A question of input voltage.

[Mudbass]

I'm considering a Crown K2 for my bass rig. No, I don't need that much frickin power, but K1's are damned near as much money as K2's so what the hell. Anyway, I'll be using an Alembic F1-X preamp. The output voltage on the F1-X is 1 volt RMS, however, the input sensitivity on the K2 is 1.4 volts RMS. Am I headed for trouble with a situation like this?

[boseengineer]

No trouble between the pre-amp and power amp, the match is fine.

 

There may be danger for your cab: what kind are you driving with this ? That's a lot of power. If the K@ is a lot beefier than your cab, you might want to consider using an external limiter (as a protection for the box)

[pro1-54]

I don't know if they changed the design but a two-position switch for each channel located near each channel's input connectors can be set to 1.4 V for full output into an 8 ohm load or a fixed voltage gain of 26 dB which is probably what you would do.

[Mudbass]

Thanks boseengineer.

 

I'm using an Eden 2x10 top cab (350watts RMS) and an Eden 2x15 (400 watts RMS) biamped.

 

External limiter? Hmmm...I figured my brains would probably get blown out before the speakers go up in smoke.

[Mudbass]

 

Originally posted by pro1-54 I don't know if they changed the design but a two-position switch for each channel located near each channel's input connectors can be set to 1.4 V for full output into an 8 ohm load or a fixed voltage gain of 26 dB which is probably what you would do.

 

 

It's still the same. I'd be driving both sides into a 4ohm load and I'm unfamiliar with how that fixed voltage gain thing works. I know bassists who have had trouble driving QSC amps with bass preamps because QSC comes set with a 1.7 volt sensitivity and I'm concerned about being in the same boat with the K2.

[boseengineer]

Originally posted by Mudbass Thanks boseengineer. I'm using an Eden 2x10 top cab (350watts RMS) and an Eden 2x15 (400 watts RMS) biamped. External limiter? Hmmm...I figured my brains would probably get blown out before the speakers go up in smoke.

 

The gain switch on the Crown actually goes the wrong way. Ideally, you would want 3 dB more gain and not 6 dB less.

 

HOWEVER, the K2 is very beefy for these cabs, so it really doesn't harm that the preamp is a little on the light side. There is nothing wrong in principle with oversizing the amp, but you have to be really careful with the good old volume knob (hence my suggestion with the limiter). The K2 is perfectly capable of ripping the cabs to shreds, so you might want to re-consider the K1 (which might be a better match to your cabs).

[Mudbass]

 

Originally posted by boseengineer The gain switch on the Crown actually goes the wrong way. Ideally, you would want 3 dB more gain and not 6 dB less. HOWEVER, the K2 is very beefy for these cabs, so it really doesn't harm that the preamp is a little on the light side. There is nothing wrong in principle with oversizing the amp, but you have to be really careful with the good old volume knob (hence my suggestion with the limiter). The K2 is perfectly capable of ripping the cabs to shreds, so you might want to re-consider the K1 (which might be a better match to your cabs).

 

 

That was my thinking. Even though the pre is on the light side, the K2 has so much more power than I need it wouldn't matter much if the pre could drive it at full volume or not. I agree the K1 would be a more sensible choice, but if my pre can't push it hard enough I'm going to be in trouble.