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Author Topic: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs  (Read 12613 times)

Caleb Dueck

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #20 on: August 14, 2019, 10:54:30 AM »

Interesting comparison.  It should be expected for the 4.5s to outperform the pl380s in 8 ohms, they're rated quite a bit higher.

We use PLX amps on our main tops at the moment and have been very happy.  We have not yet experienced the resetting issue you mention although I have heard about it from others.  I would totally swap them for PLDs for the DSP and flexiblity but many class D amps I have heard on highs sound overly harsh, I was worried the PLDs would suffer the same issue so I have avoided them for tops.
Do you notice a harshness?

It's a bit unfair to lump all class D amps together.  It's a fairly mature technology with many sub-variants, some of which sound worse than others. 

It would be fun to compare the newest generation of Powersoft, Linea, Lab, PKN, Crown, Yamaha, Camco, and d&b on the same speakers.  My guess is there is more difference between cheap and expensive than "good D" vs H. 
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Tim Weaver

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #21 on: August 14, 2019, 11:51:59 AM »

Miller Pro Audio bought a bunch of PLD amps for their subs and quickly had a lot of amp failures when the amps were loaded down. After about a year they abandoned the PLD for sub duty and went back to anything but. Now, you may not be driving your rig as hard as they do, so the PLD may be OK, but just know when the going gets tough the PLD often gives up.

They have been fantastic in all other roles. For tops, monitor, SOS, etc. Just not driven hard on subs.

To be fair, these amps are asked to deal with 100 degree ambient emps in dusty, dirty, humid, sometimes rainy conditions often loaded down to 2 ohms per channel. So not light duty use at all. YMMV
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Robert Healey

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #22 on: August 14, 2019, 11:57:24 AM »

Miller Pro Audio bought a bunch of PLD amps for their subs and quickly had a lot of amp failures when the amps were loaded down. After about a year they abandoned the PLD for sub duty and went back to anything but. Now, you may not be driving your rig as hard as they do, so the PLD may be OK, but just know when the going gets tough the PLD often gives up.

There were some initial problems with the PLD/CXD amps that QSC fixed with firmware, and in some cases, hardware updates.

Bob Lee describes it in this thread: https://forums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/topic,157135.10.html
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Mark Wilkinson

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #23 on: August 14, 2019, 02:34:53 PM »

I know i said in an earlier post, that I'd choose a PLD4.5 over a PL380 for the flexibility....and the fact that if I'm close to driving my subs to the full output of the PLD, I should probably be thinking about getting more subs than more amp..

However, having said that.....if I knew the amp was only going to be used for subs, there is zero question in my mind that the PL380 is the better sub amp.
Just like everyone has said....

Justin...where did you get the PLDs are rated higher at 8 ohms? Published specs I've seen say PL380 has 1500W, and PLD4.5 has 1150W.
Those specs match measurements I've made of the amps under an 8 ohm load  (when trying to learn limiters)
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Justin Quinn

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #24 on: August 15, 2019, 08:32:09 PM »

I know i said in an earlier post, that I'd choose a PLD4.5 over a PL380 for the flexibility....and the fact that if I'm close to driving my subs to the full output of the PLD, I should probably be thinking about getting more subs than more amp..

However, having said that.....if I knew the amp was only going to be used for subs, there is zero question in my mind that the PL380 is the better sub amp.
Just like everyone has said....

Justin...where did you get the PLDs are rated higher at 8 ohms? Published specs I've seen say PL380 has 1500W, and PLD4.5 has 1150W.
Those specs match measurements I've made of the amps under an 8 ohm load  (when trying to learn limiters)
My mistake, thank you for pointing this out.  I was replying to this from Brian
When I got the PLD 4.5's, they replaced PLX 3602's.  Into an 8 ohm load in 4 channel mode, the amps ran circles around the 3602's.  When in 4 ohm at 4 channels, they seemed pretty comparable, although I rarely used them in that configuration.
In which he was comparing the PLD4.5s to the PLX3602.  When I said the "PL380's" were rated lower in 8 ohms I actually meant the PLX3602's (725W X 2 @ 8ohms) which are, in fact, rated lower per channel in 8 ohms.

My mistake.
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Dan Richardson

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #25 on: August 16, 2019, 08:37:53 AM »

Does anyone here have experience as to how Peavey's IPR2 7500 would compare to these on sub duty?
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Justin Quinn

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #26 on: August 24, 2019, 08:35:26 AM »

Thanks to Dave I got a PL380 on Thurs.  I had about 15min to listen to it before I had to throw it in the rack for this weekend's shows.  It definitely has a decent amount of power on the subs, and doesn't sound as harsh as other class D amps on highs, so I am currently fairly impressed.  Time will tell.
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Brian Jojade

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #27 on: August 25, 2019, 02:04:59 AM »

Does anyone here have experience as to how Peavey's IPR2 7500 would compare to these on sub duty?

From what I've seen with them, nowhere near as well if you push them hard.
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Brian Jojade

Scott Holtzman

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #28 on: August 25, 2019, 03:30:10 AM »

From what I've seen with them, nowhere near as well if you push them hard.

I got rid of four of them and,replaced with Lab Grupen FP6400 .  huge difference.  The IPR's have no current reserve and they won't accept 240V
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Justin Quinn

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Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #29 on: August 25, 2019, 11:41:59 AM »

Does anyone here have experience as to how Peavey's IPR2 7500 would compare to these on sub duty?

I have no experience with these but Peavey is making bold claims saying their amp can do 2x3750 watts @ 2 ohms at under 15 pounds for $1,000.  Peavey isn't what it used to be so I would proceed with caution.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: QSC PLD4.5 vs PL380 on subs
« Reply #29 on: August 25, 2019, 11:41:59 AM »


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