254) to have access to these systems. 254 is usually blocked off for remote/maintenance access on any professional/commercial network.

Was about to mention this. Had the biggest headaches trying to get Dante to work (without periodic dropouts) while DHCP was enabled, even when on a router. Set every device to static IP and everything was perfectly stable, even via the unmanaged PoE switch I had the gear on.

 

[Rja4000]

Was about to mention this. Had the biggest headaches trying to get Dante to work (without periodic dropouts) while DHCP was enabled, even when on a router. Set every device to static IP and everything was perfectly stable, even via the unmanaged PoE switch I had the gear on.

I can hardly see the link between DHCP assigned IP address and Dante stability.
You need to check your network. Possibly the QoS parameters on your manageable switch.

 

[Krusty09]

Not sure how much interest there is in this kind of amp but there a company that you all may want to check out. It's called Blaze Audio. They take it a step furthur and have an app that controls the amp including eq\peq and volume and so on. It use class d amps i belive Pascal. This maybe of real interest they use a Klippel for their speaker design. Might be cool to get something from them into ASR.

 

[lowerfe]

Not sure how much interest there is in this kind of amp but there a company that you all may want to check out. It's called Blaze Audio. They take it a step furthur and have an app that controls the amp including eq\peq and volume and so on. It use class d amps i belive Pascal. This maybe of real interest they use a Klippel for their speaker design. Might be cool to get something from them into ASR.

My understanding is that this Ashly unit is a rebranded Blaze Audio Powerzone Connect 504, so we do have data on Blaze Audio now!

 

[peniku8]

I can hardly see the link between DHCP assigned IP address and Dante stability.
You need to check your network. Possibly the QoS parameters on your manageable switch.

As I said, I was using an unmanaged switch, once via a router and once standalone. Both setups gave me periodic dropouts, unless I switched *all* devices to static IP. I was sending a Dante signal from a Powersoft amp to a TightAV Dante DAC over a (brand new and modern) Tp-Link PoE switch.

 

[Krusty09]

My understanding is that this Ashly unit is a rebranded Blaze Audio Powerzone Connect 504, so we do have data on Blaze Audio now!

Interesting. I have never heard that. Did you get the info from an inside source? If that is true then I guess i would go blaze considering it has an app that does everything and no need for a computer really.

 

[billou5767]

god audio : for church

First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca, NY has been outfitted with a unique multizone sound reinforcement system that is headed by 177 loudspeakers driven by Ashly Audio PEMA 8250.70 amplifiers.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Thanks for the review, Amir. All the amp most people would need for surrounds or overheads.

 

[abe_zydar]

I can hardly see the link between DHCP assigned IP address and Dante stability.
You need to check your network. Possibly the QoS parameters on your manageable switch.

Or possibly DHCP lease times. Does Dante rely on IP addresses not changing?

 

[kemmler3D]

I had similarly low expectations to Amir just looking at this thing, but considering the performance, features, and price... this does look competitive with Hypex Fusion amps if you're doing a DIY multiway speaker. It's not quite as hifi (reampling down to 48khz is not exactly 2025 SOTA stuff) but 4 channels of FIR and competent power for $1K is worth thinking about. Unfortunately I don't know if 120w is going to really work for a true full-range speaker with "built in subs" or whatever, but a pair of very interesting DSP-driven bookshelves is possible here.

 

[Naturlyd]

The Ashley really looks like the Blaze Powersone line of amplifiers.

I have a four of the two channel Connect 122s and they are top notch stable and perform perfectly. Accessing through a browser via the units build in Wifi is a bless. Using the Spdif in-/out I have used one unit pr speaker for a set of DSP 2-ways.

 

[Schollaudio]

Shame the Ashly FTX2001 amps are so heavy, I'd ship one for testing. IF there's a tester near central PA who would want to look at one give me a PM.

They are well designed and built beasts. And sound great!

 

[Newman]

... this does look competitive with Hypex Fusion amps if you're doing a DIY multiway speaker. It's not quite as hifi (reampling down to 48khz is not exactly 2025 SOTA stuff) but 4 channels of FIR and competent power for $1K is worth thinking about....

I agree but the use of fans is a bit strange for class D and modest output power. Hypex plate amps avoid fans for all but their highest output multi-amp models.

 

[TNT]

What power amps in these?

//

 

[Naturlyd]

I think Blaze has the same owner as Pascal. So Pascal amp units.

 

[kemmler3D]

I agree but the use of fans is a bit strange for class D and modest output power. Hypex plate amps avoid fans for all but their highest output multi-amp models.

True but apparently they're only on at higher power, it looks like a really compact box, so I guess the design brief put size over noise.

 

[Naturlyd]

Concerning the inclusion of a fan in this unit, professional environments demand reliability under all conditions. Technical rooms or equipment enclosures typically maintain elevated ambient temperatures. And those pesky project managers alway make changes that compromises the audio side of the installation.