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New member Username: NvnPost Number: 4 Registered: Mar-04 | Could someone explain what the different between home amp (NAD) vs. power amp (Crown) Thanks, nvn |
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Unregistered guest | I'm not sure what your question is but try this for an answer. When you buy a receiver you are getting three components in one chasis or box. You have a tuner, a pre-amp or control amp and a power amplifier. The tuner part should be obvious - it's the radio. The power amp is just that - it's where you get the power or wattage, and it is what will drive the speakers. Through a large portion of audio history the piece in the middle was called a preamplifier because that was its main function. It would take the small, milivolt level signals from a tape head or a phono cartridge and step up (amplify) and add equalization (RIAA) to adjust for the deficiencies in the recording process. This signal would then be processed by the control section of the system. Since most products are not using phono inputs and tape decks have their own step up stages built in the term preamplifier is somewhat of a misnomer today and the signal from your various sources is sent to a control amp. Literally this is where the controls are; volume, balance, input selection and so on. So those three components make up a receiver. Take away the tuner and you have purchased an integrated amplifier because the pre and power amps have been integrated into one box. In the earliest days of audio everything was sold as separate pieces and it wasn't until the 1950's when Harmon Kardon sold the first (integrated) reciever. So if you buy a separate tuner, a separate control amp and a separate power amp you have the same pieces as a receiver but you hopefully have better quality and more than likely you have spent a boat load more cash. NAD makes components for the home but they make preamps and power amps as separates. Crown makes products that are usually aimed at the sound reinforcement market, though their products can and have been used in the past as home audio. Crown does not build recievers. The difference between (consumer) home audio and (professional) sound reinforcement gear is found in a few areas. In pro gear the use of a tuner is very rare. The sources are different in some cases such as microphones, equalizers and processors. But those sources are still routed through a control amp. In a pro set up it is called a mixing board but it still has volume, balance (pan pots) and source selection. These "controlled" signals are sent to a power amp(s). A power amp in a pro set up is usually designed to deliver lots of watts by comparison to a consumer product. (This is a generalization because just as Crown amps were used in home systems The Grateful Dead at one time used stacks of McIntosh 2300's [300 watts X 2] as their sound system.) To achieve this high wattage most pro amps run in a different class than a home amp. You have probably heard of class A amplifiers in the high end audio market. Class A is very inefficient and produces lots of heat but has a "cleanliness" that would be lost in a sound reinforcement system. There are different classes of operation in amplifiers, class A, AB, B, C, D and so on. This class designation refers to a push - pull circuit and is determined by what happens to the signal as it crosses from 180 degrees positive signal through 0 degrees (~) on its way to 180 degrees negative. Where the output devices (tubes or transistor) turn on and off as the signal approaches and passes through 0 degress determines the class of operation. A class A amp never turns off so it is very smooth with no notch or crossover distortion. A class D amp (a paging amp in a department store) turns the devices on and off as the signal approaches the crossover at 0 degrees. It is efficient but not what you want to listen to at home. Most pro amps operate in either class AB or B and get a reasonable mix of efficiency vs. sound quality, hence high wattage at a not outrageous price and weight. Most home audio operates in class A up to a few watts and then becomes a class AB amp. Because of the small signal level at the control amp virtually all good preamps run as class A all the time. The other big difference between home and pro sound is the ability to withstand abuse. Stay behind at a concert and watch the roadies take down and load the sound system. Certain pieces of pro audio have developed a reputation for being able to take a tremendous amount of abuse and still make the next performance. Crown has always been a "bullet proof" product. Try taking your best friend's NAD reciever and pitching it down a flight of concrete stairs, kicking it out into the parking lot and then back over it with your truck, twice! That's the difference between home and pro gear. Does that answer your question? |
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sco Unregistered guest | I can't speak for nvn, but you certainly answered a lot of questions that I had. Thanks Jan! |
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Silver Member Username: KeggerMICHIGAN Post Number: 198 Registered: Dec-03 | jan gave a very detailed relation to what you asked. i'm going to give my quick version. pa and dj equipment is mainly meant for sound reinforcement (loud carrying very far) and is generally not as clean sounding as home equipment. the pa and dj equipment is usually larger and more powerful than what is needed in the home. not to say you can't use one in place of the other. you just have be careful of what you are trying to do with it. just because you have $15,000 worth of pa sound equipment doesn't mean it will sound right in your home. |
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Silver Member Username: Disco_stanMinnesota Post Number: 133 Registered: Dec-03 | Heres the difference: http://www.msnusers.com/ce1omg4du8sa8j1anmjdlepqg5/documents.msnw?fc_a=0&fc_p=%2 FPictures In that link I have a HUGE Gemini DJ speaker set up as the 6th channel and you will see the rack of pro audio equipment that is not in the say room because of all the fan noise. The fans in the large Crown amps and pro audio amps are loud, and plenty of huming noise, but I managed to stop that with the Alesis Comp./Limiter. |
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Silver Member Username: Disco_stanMinnesota Post Number: 134 Registered: Dec-03 | ...same room*... |
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Silver Member Username: Disco_stanMinnesota Post Number: 135 Registered: Dec-03 | ahhhhhh...one more correction. This link is the working Link; http://www.msnusers.com/ce1omg4du8sa8j1anmjdlepqg5/documents.msnw?fc_a=0&fc_p=%2 FPictures ...sorry..sorry... |
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Silver Member Username: Disco_stanMinnesota Post Number: 136 Registered: Dec-03 | ahhhhhh...one more correction. This link is the working Link; http://www.msnusers.com/ce1omg4du8sa8j1anmjdlepqg5/documents.msnw?fc_a=0&fc_p=%2 FPictures ...sorry..sorry... |
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Silver Member Username: Disco_stanMinnesota Post Number: 137 Registered: Dec-03 | Ok....use the link above this post. Will I get in trouble for spamming a thread?!?! |