First time power amp user...this should be fun

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Shankton
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Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 6:19 pm

First time power amp user...this should be fun

Post by Shankton » Mon Oct 21, 2019 5:18 pm

Hey all, I'm a longtime guitar player who has somehow gotten into playing DJ at several local elementary and middle schools. I'm a gear collector, so I have several items that I had to figure out how to use. I've always used my laptop into a Peavey XRD680 Plus with two Peavey PR12 speakers. This has been adequate for the cafeterias, but a little lackluster in the gymnasiums. I also have an OLD pair of 1210HS that I've used occasionally.
Because of all the time I've donated to the schools, someone in the community gave me some old equipment that I consider an upgrade, but I don't know how to best use it. I now have a pair of huge SP118 speakers, a CS800X amplifier, and a PV500 amplifier. I'm thinking I need to add an active crossover to have the CS run the SPs, and I can use the PV500 to drive my PR12s. There's an old Gemini mixer here with half the faders broken off, so I'll need something to interface the laptop and the power amps. I've never worked with power amps before. I've researched the CS800X and it looks like I can get a crossover module to plug into the back, but I don't know if that's better than an active crossover? Any advice you can offer will be appreciated. I can add pictures if it helps. Thanks!

colliedogboy1
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Re: First time power amp user...this should be fun

Post by colliedogboy1 » Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:15 pm

An active crossover is best. It allows you to set the parameters of your crossover frequencies so that it can fit almost any combination of speakers. I have the least expensive model Peavey, the PV23XO, and it actually works very well. It is not noisy, and it lets me set up any different combo of speakers (I have several models). I have never had a problem with it. You have the right idea on the amp/speaker hookups. Likely, you could use more powerful amps, but the ones you have are fine. The "ideal" match is an amp with an output of 75%--80% of your speaker's "program" rating.

Shankton
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Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 6:19 pm

Re: First time power amp user...this should be fun

Post by Shankton » Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:30 pm

Thank you very much! I'll post an update once I have everything hooked up.

Peaveypro
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Re: First time power amp user...this should be fun

Post by Peaveypro » Wed Feb 26, 2020 2:00 am

When you POWERUP everything use low volume to verify you have lows going to subs and highs going to the 12s, dont crank it up and blow everything up, Peavey makes a good 2 way crossover analog very easy to use and has diagrams of where to connect things etc..

https://assets.peavey.com/literature/ma ... 06_181.pdf

https://assets.peavey.com/images/large/115806_33590.jpg

https://assets.peavey.com/images/large/115806_33589.jpg
Don Lanier
Pearl Pro Audio
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