Home Audio Amps VS Pro DJ Amps?

[BleedingStar]

Now, I there are definitive advantages to the home audio amplifiers such as mcintosh and other high end audio amps. However, I am still interested in the pros/cons of using professional DJ amplifiers to power your home theater.

I have just got an amazing deal on a pair of King Audios Prince 58" Electrostats. They call for 50-250 watts of power. I am currently pushing 100 watts from my Kenwood THX VR6070 Receiver.... and although they sound quite impressive, I don't feel they are getting what they deserve.

And still I know they probably deserve something of much higher quality than this, I am interested to here the advantage/disadvantages of using a dj amp like this ( http://www.musician.com/product/Gem-...Amp?sku=481217 ) for this and any other home theater use.

I would like to eventually have everything running from separate power amps, and this route would be VERY reasonably priced... but at what cost?

[bluejay]

I am interested in the same questions. I am also considering an amp upgrade. I am looking at this one;
http://www.musician.com/product/Tapc...ier?sku=483049

[BleedingStar]

Yeah i bookmarked that one too actually, = )

310 per channel is probably a little more than i need though.

[Sonnie]

There is some discussion about the Juice amp here and here.

[jackfish]

The Tapco Juice J-800 is 2 x 205 watts into 8 Ohms and can be had for $230. Mackie has a little bit better reputation than GEM. The low price on the Gem XP series is because they are in closeout.

http://www.musicgearreview.com/review-display/9842.html
http://www.guitargearheads.com/modul...hp?storyid=112

[BleedingStar]

So, it seems like it isn't an uncommon thing to use a proamp such as the ones we are referring to for home theater power amps? Does anyone notice more distortion from going this route?

[WmAx]

BleedingStar wrote:

Now, I there are definitive advantages to the home audio amplifiers such as mcintosh and other high end audio amps.

What advantage? Pride of ownership? Prettier chassis? Lack of fans(in cases where you can not practically install the amps in a silencing cabinet, or modify the amps to run quiet)? Those are about the only ones can think of.

I used to run only McIntosh amplification - though this was some time back. Today, I mainly use pro amps. The pro amps? I like them better. A good pro amp is as transparent to human ears as any properly operating 'high end' amplifier. But the pro amp does not waste your money.

-Chris

[BleedingStar]

= ) So i shouldn't feel too cheap about buying a $200 pro power amp over a $2000 home audio amp?

[tonyvdb]

The one thing with the lower cost "pro" amps is that they tend to have a poor signal to noise ratio and when used at near full power they may distort the signal and also have a high noise floor compared to a more expensive amp or receiver.

[WmAx]

tonyvdb wrote:

The one thing with the lower cost "pro" amps is that they tend to have a poor signal to noise ratio and when used at near full power they may distort the signal and also have a high noise floor compared to a more expensive amp or receiver.

I have a couple of Behringer models and a couple of Crown XLS models; none of which have any audible noise unless you put your ear about 1" in front of the driver in a quiet room. As for distort near high power -- certainly if you exceed their maximum power rating this is true -- just as it is with 'high end' amplifers. You should refer to the pro amp measurements on the AVS forum. In fact, decent ones measure excellent in terms of high power vs. thd level and usually have noise floors far exceeding -100dB. It would be nice if the measurement tech on there would give FFT spectrum analysis shots of the fundamental vs. harmonics so that one could see the specific nature of the HD of each amplifier under different conditions.

-Chris