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Crown XLS 2500 - the best amp value per dollar?

I just purchased a Crown XLS 2500 for $419 with free shipping, available to anyone who does a Google search. The 2500’s are discounted now because Crown is releasing the XLS 2502 very soon and the 2500's will be discontinued. One can pre-order the XLS 2502 for $599.

The XLS 2500 amp is rated at 440w @ 8ohms, 775 @ 4ohms, and 1200w at 2 ohms. I purchased this amp to bi-amp it on the lower end of my Infinity Kappa 9’s and use my Adcom 565SE on the mid-high end. I ordered Y cable connections for the two amps but haven’t received them yet so in the mean time I have been listening to the XLS 2500 powering the Kappa 9’s and I am blown away by how well this amp handles the Kappa 9 speakers.
The Crown XLS is a Class D amp. The sound / value proposition of this amp has to be nothing short of a paradigm shift in amplification value. Will it satisfy the ultra high-end audiophile willing to spend any amount to achieve that final percentage of improvement? I don’t know as I am not one of those. But can someone who is and has listened to both a Crown XLS and a high-end Class A amplifier in their system tell me how much of a difference there really is?
128x1281extreme

Showing 1 response by roscoeiii

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roscoeiii
1,155 posts
 
1extreme, I would also suggest that you try the XLS at various levels of gain. I also found mine to sound best at between noon and 3 o'clock on the dial. Easy enough to play with. And a lower gain setting on the amp gives you a more sensitive volume control on your preamp.

As for the amp itself, as usual there is the matter of system synergy. I compared the XLS 2000 to the much raved-about Hypex nCore DIY Class D amp, and with my power hungry SP Tech Revelation speakers, we preferred the XLS. Though on my buddy's system we preferred the nCore. Again, when comparing the XLS to a Rogue Stereo 90 Super Magnum edition, the XLS won out on the SP Tech speakers, but the Rogue was better on my Von Schweikert VR-4s.

Glad you are also enjoying these amps.
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