Official SpeakerPower amplifier thread

[lukeamdman]

www.speakerpower.net

SpeakerPower recently released a new line of rack mount and plate amps that are geared toward the DIY crowd. While their amps used to have strictly SpeakOn, PowerCon, and XLR with no user-controllable EQ, crossovers, or phase control now have binding posts, NEMA-15 power cords, RCA inputs, and all the aforementioned signal controls.

Also making things more appealing is a recent price drop across the board!

I know Brian frequents this forum, so I’m sure any questions posted here will be answered.


My first experience with SpeakerPower amps was when Jeff Permanian (JTR Speakers) brought his highly acclaimed Orbit Shifter LFU to my first AVS GTG in 2013. I couldn’t believe a plate amp (SP1-4000) could bring a single enclosure to such immense SPL levels (tested by Josh to exceed 130db).

These amps are also used by Seaton Sound, Danley Sound Labs, Power Sound Audio, and Deep Sea Sound to name a few.

I purchased my first SpeakerPower amp (rack mount SP2-12000) at the end of 2014 to drive a pair of Othorn tapped horn subwoofers (designed by Josh) loaded with B&C 21-IPAL drivers. These drivers have an unusually low Re of 0.7ohm, and even though the impedance drops to ~1.1ohm while loaded in an Othorn, the SP2-12000 has effortlessly drove these subs all while remaining cold to the touch. In the last ~1.5 years I’ve only seen the fans actually turn on two or three times. I’ve measured SPL levels just north of 139db at the seats in my HT room with just these two subs and a single SpeakerPower amp!

I recently purchased another SP2-12000 to power my latest project of (8) sealed 21” drivers and I’m thrilled with the results. I encourage anyone else using these amplifiers to post their experiences here!

[lukeamdman]

My first SP2-12000 purchased in 2014:

 

 

 

 

 

10awg L6-30P vs. 14awg NEMA 5-15P:

 

 

 

 

 

SP2-12000 that arrived just last week:

 

 

 

 

[Rowan611]

Ah, in my dreams. Love that new amp man. Can't wait to hear/feel it's power. Did you decide to use both for the DO or keep one on the Othorns?

[lukeamdman]

Ah, in my dreams. Love that new amp man. Can't wait to hear/feel it's power. Did you decide to use both for the DO or keep one on the Othorns?

 

Both are currently on DO duty and it's going to stay that way.

 

I wired the Othorns in a series and have them on a single bridged CC5500, but that just isn't going to cut it.  Not sure what the plan is to address that yet.

[Infrasonic]

MOAR SP amps. Duh!

[lukeamdman]

MOAR SP amps. Duh!

I'd never do such a thing...

[lukeamdman]

MOAR SP amps. Duh!

 

Ordered a 3rd SP2-12000 last week... Anything less on the Othorns just left too much of their potential unused.

[lukeamdman]

Oh snap

 

[Infrasonic]

Now you are just showing off.

Congrats.

[NWCgrad]

That iNuke looks out of place....

[SME]

It's worth mentioning that SpeakerPower is now selling a 4 channel X 700W/4 ohm rack amp, the SP4-2800.  It's not available in an HT version.  It's PRO only.  I'm ordering one to power the mid-bass units I'm planning to build.

[Infrasonic]

Does it do 4ch @ 2ohm?

[dgage]

Those are ICE modules and only rated for 4 ohm duty.  I am hoping/planning for a more powerful module to be available sometime soon.

[SME]

Well, talk about bad timing.  As of yesterday, I had confirmation of my order and an invoice to pay.  Today, I got an email stating that the SP4-2800 is delayed and the future release date is unknown.  That's very unfortunate because I've been in discussion with them about this amp for a few weeks now.  I guess they must have run into a big unanticipated snag.

 

I any case, I already ordered my drivers, so I'm going to have to either wait (indefinitely) or choose different amps.  Oh well.

[SpeakerPower]

SP4-2800 is shipping now. We took some extra time to make sure the noise was a low as it could be. 

[Kyle]

SP4-2800 is shipping now. We took some extra time to make sure the noise was a low as it could be. 

 

Gotta love that fan noise

[SME]

Gotta love that fan noise

 

I think he means the electrical noise floor.

[Kyle]

Seems like the 2 channel amps are designed to run with dual 4 ohm coils, is this correct? This gives you the option to drop down to 2ohms and run a driver off one of the channels at optional impedance, or drive each coil  @ 4ohms off their own respective channels.

 

The question is, can you truly run a dual 4 ohm coil in parallel off a single channel if the Re dips below 1?

[SME]

Seems like the 2 channel amps are designed to run with dual 4 ohm coils, is this correct? This gives you the option to drop down to 2ohms and run a driver off one of the channels at optional impedance, or drive each coil  @ 4ohms off their own respective channels.

 

The question is, can you truly run a dual 4 ohm coil in parallel off a single channel if the Re dips below 1?

 

Wouldn't a dual 4 ohm coil in parallel give you a nominally 2 ohm load?  If Re drops below 1, I think I'd call that a dual 2 ohm coil system.  Or I'm just confused.  I believe the SP2 will run fine with 1 ohm impedance, but where the impedance actually drops that low, the max power output will be lower than it would be with a 2 ohm load.  Most likely this is not how you want to use the amp, but I can see some interesting use cases where you might want to put it on a very low load impedance.  Here I'm thinking about ultra high efficiency sealed systems where the actual impedance may be much higher than Re over most of the useable bandwidth.

 

Are you thinking of putting an IPAL-21 on each channel?  What is your application?  How low do you plan to go?

[Kyle]

Wouldn't a dual 4 ohm coil in parallel give you a nominally 2 ohm load?  If Re drops below 1, I think I'd call that a dual 2 ohm coil system.  Or I'm just confused.  I believe the SP2 will run fine with 1 ohm impedance, but where the impedance actually drops that low, the max power output will be lower than it would be with a 2 ohm load.  Most likely this is not how you want to use the amp, but I can see some interesting use cases where you might want to put it on a very low load impedance.  Here I'm thinking about ultra high efficiency sealed systems where the actual impedance may be much higher than Re over most of the useable bandwidth.

 

Are you thinking of putting an IPAL-21 on each channel?  What is your application?  How low do you plan to go?

 

Sorry, I need to clarify, yes, these amps seem better suited for 4+4 coils, but I'm wondering how they would do with 2+2 coils running in parallel off one channel. Re would be blow 1ohm :\

 

Ya, drivers like the IPAL which are 2ohm coils or even my 5100's would be at 0.7ohms in parallel wired config. 

[Kyle]

I think he means the electrical noise floor.

 

I know, I was just messin..

[Ricci]

Sorry, I need to clarify, yes, these amps seem better suited for 4+4 coils, but I'm wondering how they would do with 2+2 coils running in parallel off one channel. Re would be blow 1ohm :\

 

 

Out of all of the amps I've tried these seem the best able to handle the low impedance loads at 1-2ohm. Only other ones that were ok with it were the 100lb 4 rack space AETechron's. Not counting mobile audio amps of course.

[Kyle]

Out of all of the amps I've tried these seem the best able to handle the low impedance loads at 1-2ohm. Only other ones that were ok with it were the 100lb 4 rack space AETechron's. Not counting mobile audio amps of course.

 

Thanks, Good to know!

[SME]

I've had my SP4-2800 amp for a little while now but haven't taken the time to get pictures and what not.

 

I did fire it up yesterday to free-air test my 8 new Acoustic Elegance TD10X drivers.  As expected, it handled the task just fine.  I also ran it without a load and used the clip lights to establish the appropriate gain for my setup.  I *really* like the feel of the knobs on these amps.

 

I was surprised to hear that the fans are not exactly what I would call silent.  They are definitely quiet, but my PC fans are significantly quieter, even though I can still hear them from my seat, too.  With that said, it's certainly not a deal breaker, and it might be harder to hear once it's installed in my rack.

 

I plan to fire up the SP2-12k (albeit on 110V) once I get my big sub drivers.  I'm guessing it has the same fans, but I thought I read that they don't run at all normally.  Is this true?  Maybe the SP4-2800 puts out enough extra heat at idle to need the fan running on low speed all the time.

 

Edit: Does anyone know of an elegant way to split two separate channels run within a single 4 wire cable into two separate cables?  I could do the split within my sub cabinets and wire them in a master-slave configuration, but that involves putting extra Speakon connectors in the cabinet.  I'd rather do the split before making the connections if possible.

[Ricci]

I've had my SP4-2800 amp for a little while now but haven't taken the time to get pictures and what not.

 

I did fire it up yesterday to free-air test my 8 new Acoustic Elegance TD10X drivers.  As expected, it handled the task just fine.  I also ran it without a load and used the clip lights to establish the appropriate gain for my setup.  I *really* like the feel of the knobs on these amps.

 

I was surprised to hear that the fans are not exactly what I would call silent.  They are definitely quiet, but my PC fans are significantly quieter, even though I can still hear them from my seat, too.  With that said, it's certainly not a deal breaker, and it might be harder to hear once it's installed in my rack.

 

I plan to fire up the SP2-12k (albeit on 110V) once I get my big sub drivers.

 

Edit: Does anyone know of an elegant way to split two separate channels run within a single 4 wire cable into two separate cables?  I could do the split within my sub cabinets and wire them in a master-slave configuration, but that involves putting extra Speakon connectors in the cabinet.  I'd rather do the split before making the connections if possible.

 

Is the 12000 offered for 120v operation now? The 12000 I have on loan from Brian has yet to turn the fans on at all. 

 

 Just get some extra male and female 4 conducter speakon cable ends and make up a splitter that connects to a regular speakon cable. One 4 conducter speakon cable carrying two signals and going to two cabs. I've got some weird connections like this going on in my HT system where I have 2 drivers in 2 separate cabs, all run in series, bridged onto one amp using a single 4 conducter speakon cable. I'll see if I have pics in case I'm not making sense.