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Author Topic: QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?  (Read 14122 times)

Josh Billings

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Re: QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?
« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2014, 06:28:45 PM »

Josh, I use this amp every week.  It is in two channel mode powering two Danley Sound Labs SH96 speakers.  As far as sound quality - at it's price point it is amazing.  It blows away the Powerlight PL340 amps we tested against it.  The PLD 4.5 is very smooth, very clean, and very defined like butter.  In comparison, a PL340 has audible distortion at all frequencies and sounds harsh and muddy in comparison.  The only problem is that we have just had our second QSC 4.5 amplifier die.  The first one spewed out horrible noise on it's own at -10dB.  This second one had some sort of power supply failure and it does not work at all now.  I am trying to get a new one for the weekend!!!

So - they SOUND GREAT at this price.  But, for some reason ours have kept dying.  If we have a third one die, we will be looking into another option.

This is the kind of feedback I needed to hear.
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Mike Diack

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Re: QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2014, 08:36:33 PM »

I tend to worry about amps that use custom parts that are single sourced, especially if the parts in question are the ones that go bang when the amp fails.
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Corey Scogin

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Re: QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2014, 10:26:41 PM »

The PLD 4.5 is very smooth, very clean, and very defined like butter.  In comparison, a PL340 has audible distortion at all frequencies and sounds harsh and muddy in comparison. 

This seems very surprising.  I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just surprising.  The PL series is the "professional touring" series of amps.  I thought the PLD was more M.I. but I'm beginning to wonder if that's not the case since they have the various touring, install, and theater versions of the PLD...the CXD and DPA.
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Brian Jojade

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Re: QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?
« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2014, 11:35:57 AM »

This seems very surprising.  I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just surprising.  The PL series is the "professional touring" series of amps.  I thought the PLD was more M.I. but I'm beginning to wonder if that's not the case since they have the various touring, install, and theater versions of the PLD...the CXD and DPA.

Touring grade is a whole different beast from install and theater.  I'd compare install grade build with MI build, as the install systems are in a much more controlled environment and wouldn't take nearly the abuse something out on tour would.
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Brian Jojade

David Hoover

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Re: QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?
« Reply #14 on: December 02, 2015, 10:12:29 AM »

Josh, I use this amp every week.  It is in two channel mode powering two Danley Sound Labs SH96 speakers.  As far as sound quality - at it's price point it is amazing.  It blows away the Powerlight PL340 amps we tested against it.  The PLD 4.5 is very smooth, very clean, and very defined like butter.  In comparison, a PL340 has audible distortion at all frequencies and sounds harsh and muddy in comparison.  The only problem is that we have just had our second QSC 4.5 amplifier die.  The first one spewed out horrible noise on it's own at -10dB.  This second one had some sort of power supply failure and it does not work at all now.  I am trying to get a new one for the weekend!!!

So - they SOUND GREAT at this price.  But, for some reason ours have kept dying.  If we have a third one die, we will be looking into another option.

This is just an update.  I now have had the 4th new PLD 4.5 amplifier go out.  The first amp report was software related.  The second amp was lightning or a large power surge.  I am waiting to hear back about the others.  Yet, we have three of these at another campus and they've been fine.  Very strange.
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Corey Scogin

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Re: QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?
« Reply #15 on: December 02, 2015, 12:29:32 PM »

This is just an update.  I now have had the 4th new PLD 4.5 amplifier go out.  The first amp report was software related.  The second amp was lightning or a large power surge.  I am waiting to hear back about the others.  Yet, we have three of these at another campus and they've been fine.  Very strange.

Did you happen to see this thread:
http://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,157135.msg1442617.html#msg1442617

Bob Lee mentions some issues with early models.
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Michael Gorecki

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QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2015, 06:00:50 PM »

My experience with the PL (OG, 2 and 3) series has been great. No they are not the best sounding amps out there but they work all the time. I work for a couple different companies that have them (plus 6 of my own) and they literally never fail on us. Out of the 100 or so amps that I take out I've seen 2 go down in the last 7 years.  1 was due to a cracked fan and the other was due to an incoming power issue. "Tour Grade" doesn't mean "best sounding"

So nothing to do with self destructive amps. They do over heat in direct sunlight with insufficient airflow. But they always turn back on. (This goes for Pl, 2 and 3)

I've only used the PLD's once in an install about 8 months ago and they're still cruising right along.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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QSC PLD 4.5 Amp? Good on Subwoofers?
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2015, 06:00:50 PM »


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