Reposted here as it shouldn't have been posted in the LAB:
OK, here's my situation. I am providing the PA for my string band. Instrumentation is two fiddles (one doubles mandolin), banjo (doubles dobro), guitar (doubles mandolin) and string bass (me). 4 vocal mikes, all instruments DI through small preamps (Fishman, Baggs). Powered mixer is a Spirit Powerstation, mains (2) are Community CSX-35S2 on stands, monitors (2) are EV S-100 "Entertainer". For gigs today I run the Spirit's amps as main/monitor. I want to add an outboard power amp to allow more power into the mains, using the Spirit to drive the monitors.
Pricewise I was looking around $400 new. My main candidates right now are the Crown CE-1000 and the Carvin DCM1000. Either amp would be run bridged to provide about 1KW into the CSXes. The Carvin has a few things I like over the Crown: 2U, built in peak limiter, lighter.
I could also jump up to the QSC PLX1202 if I was willing to spend $600; then I get high pass filtering as well as the limiter plus even less weight than the Carvin.
I can easily afford to spend the extra $200 but for a relatively low end system will the PLX be overkill relative to the other two amps? I know Carvin is disdained in general, but is the Crown CE really a superior amp?
I have ruled out a number of other amps due to weight or depth (Behringer, QSC RMX, etc.) so please restrict comments to the Carvin, Crown and PLX...thanks!
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Topic: Q on power amp choice for low-end system (Read 2491 times)