EP2500 subwoofer amp, Is this normal?

**Darren** · **07-27-06, 10:47 AM**

Just got my EP2500 last night and am experiencing some issues. Not sure if they are a problem or not yet but wanted to get some advice.

1. When powering on my amp without any speaker wire connected the channel 1 clip LED lights up bright for a couple seconds then goes away each time.

2. When shutting the amp off the green power light remains lit for quite a while. My PE1500 never did that but I have other amps that do that, residual bleed off I assume. I'm pretty sure this is normal.

3. When shutting the amp off with my subwoofer hooked up, in addition to the green power light remaining lit the channel 1 clip indicator lights up and stays lit along with the green light for quite a while.

Other than that the amp appears to operate normally. I haven't checked stereo operation yet though. I don't like the red clip light coming on after I power the amp off becuse it gives the subwoofer a very small but audible pop when it does so.

The amp is set up with no clip or low cut filter and I have the 7 and 8 dip switches set for bridged mono. Running the exact same 8 ohm load as I did previoiusly with the EP1500.

Should I get it replaced? Free replacement within 7 days...

**Wayne A. Pflughaupt** · **07-27-06, 05:54 PM**

Hi Darren,

Quote:

2. When shutting the amp off the green power light remains lit for quite a while. My PE1500 never did that but I have other amps that do that, residual bleed off I assume. I'm pretty sure this is normal.

Yup – perfectly normal. Capacitors discharging.

Quote:

3. When shutting the amp off with my subwoofer hooked up, in addition to the green power light remaining lit the channel 1 clip indicator lights up and stays lit along with the green light for quite a while.

Also fairly common with pro amps.

Regards,
Wayne

**Darren** · **07-27-06, 05:59 PM**

Thanks Wayne, that makes me feel better.

**John Simpson** · **06-18-07, 01:31 AM**

Can I ask, should this amp be switched off when not in use? Or is it safe to be "always on".

I've just purchased one, and am now wondering how it's controlled when in the HT equipment cupboard...

**Otto** · **06-18-07, 09:07 AM**

Mine is buried in the basement and is always on.

**Sonnie** · **06-18-07, 09:47 AM**

Mine is in the rear of the room and I forget to turn it off most of the time. I've checked it after several weeks of being on and it does not seem to get very warm at all. I'm not sure how much power it is consuming in its idle state though.

**Scott S** · **06-18-07, 04:53 PM**

I got mine about a month ago and have used it to power my 281's and atm is bridged running my center channel. Assumed that it was the capacitors discharging but I noticed that as it powers down there is a soft "buzz" sound and then the light goes out. The "buzz" is usually when the clip lights glow away. I didn't take it as much as the level of the "buzz" is quite soft. Should be completely inaudible once I have the 2500 hooked up to the subs when I am finished.

I always turn the gains down, flick the power and then pull the plug from the back when I am done. My dad and I use the A/C alot and our electric bills are usually high all the time since we have so many electronics in the house. And we're about to get solar panels so I just do it out of habbit. Heh.

**mike c** · **04-21-08, 02:36 AM**

sorry to bring back an old thread ... but when the EP2500 is on, isn't the fan on too? (it just spins slower when the unit is cool right?)

is it ok to leave a unit with fans on indefinitely? when one day the fan decides to bite the dust, won't your amp overheat?

**ccdoggy** · **04-21-08, 11:18 AM**

The fan blows at the same speed all the time from what i can tell.

Sure you can always worry about the fan goin on you but then again you could say that for computers too. My computer has been shut off for maybe a week total in the past 3 years and all fans are still going fine. If you have it going that much you should expect to clean the fans once in a while. but nothing really serious.

I also would expect the amp to shut off due to overheating before it dies/starts fire.

**mike c** · **04-21-08, 05:56 PM**

Quote:

ccdoggy wrote:

The fan blows at the same speed all the time from what i can tell.

Sure you can always worry about the fan goin on you but then again you could say that for computers too. My computer has been shut off for maybe a week total in the past 3 years and all fans are still going fine. If you have it going that much you should expect to clean the fans once in a while. but nothing really serious.

I also would expect the amp to shut off due to overheating before it dies/starts fire.

thanks!

**ISLAND1000** · **04-24-08, 04:24 PM**

I turn all of my equipment off after each use. Sometimes I don't get back to it for a couple of days. I also unplug everything from the wall during electrical storms.
What's the downside to turning off the receivers and amps?

**ccdoggy** · **04-25-08, 01:31 PM**

well there are really 2 thoughts.

1. Turning off equipment can sometimes be a pain (i guess...) and might as well leave it on as you use it allot.

2. On the audiophile side its that warm amps produce a better sound, I dont know how much i agree with this but some people i respect allot in industry say its a must. keeping the amp on keeps it warm and ready to go.

Personally i turn them off as i dont want them always drawing power, kinda a waste, and if say i am monkeying with cables and they are not off then i can blow a driver or something if a cable touches the wrong piece of metal. Also its really not hard to just go flick a switch and turn my sub amp off.

**financethi$** · **05-16-08, 04:33 PM**

would the ep2500 be enough to power 1 18" tc sounds lms 5400 in a 6.50 cu ft box and a passive raditor? i would have started a new post but i can't cause i don't have enough posts

**ccdoggy** · **05-16-08, 04:38 PM**

I suppose you could.... but personally If you go to the trouble and cost of a LMS and passive setup get a better amp then the 2500.

But i suppose you could get about 2000 watts out of a 2500 but I would want more. You could give it a try and see how you like it if you dont want to spend much money. as the last say 1000 watts it could take only make up 2db or less.

I am so jealous of everyone with a LMS, if only i had money to blow...

**financethi$** · **05-16-08, 04:45 PM**

well what amp would do really well with the lms 5400? i don't have the money for a itech 8000 crown. lol somethimes i wish i had bought a cheaper woofer so that i could get a smaller amp. 5k watts rms is a hugh shoe to fill. so what amp could be the best both dollars and cents

**Blaser** · **05-16-08, 04:57 PM**

Do you really need more than the EP 2500? You do not necessarily have to feed your sub with 5KW! How much sound pressure do you need from your sub? Do you know that it makes only 3dB when you double power, but it takes a lot of money to double power!!

**ISLAND1000** · **05-16-08, 05:56 PM**

I have the LMS in a 6.5 cu. ft. sealed enclosure. You don't need more than the 2500 amp! What you DO need is a system to equalize the frequency response (BFD) of the sub IN YOUR listening area. That way you can get powerful and flat response from the LMS whether it's in a sealed or ported/PR enclosure.
I have an XTi 4000 and it has a EQ system and enough power to shake my walls with the LMS. The EP 2500 is almost/or equal to that.

**ccdoggy** · **05-16-08, 06:13 PM**

I suggest you make a new thread addressing this, I think you will get allot of better responses then in here.

Like i say, personally If i have a sub like that I would feed it all the good power i could afford. If that happened to be a ep2500 then so be it, If i can afford a crown or qsc i would go that route.

**financethi$** · **05-16-08, 09:02 PM**

so would the ep2500 be equal or at least say 75% of that of a xti crown 4000? i f the ep2500 does a good job then thats what i'll get, the most i really wanted to spend on a amp was around 400 to 500 max. i know i can get a ep2500 for that but the xti crown will run 729 to 999, a little more than i wanted to spend but if it is nessary to run it correctly i will save up. i will be using it mosly for HT, movies. som music. i don't need to break drywall seems, but would like to have some backup power. now remember i will being using the VMP 18" passive 1:1 with it, so maybe i don't need tons of power like the crown 4k.
the reason i am going 1:1 is simple those VMP or any tc / audiopluse thing are rare as we all know. i ain't wainting aroun no more. plus the website does show it can be ran 1:1 but more suitable for smaller box size.. i really just want it kick the butt off my earthquake supernova 12, i think this will do that.

i would like to start a new tread but it says i need at least 10 posts to do that so we are working on that.

**financethi$** · **05-16-08, 09:04 PM**

i thought the crown xti 4000 was so much better than the ep2500?

**financethi$** · **05-16-08, 09:05 PM**

so the ep2500 is 1250 x2 is that a rms rating or peak, then the crown is 2000 x2 is that rms or peak. seems to me the crown xti is about double the amp right?

**ccdoggy** · **05-16-08, 09:20 PM**

the EP 2500 will do ~ 2000 real rms watts (tested) into a 4 ohm load bridged.

What do you mean when you say the passive will be 1:1 with the driver? thats a little confusing as the passive only really comes into play near and at the tuning freq.

**ISLAND1000** · **05-17-08, 12:52 AM**

The XTi's have recently been tested on another forum and the results show that at least for the XTi 1000 the ratings have been overstated especially for the frequencies below 50HZ. That was not good news.
The Ep 2500 does an honest 650 watts covering almost all frequencies but most importantly from 80HZ on down. It has proven performance and is considered a low cost jewel by almost all knowledgeable DIYers.
The XTi 4000 has not been tested by the independent tester yet but it probably won't live up to the advertised specs like the XTi 1000 didn't but maybe not as extremely poor.
My XTi 4000 does have power to drive the LMS 5400 18" and the DSP circuitry works wonders. Does it have the 1200 watts advertised per channel, I don't know. It IS powerful enough to energize my large 7000 sq. ft. theater room to thumping and crashing volumes.

**Blaser** · **05-17-08, 01:34 AM**

Quote:

financethi$ wrote:

so would the ep2500 be equal or at least say 75% of that of a xti crown 4000? i f the ep2500 does a good job then thats what i'll get, the most i really wanted to spend on a amp was around 400 to 500 max. i know i can get a ep2500 for that but the xti crown will run 729 to 999, a little more than i wanted to spend but if it is nessary to run it correctly i will save up. i will be using it mosly for HT, movies. som music. i don't need to break drywall seems, but would like to have some backup power. now remember i will being using the VMP 18" passive 1:1 with it, so maybe i don't need tons of power like the crown 4k.
the reason i am going 1:1 is simple those VMP or any tc / audiopluse thing are rare as we all know. i ain't wainting aroun no more. plus the website does show it can be ran 1:1 but more suitable for smaller box size.. i really just want it kick the butt off my earthquake supernova 12, i think this will do that.

i would like to start a new tread but it says i need at least 10 posts to do that so we are working on that.

What's the volume of your listening room?

If you mean you will be using a single passive radiator I would say it is better to use 2 18s.

**financethi$** · **05-17-08, 01:44 PM**

what i meant by 1:1 was 1 passive and 1 active, passive no magnet and active getting the power. will i need a crossover with the ep2500 and will if i have a rca output on my reciever how do i connect it to the ep2500?

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