Crown 4|300N Amplifier Review

[Doodski]

Oh I think we need at least 120dB so no one bothers us for a while....

O' I'm serious even though as amusing as it might seem. Lol... What figures are we quoting?

 

[Chrispy]

O' I'm serious even though as amusing as it might seem. Lol... What figures are we quoting?

For this amp I just think most commenting expect more than is reasonable for this amp....which is typical of audiophilia I suppose.

 

[Doodski]

For this amp I just think most commenting expect more than is reasonable for this amp....which is typical of audiophilia I suppose.

I keep referencing to this and it's parameters.> Then people can sortaaa kindaaa make up their own minds.

 

[Chrispy]

I keep referencing to this and it's parameters.> Then people can sortaaa kindaaa make up their own minds.

So not likely to be particularly audible in different modes?

 

[Doodski]

So not likely to be particularly audible in different modes?

What kinda modes are you referring to?

 

[pseudoid]

O' I'm serious even though as amusing as it might seem. Lol... What figures are we quoting?

Oh, you know the answer to that question.
It depends. It really does.

 

[Chrispy]

What kinda modes are you referring to?

The ones you referred to?

 

[Doodski]

Oh, you know the answer to that question.
It depends. It really does.

Well Gene over at AH is quoting some pretty low numbers from the 2 videos that I saw of him and we have also relaxed the SN numbers somewhat too from commentary that I have been observing here @ ASR. Once we said 120 was req'd and then 115 and now peeps are saying 70dB SN. All over the map.

 

[Dj7675]

Exactly. Request was made in that thread and by its owner so I tested it. It was more work than usual due to having to reterminate it, resetting to factory pass through, etc. But thought it was worthwhile to do.

Appreciate all the time and effort on the 708i (with and without dsp) as well as the amp. Fan is definitely an issue, so it must be installed outside the room. To those that don’t understand why even review this amp…remember the DCI N amps, in addition to the 705i/708i also are the series that power the M2. Many people use all of these speakers in a home theater setting as well as 2 channel music. And they can be used in a variety of ways, subs, room correction etc. And because of the review…now we know. It will be good enough for many and others may instead opt to use BSS Processors and their own amps if they don’t find the performance adequate. Or choose to tackle the EQ of these speakers with their own EQ. Even if the results are not suitable for some it doesn’t mean the information doesn’t have value.

 

[pseudoid]

Well Gene over at AH is quoting some pretty low numbers from the 2 videos that I saw of him and we have also relaxed the SN numbers somewhat too from commentary that I have been observing here @ ASR. Once we said 120 was req'd and then 115 and now peeps are saying 70dB SN. All over the map.

Examples of "depends". I have network'd Dante AoIP (AES67) hardware between around the house which can transmit/receive any audio feed in three different locations.
I'd be lying if I expect anything close to CD-quality, as it is not meant for critical listening.
>> TL&DR: It depends!
If I am on a long car trip, I am probably getting 50dB (?SN) but I choose to crank up the tire noise more than xdB SN.
>> See that? It depends!
But if I sit down in front of my 2Ch main system for goosebumps: I fool myself to think I am getting about 18bits.
>> TL&DR: It really depends.
Don't you have your own sliding scale that .... depends?

 

[Doodski]

Examples of "depends". I have network'd Dante AoIP (AES67) hardware between around the house which can transmit/receive any audio feed in three different locations.
I'd be lying if I expect anything close to CD-quality, as it is not meant for critical listening.
>> TL&DR: It depends!
If I am on a long car trip, I am probably getting 50dB (?SN) but I choose to crank up the tire noise more than xdB SN.
>> See that? It depends!
But if I sit down in front of my 2Ch main system for goosebumps: I fool myself to think I am getting about 18bits.
>> TL&DR: It really depends.
Don't you have your own sliding scale that .... depends?

No. I just listen in on my headphones at present and concentrate on those. I expect pretty clean sound with my present gear.

 

[thin bLue]

Yes, just use the recorder. Use 1/32 sample rate and run it continuously. Run it and then turn on the amp. Let it fully power on, wait a couple of seconds and then power off to catch anything that might happen then. FYI I use 45 kHz bandwidth for input to capture transients better.

Thanks for high value technical support!!!

 

[AndreaT]

Nice review Amir! Lots of Power. I dislike fans too: I purposefully chose silent SSDs for my MAN301, as the noise of my LG fridge, HVAC even in the Winter (less noisy than the A/C units in the Summer, but well audible), do already come through the open space of the ground floor. I change thermostats thresholds for the fridge and the house when I wish full immersion into Music. Last night I was listening with some attention to the soundtrack of Arrival: the wide dynamics of the recording would have been somewhat spoiled by the fridge compressor and the propane furnace. So, I listened in the colder temperatures and worried about unavailability of a 3 centigrade Coke Zero for later...the Crown fan would have perturbed my listening experience. I suspect the volume I was listening to home alone would have triggered the thermal succor of the fan.

I suspect it is Class AB amp (thermal fan management, no testing for switching noise), I do not like anything but balanced connection, and I do not wish to become educated about assembling bare wires into tiny receptacles.

So, this Amp is a pass for me.

I agree with some of the comments here: knowledge transfer between Pro and Consumer branches of electronic audio is for the benefit of both, so it is a welcome and precious feature of ASR that teaches me more about the subject.

I am always very happy when I read a new impeccable review from Amir: they are reference level explorations into the essence of electronic machines, enlightening my day and elevating my limited but progressing grasp of the subject. They have achieved a level of precision and academic rigor well beyond similar offers from other self-described expert reviewers, surpassing them by many orders of magnitude. I suspect that a good portion of the criticism I occasionally read in the forums is based on envy.

 

[AndreaT]

Examples of "depends". I have network'd Dante AoIP (AES67) hardware between around the house which can transmit/receive any audio feed in three different locations.
I'd be lying if I expect anything close to CD-quality, as it is not meant for critical listening.
>> TL&DR: It depends!
If I am on a long car trip, I am probably getting 50dB (?SN) but I choose to crank up the tire noise more than xdB SN.
>> See that? It depends!
But if I sit down in front of my 2Ch main system for goosebumps: I fool myself to think I am getting about 18bits.
>> TL&DR: It really depends.
Don't you have your own sliding scale that .... depends?

Well, it is a loud car interior indeed: a quiet sedan at 70 mph generates a noise (engine, aerodynamic, tires and suspensions) above 60 dB on a solitary stretch of highway. So, a S/N ratio of 50 dB means a level of 110 dB...unless you are driving a Maybach or a Bentley

 

[jhaider]

I suspect it is Class AB amp (thermal fan management, no testing for switching noise), I do not like anything but balanced connection, and I do not wish to become educated about assembling bare wires into tiny receptacles.

It’s Class D, and has balanced inputs.

Personally, I actually prefer Phoenix over XLR - if you’re OCD about cable running and dress it’s quicker to cut to length and go.

 

[Mnyb]

Yea I can see that screw terminals are preferable when you install these amps . Especially in large installations. You run cable in bulk and cut to lengths then soldering a connector is actually just an extra hustle and very time consuming.

 

[JSmith]

I enjoy seeing all kinds of audio devices tested... including PA amps, so thanks to whomever sent this in and @amirm for his time in doing so.

Amp module;



PSU;




JSmith

 

[Rja4000]

Voted not terrible.

With that said , for the same money one can buy two HYPEX stereo power amps and a Minidsp flex with balanced connectors for the same money, with probably better performance.

For Home HiFi use, sure.
(Although the Crown is more likely to be found second hand for a better price. And Pros never pay the list price when buying new anyway)

But for sure not for installation or touring PA, which is the intended use of this one.

 

[Rja4000]

I thought ASR was dedicated to home systems

Never heard about that.

"Audio" could be installation, indoor or outdoor, as far as I know.
Audio interfaces, like we see tested here, aren't meant for HiFi either.

 

[Rja4000]

Password protected amplifier displays...

When you're installing this amp in the technical cabinet of a conference room, or on stage, you really don't want lambda people to mess with the amp settings.
On top of it, all settings may probably be changed through the network.