Lab.Gruppen E 4:2 Pro Amplifier Review

[Tips]

Great! Amir on top of things as usual.
Many thanks!

IPD 1200 or 2400 now! Anyone on here wishing to send it to Amir for testing as it is meant to be amazing (when configured properly/cautiously during first setting up in options AND fed with true AES/EBU 110Ω and less than 2.8V signal!) ?!?!?!

 

[anmpr1]

Well, as the presence of 70V and 100V suggests, it is meant to amplify buildings. A lot of places have such things: train stations, airports, but also shops, and, in general, any public space, where one need to broadcast (usually) background music and/or messages to public. Can be used for security announcements too.

Thanks for the reply and explanation. If I'm ever with a layover at Arlanda, I'll check out the front to back depth and soundstage.

I guess it's good to know how these perform from a hi-fi standpoint, in case someone was actually thinking about buying for their system. But for gear so specialized and not intended (or suited) for home audio I'd not bother with this sort of gear if I was ASR. Of course what's tested is not my call. Interesting as a one-off.

Carry on.

 

[restorer-john]

The fact that previously respected "Professional" amplifier brands are now going down the fake watts path is typical of the world we are in. Fake puffed up lips and fake puffed up amplifier specs!

Class D is not to blame, but let's face it, the manufacturers of pretty much every Class D device from ICs to complete amplifiers have been very loose with the truth in relation to continuous power ratings.

 

[GXAlan]

@restorer-john ,
What are the top 3 vintage amps you would say stand up to today’s high end gear? Did you ever test/restore the JBL SA600 or SA660?

 

[restorer-john]

Did you ever test/restore the JBL SA600

Don't mention the JBL. People don't need to know about that little gem. One day, I want to find one in a yard sale for a few dollars and boast about my score. You'll ruin my chances now.

Top 3 vintage amps. That's a tough one, I'll have to think about it. My partner and I were having a fun (pretend) game last night where we had to pick any 4 people in the world to ask over for dinner (must be alive, not departed). That took forever to come up as there were so many choices. She picked Margot Robbie in the 4 which I was pretty happy about...

edit: @GXAlan I've started a thread on the subject, instead of cluttering up @amirm 's review thread.

here https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ch-current-state-of-the-art-amplifiers.14257/

 

[JohnBooty]

While perhaps interesting, what's the point of testing something like this? I really don't understand.

If ASR doesn't test "oddball" products like this, we will never find any "hidden gems!"

 

[pierre]

Great! Amir on top of things as usual.
Many thanks!

IPD 1200 or 2400 now! Anyone on here wishing to send it to Amir for testing as it is meant to be amazing (when configured properly/cautiously during first setting up in options AND fed with true AES/EBU 110Ω and less than 2.8V signal!) ?!?!?!

I could. Mine is taking dust.

 

[Rja4000]

I could. Mine is taking dust.

Now we know what to expect in terms of true power.
Specs are very much like the E4:2.

 

[jachc]

Hello all,

This review piqued my interest, I run a pro amp at home and love it. Its not a Lab Gruppen but Powersoft and is an install amp rather than a live amp.

This amp seems like it would be perfect for what I would install it to do. Most likely powering a set of fire alarm speakers in a building. Need to be sure that the amp is always going to work and isnt going to get damaged by power surges or someone shorting a speaker etc. because chances are, no one in the building will ever check it except for the annual fire inspection.

When pushing out a pre-recorded message telling people to evacuate, im not too concerned about the distortion levels at the peak of the amps range, I am just concerned about getting the message out.

Anyone doing installed sound wouldn't pcik this for music reproduction, it would just be for emergency PA.

If I was in the US I would 100% send in my Powersoft quattrocanali 4804 DSP+D. Has everything you could ever want at 1200W per channel, 12V trigger and internal DSP. I run ATC SCM19's and a EAW subwoofer (bridged at 2400W) from it using the internal processing to do all the heavy lifting. Only thing I have in my wishlist is a SPDIF to Dante converter so I can feed it from the Sonos without the DA/AD.




Hope this helps with the above discussion! No reason to beat up this Amp, it is just not designed for audio fidelity.

 

[KSTR]

^ 1+
A quick view on the rear panel should have been enough to tell this amp is purely intended for install service in shopping mall paging systems etc.
Testing such an amp here on ASR makes no sense, I strongly suggest to remove the review or at least mark it clearly as "not relevant for domestic hifi use".

 

[amirm]

No reason to beat up this Amp, it is just not designed for audio fidelity.

The issue we have with the amp is misleading documentation and marketing material.

 

[jachc]

Agreed, I think its a bad product from an otherwise reputable company which is a shame. but, in agreement with KSTR, its just not designed at all for this type of purpose.

 

[boXem]

I don't know.
The more power you have to produce, the more heat you'll have to dissipate. So the more power would be needed for fans.
If you look at Purifi specs, the yield is lower for 4 ohms. So you need more heat dissipation.

Remember those beasts are supposed to be stacked and to run continuously (potentially 24x7), probably with highly compressed music content, so ALL heat will have to get out through the fans.
I remember something like power consumed by the fan % of cube of flow speed...

That's very different than a typical HiFi amplifier.

Well, I after some thinking I don't really know either .
Idling losses are about 20W.
Since this is not designed for HiFi, it allows to get the amplifier running very cool (high PWM dead time increases distortion but lowers heat dissipation). We can assume idle losses will be 2-3W for the amplifier, 17W remaining.
Even if quite bad, an SMPS will have no more that 10W idling losses. 7W remaining.
A 80mm PC fan @3000 RPM eats 5W.
If the fans are running full speed even when idling, you may be right, else the power supply may not be an SMPS but a toroid. I made a quick picture search of the internals without success. We need @maty here. Although I will sleep well even if I have no answer to this question.

 

[Bsinger]

The disappointment on this is primarily the power rating. It is not winning any awards for distortion but considering that it is performing right there with Outlaw, Emotiva and NAD products, I think relegating it to elevator speakers is a little much. In fact it measured better than QSC's DCA (Digital Cinema Amplifier) that powers many actual movie theaters.

The $899 pricing probably reflects the price in 2011. They go for about $200 TO $300 on ebay, not so bad for a 170 watt amp that can deliver say 140 watts to a right channel and 30 watts to the right surround.

I suspect Lab Gruppen hasn't actually made these for years. Their D series seems more modern or the Lucia.

It is a little much to lump other LG amps and this is definitely not advertised as a touring amp.

I also suspect they were targeted to a European market concened with energy efficiency. The marketing calls these "Supreme green" and "High efficiency amplifier with low power consumption and minimized heat generation lowers demands on the installations' mains distribution and cooling systems". Standby power is just 0.4 watts for instance.

Thermal disipation looks incredibly low for a 2011 amp, an important concern in a 16 channel theater.

Of course 16 channels of Hypex would be better, but at $8,000 - $20,000 plus. Eight of these, or their more powerful siblings, could be purchased for under $2000 and would take only 8 rack units.

 

[jachc]

I think relegating it to elevator speakers is a little much. In fact it measured better than QSC's DCA (Digital Cinema Amplifier) that powers many actual movie theaters.

haha, I am sure its used for much more than that. I certainly wouldn't though.

Its a great price for an amp that you can probably install and never touch for 15 years. That is what its for. Install and never have to worry about it.

 

[Vladimir Filevski]

^ 1+
A quick view on the rear panel should have been enough to tell this amp is purely intended for install service in shopping mall paging systems etc.
Testing such an amp here on ASR makes no sense, I strongly suggest to remove the review or at least mark it clearly as "not relevant for domestic hifi use".

I disagree. There are many good multichannel (2 or more) "installed sound" amplifiers which fulfill their specified parameters. Even this Lab Gruppen amplifier is good enough for hi-fi use, the only real problem is output wattage underachieving.

 

[Rja4000]

Only thing I have in my wishlist is a SPDIF to Dante converter

If your ethernet switch is PoE, you may try this
https://m.thomann.de/fr/amphenol_amphe_dante_aes3_i_o.htm

 

[jachc]

If your ethernet switch is PoE, you may try this
https://m.thomann.de/fr/amphenol_amphe_dante_aes3_i_o.htm

Thanks Rja,

I am aware, Dante do one themselves under the AVIO range. Its just such a clunky solution! coax>AES>dante with a bunch of wall warts and mess.

I just want a nice little box to replace the DAC. I can't believe one doesn't exist actually.

*** One does exist, its just ridiculously expensive for what it does.

Im not that precious.

 

[Rja4000]

Thanks Rja,

I am aware, Dante do one themselves under the AVIO range. Its just such a clunky solution! coax>AES>dante with a bunch of wall warts and mess.

I just want a nice little box to replace the DAC. I can't believe one doesn't exist actually.

*** One does exist, its just ridiculously expensive for what it does.

Im not that precious.

Please start another conversation then

 

[Rja4000]

The issue we have with the amp is misleading documentation and marketing material.

By the way, even at 8ohm, the spec says 200W