Velodyne DD15 - worth repairing the plate amp?


The amp in my 2008 Velodyne DD15 is dead as a door nail. 

How good is this old marvel compared to today's offerings?

Worth investing another $500 (to have amp repaired, incl roundtrip shipping, tax, etc)? Or just use as passive sub?

How does it compete to modern subs, for example SBS SB-2000 or SB-3000 (both under $1k pre owned)?

kraftwerkturbo

Currently driving it with an external class H brute, 'no controlled'. Does the job. Surprised how much amps it sucks in. Switched the class D to mono bridge mode to stay out of the first red clipping light flickering at high volume. Amp is QSC 702. Assuming the Velodyne is 4 ohm, the clipping light (assuming 1% THD) should come on at way over 1000 W (see specs below). So the Velodyne really wants to be FED: 

ower Rating

8 Ohms:
425 W per Channel (Full Range, 0.03% THD)
4 Ohms:
700 W per Channel (Full Range, 0.05% THD)
8 Ohms:
475 W per Channel (1 kHz, 1% THD)
4 Ohms:
825 W per Channel (1 kHz, 1% THD)
2 Ohms:
1200 W per Channel (1 kHz, 1% THD)
16 Ohms:
850 W Bridged (Full Range, 0.1% THD)
8 Ohms:
1500 W Bridged (Full Range, 0.1% THD)
4 Ohms / 8 Ohms:
2400 W Bridged (1 kHz, 1% THD)

This may sound silly but what are you all doing to pry these plate amps out of DD-15s and such? Mine has developed an intermittent blatting sound and the dang amp doesn't want to budge. I'm sure there's an adhesive from the factory involved. I'm nervous to pull any harder on the hi-level input banana jacks.

I didn't have too much trouble getting the amp out but I'm not surprised it happens.  There's no adhesive but I think some sort of gasket maybe is sticky.  It'll come, worst case scenario you have to accept a little cabinet damage and pry it out with a screw driver.  

I often half insert the screws back in, push/pull them to the side (to jam) and apply lifting force to seperate the seal tape from the wood.

If nothing works: put 2 wood screws (in new holes, small pre drill but not all the way through) in.