Lightweight Class D Rack Mount Power Amps

[molan]

Anyone got any recommendations for a simple class D power amp that's very light weight?

I'm thinking of something that's max of 1U in height and somewhere around the 400w to 600w into 4 ohms mono (or around 250w a side into 8 ohms).

Ideally I'd like one without a fan as well as I'd be using it in my study & I've got used to not having a noisy fan whirring away!

I really know nothing about dedicated power amps but I'd be looking for something that's available used as I'm too mean to pay new dealer prices, lol.

Edited January 25, 2010 by molan

[molan]

Just answering my own question here, lol.

The Powersoft amps look pretty impressive?



One like this sold for £365 just before Xmas on Ebay

[i]Powersoft Digam D1502

High quality Lightweight Tour Grade Pro-Audio Amplifier

2 x 400w into 4 Ohms[/i]

[MythSte]

[quote name='molan' post='724712' date='Jan 25 2010, 11:18 PM']Just answering my own question here, lol.

The Powersoft amps look pretty impressive?



One like this sold for £365 just before Xmas on Ebay

[i]Powersoft Digam D1502

High quality Lightweight Tour Grade Pro-Audio Amplifier

2 x 400w into 4 Ohms[/i][/quote]

I think Ped has a powersoft power amp like this, or at least the same one branded differently. I do know he rates it very highly!

[Gwilym]

the problem with a lot of the 1 unit amps that I've seen is that what they lose in on dimension they gain in another. i.e. my preamp is about 10inch deep (front to back). a lot of the 1u poweramps are ~18in deep, so it won't fit into the more compact rack cases.
Overall, I think i'd prefer 2units and 10in deep ( plus the light weight).

[obbm]

Why not use the power amp section of a Markbass F1?

1U, almost 1/2 rack width and quite shallow.

[molan]

[quote name='Gwilym' post='724747' date='Jan 25 2010, 11:59 PM']the problem with a lot of the 1 unit amps that I've seen is that what they lose in on dimension they gain in another. i.e. my preamp is about 10inch deep (front to back). a lot of the 1u poweramps are ~18in deep, so it won't fit into the more compact rack cases.
Overall, I think i'd prefer 2units and 10in deep ( plus the light weight).[/quote]

Good point - the Powersoft amps are indeed just under 18" deep!

[molan]

[quote name='obbm' post='724752' date='Jan 26 2010, 12:06 AM']Why not use the power amp section of a Markbass F1?

1U, almost 1/2 rack width and quite shallow.[/quote]

And another good shout, lol.

10" deep & only 4.6 lbs

[Dood]

I owned a Powersoft D2004. !000W RMS per channel. It is by far the best power amp I have ever used for endless power and headroom. If you read up on some of the big PA forums, you'll find that the Powersoft kit rates easily at the top for driving huge subs, but at the same time able to drive tops and mds with the same little effort - especially as they are so light and a 1u rack. They will fit in a standard length Gator rack case with the lids on. Pricey - but you get what you pay for. (I have a/b'd in rigs with other power amplifiers)

[stevie]

Behringer has just launched some new 1u lightweight amps. The EPQ1000 looks perfect (2 x 500 watts, 10" deep, 5kg) at an RRP of £240. There are no independent tests yet, but these could well provide a killer bass amp with a suitable pre. Bridgeable, balanced input (XLR or jack), unbalanced input, limiters, built-in crossover - well worth checking out when they arrive in the shops. The usual UK retailers are advertising them already, although I doubt they have any stock, as Thomann isn't even listing them yet.

[url="http://www.behringer.de/EN/Products/EPQ1000.aspx"]http://www.behringer.de/EN/Products/EPQ1000.aspx[/url]

Edited January 26, 2010 by stevie

[molan]

Thanks for that - i did have a quick look for Behringer as I thought they might have something & was susprised that the dealer I checked wasn't showing any 1U amps.

[bigjohn]

1u, light & powerful = expensive.

Putting a pre-amp into a 1u digital power amp and out into full range (acme) speakers resulted in a very expensive and very short gig for me once.

If I did it again I'd only do a Powersoft amp. They're the only amps of this size that seem like they're actually fit for purpose (as a bass power amp). Either that or use a crossover to stop it overheating.

I'd much rather carry the extra 1u space, mosfets and 7kg of my current 2u amp. Much cheaper And sounds better.

Edited January 26, 2010 by bigjohn

[BTGAndy]

There's the new SWR amplite, that's a 1u half rack.

[Kiwi]

I had my power amp in for servicing last week. The tech says the Philips digital chipset is only rated to 100w, not the 700w RMS recently confirmed by the manufacturer in an email. So I asked the company to explain why they'd rated the amps at 700w RMS when the digital chips in them are only capable of 100w at most.

I'm still waiting for a reply three days later after near instant responses over schematics up until then etc...

Here's the schematic for the Technical Pro DAB3300

[attachment=43783:DAB3000_schematic_.pdf]

Having said that, I didn't pay a lot for it and the amp still sounds very loud but maybe only because my cabs are so sensitive. Still...100w rated chips in a 700w-a-side amp is taking the piss even if there's only 3dB difference in loudness.

Website is here:

[url="http://www.tpro.com/prods.php?prod=DA-B3000"]http://www.tpro.com/prods.php?prod=DA-B3000[/url]

If I hear anything else from them, I'll post it. I'm hoping they're waiting for an explanation themselves.

[Kiwi]

Putting that to one side for a moment, here's a UK manufacturer who has rated their 1u Class D power amps in RMS:

[url="http://www.proaudio.ltd.uk/1U%20Amplifiers.html"]http://www.proaudio.ltd.uk/1U%20Amplifiers.html[/url]

Very reasonable [url="http://www.proaudio.ltd.uk/Content/Pro%20Audio%20LTD%20Price%20List.pdf"]prices[/url] too. The PA12001 is 230 quid.

[Dood]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='759980' date='Feb 28 2010, 06:24 PM']Putting that to one side for a moment, here's a UK manufacturer who has rated their 1u Class D power amps in RMS:

[url="http://www.proaudio.ltd.uk/1U%20Amplifiers.html"]http://www.proaudio.ltd.uk/1U%20Amplifiers.html[/url]

Very reasonable [url="http://www.proaudio.ltd.uk/Content/Pro%20Audio%20LTD%20Price%20List.pdf"]prices[/url] too. The PA12001 is 230 quid.[/quote]

Hey Steve - Have you been able to gain contact with proaudio ltd? I gave up with trying to track them down for actual delivered prices of those 1u amps!

[Kiwi]

I sent them an email asking about shipping and haven't had anything back from them yet.

[wazz]

I have this Synq amp for sale [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=76812"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=76812[/url]

its light, 1U and only 11 3/4" deep in the rack.

Its got great features and sounds great

[Kiwi]

Too powerful for me. I need 650w at 4 ohms max.