my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Getting New Amplifiers (Page 2)

This topic comprises 7 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7

Author Topic: Getting New Amplifiers Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-22-2011 08:34 AM                        Am I the only one who dislikes the QSC monitor? The single power switch for all amps is nice, but the sound quality and loudness leave something to be desired....  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-22-2011 09:14 AM                     The older Ashleys like the FET500 and FET250 the mosfets are no longer available so they usually go in the bin  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 02-22-2011 01:15 PM                     quote: Scott Norwood Am I the only one who dislikes the QSC monitor? The single power switch for all amps is nice, but the sound quality and loudness leave something to be desired.... My vote is yes you are..the DCM monitors are quiet (unlike the CE MS-100s which always hum) and have great sound quality. If you have loudness issues with the monitor then the gain structure in your system is not set up correctly. My only beef with them is the current firmware version has some issues when monitoring amp outputs. (One is there is no load fault indication if an amplifier is accidentally left off, the other is even with the amp off you can still hear audio.) Sam H. is aware of these issues and is supposed to get a firmware update done soon.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 02-22-2011 01:20 PM                       It's Ashly as in the so-so amp, not Ashley like in "Gone with the Wind"  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-23-2011 03:32 PM                     It's getting down to the time when I have to decide on recommending this equipment. So let me ask it this way... Can we say that the Ashly amp is "as good as any" but it's still a cheap amp? I would rather have QSC. Should I just say that it's okay for the Ashly or should I push for QSC. (Remembering the fact that our dealer might be pushing cheap equipment for his own profit.) Could I say that Ashly are "okay" but we might end up buying new amps in a couple-few years anyway? What kind of price difference is there between QSC and Ashly? I'm not privy to dealer prices on the two brands so I can't really make any statements based on that. If the price between the two only differs by a hundred bucks or so, I would be confident in pushing for QSC but if there is a big price gap I would have a hard time making the case. Do you think I should punt on this one?  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-23-2011 03:46 PM                     Randy, There is one guy on Film-Tech that loves Ashly (or at least loved them for a period of time) and he will defend them...which is only right because he truly likes them. It is his opinion and he is entitled to it. I can not express my dislike of Ashly (and yet I like the guy that likes them) enough. They are absolute horrible sounding pieces of belchfiring CRUD. They suck. I've reconed many a cooked driver that was toasted by an Ashly. I've never heard one that I thought sounded any good either. Reliability is another thing...I don't know if they have solved their switch/pot issues but I've seen stacks of amps cease to put out what they call sound due to stupid stuff like that. Only a fool would buy Ashly...have I made my point? And if you check my posts...I almost NEVER post a negative "review" of a product...I tend to be more silent on it. But Ashly versus QSC? There should not be a comparison. That is like a Yugo versus most any decent car. Sure, you can find the odd Yugo fanatic, or the tale of the one that worked/survived. But if you do any real research of people with Ashly versus QSC...you are going to find something on the order of 90-10 on the QSC favor on satisfaction. I'm not saying QSC is the end all amp company (though their support in Cinema is VERY high) but Ashley should not even be allowed to be compared to them. On the monitor front...I'm with Scott... I'm not a fan of the DCM series at all. Not the best in DSP, and their gain structure is all off...you can clip the monitor long before you clip the amplifier...dumb. What the DCM series did was allow even the incompetent to wire up a sound rack effectively using the HD15 cables (which I also don't like). It must have been a great idea since most everyone in the cinema industry has decided to follow suit! All in all, they have done more good than harm. I'll give them that. But lets face it...nobody really makes a decent monitor for the cinema. Panastereo tried by making just the selector and amplifier. It worked pretty well (though I found it a bit noisy). What I would like is a selector/preamp system that gives me line out and then I can couple that to a real monitor, like a Wohler in the rack or use a VCA (Oxmoor) and real speakers mounted on the wall. -Steve  |  IP: Logged John Hegel Expert Film Handler Posts: 166 From: Lake Mills, Iowa Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-23-2011 08:24 PM                        As far the house requirments go, do you do a lot of national acts? Many riders require Crest or QSC amps.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 02-23-2011 08:37 PM                     Randy, there is only one choice for amplifiers for your application, QSC. I strongly prefer the DCA line, as you will find most others will agree. Ashly makes a good amp until they get old. Then as Steve pointed out they start killing drivers, having random level changes and static due to their pots, etc. Don't do it. Stick with QSC amps. I'm with Steve on the monitors too. Nobody really makes a good one. For what you are doing though with bi-amping, the DCM would probably suit you just fine.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-23-2011 10:14 PM                     Forget the new vs old thing...I've seen Ashly amps belch fire when new, oscillate themselves into a frenzy...you name it. Perhaps I've only seen the bad ones but they suck even when new. Even if they work, I've never found one that I though sounded good!  |  IP: Logged Sean McKinnon Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1712 From: Peabody Massachusetts Registered: Sep 2000 posted 02-23-2011 10:15 PM                        If you do go with the Ashly amps I would stay away from the built in crossover modules.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-23-2011 10:40 PM                     I'm going to push for the QSC. Why would anybody spend $10K to upgrade a sound system then try to save a few dollars by using cheap amps? Amps that might go up in smoke, blow drivers or just generally sound like crap. I asked for QSC amps in the first place. Ashly never even crossed my mind. I didn't even know they were still in business anymore. I have no idea how or why this guy came up with Ashly when I asked for something else. I did expect him to try to sell us those amps from Face Audio. The last time he tried to sell Face, I said, "Face is an ancient Chinese word for 'crap.'" Sounds to me like those Ashly amps would go well with that old Smart MOD-II B we just replaced.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-24-2011 11:11 AM                     Just got a message back from our dealer. He claims he can't get QSC and Ashly is all he can get. I want to pull the rug out from under him and get them somewhere else. I'll even order them direct if I can. A lot manufacturers will deal direct with us because Mercyhurst is a non-profit institution. (At least that's what I've been told.) Can you guys check my work so I can be sure I'm getting the right amps, please. I'm thinking about the DCA 1222 or the 1622. I've got JBL 4675C behind the screen. (Don't have surrounds. Subs are another matter to be dealt with later.) House has 800 seats with a balcony. (600 downstairs. 200 upstairs.) We don't usually seat the balcony during movies. Approx 100 ft. from screen to far wall of house. Approx 50 ft. across. Approx 50 ft. high, from grid to deck. Stage house is about 80 ft. wide, 40 ft. deep and 60 ft. tall. (I'm going to try to build a baffle behind the speakers. Another thing to deal with later.) I want to get three amps. 1 each for center, left and right and bridge them. Then, later, if I can convince them to run the wires, I'll split the amps, add crossovers and turn it into a bi-amped system. I think I've got the right amps picked out but I'd appreciate the check. I want to get this done as quickly as possible.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 02-24-2011 01:35 PM                       I would get the 1622's. Several of us on this forum can sell these to you. QSC is good about selling B and C stock if you need to stretch your budget. Warranty is like a new amp.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-06-2011 02:38 PM                     Update: I received three brand new QSC DCA-1622 amplifiers yesterday. I was up until the cows came home last night installing them and tuning up the system. Two words: KICK ASS! I would characterize the difference in sound quality at nearly an order of magnitude better! There is almost as much difference between the DCA amps and the old ones as there was when I upgraded from the Smart cinema processor to the Dolby CP650. I now have three amps, one for each screen channel. They operate in bridged mode, sending full range to the stage. The crossovers in the JBL cabinets handle conversion. With the original amps, I had the output of the processor turned up to approx 75 (in the setup menu, not the master fader) but now, the output settings are in the mid 40's. Even then, I am now setting the master fader at 5.0 where it was originally at 6.0. Even at the lower fader setting, the sound is louder but because there is so much less distortion, the higher volume levels are tolerable. (And, even quite comfortable!) This is the cool part: Literally... pun intended... Even after running for two hours, playing a movie at moderate to loud levels the amps are completely cool. If you put your hand on the back of the chassis/cover they are not even warm at all. When you place your hand over the air vent the air that comes out is actually cool. I think the amps sound great as they are but I am going to have my boss's sound tech come in to "help" equalize the system for the room. Honestly, I don't think it's needed but I do this just to satisfy the boss. Yes, I think I can do a proper job of EQ-ing for the room but if his guy comes to bless my work he will feel better. (I hate politics!) We're pretty much on our way! We have seen attendance improving in the last few weeks. The last two weeks, we actually had near sell-outs! This an 800 seat house! While last week's movie was "The King's Speech," I still think the improved attendance had something to do with the improvements in sound. I'm hoping this will pave the way for me to get surround sound installed in this theater. (Fingers crossed!) P.S.: Thanks for all your help, Sam!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-06-2011 05:21 PM                     quote: Sam D. Chavez IMHO, it's too late for Ashly in cinema. They sell very few in our industry. Market share is almost zero. Less then zero perhaps in this day and age. They haven't been to a Cinema type show in years nor are they very good at answering their phones. As a result of them not picking up the phones I have removed more of them than I can count on both hands and many have been replaced by... low and behold... rebult QSC USA 1400's and 900's that are well over 20 years old and will probably serve very well until they are 40 years old... A properly set up and biased QSC Series One (1400, 900, etc.) sounds excellent even today.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 7 pages: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.